More than 40 government agencies and institutions converged in Cagayan de Oro on Monday for a reintegration fair aimed at connecting returning overseas Filipino workers with livelihood programs and economic opportunities as they transition back to life in the Philippines.
The “National Reintegration Network Fair: Balikbayang Manggagawa” was held at the City Tourism Hall on May 19, organized through the joint efforts of the Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan framed the event as proof that government support for returning OFWs extends well beyond any single agency.
“To our returnees [and] to our repatriated OFWs, you can see now that it is not just DMW and OWWA na may malasakit sa inyo. Ang ating mahal na Panguloing Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at ang lahat ng mga ahensya ng gobyerno ay nagtutulongtulongan so that we can provide the services para sa inyo,” Caunan said.
The fair falls under the National Reintegration Network, a framework designed to ensure that repatriates and returning workers have access to structured government support upon arrival home. The Provincial Government of Cagayan de Oro also backed the activity, linking it to the city’s R.I.S.E. Framework, which centers on MSMEs, tourism, agriculture, and job creation as pillars of sustainable livelihood for OFW families.
Among those present were OWWA Deputy Administrator Rosalia Susana Bahia-Catapang, OWWA OIC-Regional Director Eugene Mesias, and DMW Undersecretary Bernard P. Olalia. The event also highlighted a deepened coordination among DMW, OWWA, and the Department of Labor and Employment in delivering programs and services to Filipino workers.
