A government reintegration program that has quietly been running for more than a decade is now at the center of efforts to absorb licensed teachers returning from the Middle East amid the regional conflict — offering not just jobs, but a structured path back into public school service.
The Sa Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma’am at Sir program, known as SPIMS, has placed 11,056 teachers into Philippine public schools since 2014, making it what the Department of Migrant Workers has called the government’s most effective reintegration initiative for overseas Filipino workers. Employment financial assistance has been extended to 8,047 teachers under the program, while 521 others have completed online refresher courses to ease their return to classroom practice.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara drew attention to the program Monday at the inter-agency Bagong Pilipinas Bayanihan Para sa Balikbayang Manggagawa National Reintegration Network and Job Fair, framing it as a direct response to the hardships faced by displaced workers and their families.
“Sa ilalim ng pamumuno ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos, hindi namin kayo hahayaang mag-isang harapin ang mga hamong ito habang sinisikap naming gawing mas simple, mas mabilis, at mas madaling maabot ang proseso ng SPIMS,” Angara said.
Among those who have gone through the program is Teacher III Veronica Dungog, who spent four years working in the United Arab Emirates before the Covid-19 pandemic cut her posting short. She described the uncertainty she felt before SPIMS gave her a clear path forward.
“Through SPIMS, na-assure ako na makakapagturo ako. Within a year, I was deployed and I’m grateful na teacher na uli ako sa ating bansa,” said Dungog, who is now assigned at West Crame Elementary School in San Juan City, Metro Manila.
For others, the return carries deeper personal weight. Teacher I Aylene Lara, who had been posted in Thailand, lost her father while she was abroad — a grief she says she will carry indefinitely.
“I didn’t want to work abroad for a very long time because it’s not easy. First time ko nalayo sa pamilya pero kailangan kasi sa hirap ng buhay. My father died while I was away, and that is a hurt I will always carry with me,” she said.
Lara, now teaching at Calero Integrated School in Liloan, Cebu, credited not only the program itself but also the support she received from her division office, principal, and fellow teachers upon her return.
“Iyong simpleng pangarap ko na makapagsoot ng uniporme ng DepEd, na makapagturo sa mga kabataang Pilipino at makapagturo sa Pilipinas, natupad because of the SPIMS program. Isang karangalan at utang na loob ko po na natupad ang dream ko at gumanda ang buhay ng pamilya ko,” she added.
Beyond individual stories, the fair also offered practical support for OFW families more broadly. On-site registration was made available for the Accreditation and Equivalency test — which can help returning workers pursue further education or training — as well as the Philippine Educational Placement Test for their children. Returning OFWs preparing for the licensure exam were also offered review incentive packages, and 720 scholarship slots under the Teacher Education Scholarship Program were opened to qualified family members.
Officials have also pointed to SPIMS as a partial answer to the country’s persistent shortage of public school teachers, with returning educators bringing international classroom experience that can raise instructional quality at the local level.
