The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) formally signed a Terms of Reference (TOR) on November 5, 2025, at the DMW Central Office, solidifying their partnership to safeguard overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) against money laundering and related crimes.
The TOR designates selected DMW employees and officials as Deputized AMLC Financial Investigators (DAFIs), empowering them to assist in financial investigations involving OFWs. The agreement was signed by DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac and AMLC Executive Director Matthew M. David, alongside other senior officials from both agencies.
Seventy DMW employees from central and regional offices were also awarded their DAFI certifications, marking them as trained financial investigators authorized to conduct asset freezing and support the prosecution of offenders.
AMLC Executive Director David emphasized the importance of the partnership in reinforcing the country’s anti-money laundering initiatives. “As we sign through the enlistment of the DMW officers as deputized financial investigators, we significantly strengthen our capacity to investigate and prosecute human trafficking and other unlawful activities committed against OFWs,” he said.
Secretary Cacdac underscored that this initiative aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to intensify protection for Filipino migrant workers and their families. “Together, we send a clear message: We will protect our migrant workers. We will follow the money. And we will hold human traffickers and illegal recruiters to account for their evil deeds. Again, we will throw them in jail,” Cacdac declared.
