The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 has unveiled a new lounge exclusively for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), operational 24/7. This initiative, aimed at providing a comfortable space for OFWs, resembles lounges typically reserved for business-class and first-class airline passengers.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, accompanied by Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Arnell Ignacio, inaugurated the facility on Saturday. Remarkably, access to the lounge is complimentary for all OFWs, irrespective of their ticket class.
This project is a collaborative effort involving the House of Representatives, OWWA, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), and Manila International Airport Authority (MIIA). It marks the first in a series of similar lounges planned for other international airports across Metro Manila, Clark, Cebu, and Davao, with an additional facility underway at NAIA Terminal 3.
The lounge offers an array of amenities typically found in airline lounges, such as an assistance desk, comfortable seating, Wi-Fi, charging stations, power outlets, and food services.
Speaker Romualdez emphasized the lounge’s role in expressing gratitude to OFWs for their significant contribution to the Philippine economy through remittances and supporting their families. He also highlighted the lounge as a communal space where departing Filipinos can interact, share experiences, and potentially discuss job opportunities.
