Filipino nurses planning to work abroad were urged to course their applications only through legitimate channels, as the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) used the first Nursing Opportunities Worldwide (NOW) Expo Asia 2026 to renew its pledge to safeguard healthcare workers from exploitation.
The reminder came from Undersecretary Felicitas Q. Bay, who spoke at the SM Megamall gathering on behalf of DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac. She cautioned that legitimate overseas placements pass only through DMW-licensed recruitment agencies or government-to-government hiring schemes, and that job seekers should treat any offer outside those routes with suspicion.
Bay told nursing graduates, those still in training, would-be overseas applicants, and their relatives to guard against recruiters operating outside the law and against fraudulent job offers. Applicants can confirm whether an agency or a placement is legitimate through the DMW website, any of the agency’s 16 regional offices, or by approaching the Department directly for guidance, she said.
She described nurses from the Philippines as present-day heroes, crediting their competence, empathy, and conduct with earning respect for the country and easing the suffering of patients in hospitals worldwide.
“Choose the legal pathway. Verify before you apply. Let the Department of Migrant Workers be your trusted partner in achieving safe, ethical, and successful overseas employment,” she said.
Bay also pointed attendees toward the Migrant Workers Health Summit, set for June 30 to July 1, 2026 at the Occupational Safety and Health Center in Quezon City as part of Migrant Workers Month. The two-day program is to offer health services alongside sessions on safe migration, ethical recruitment, and the range of DMW initiatives open to overseas workers and the families they support.
