In a renewed push to shield overseas Filipino workers from exploitation and fraud, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced a strengthened alliance with Italy’s prestigious Studio Legale Parenti. The move underscores President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to guarantee swift and effective legal aid for Filipinos abroad.
Undersecretary Dominique Rubia-Tutay, together with Senator Erwin Tulfo, senior DMW officials, and Labor Attache Margarita Victorino from the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Milan, convened to refine ongoing strategies and revisit pending cases. The group focused on accelerating justice for those already embroiled in legal battles, isolating high-priority cases and sketching clear resolution timelines.
The two sides also confronted procedural choke points in the prosecution process and crafted precise mechanisms to restore momentum in stalled matters. As part of their agreement, they formulated standard operating procedures (SOPs) dictating how DMW, MWO Milan, and the legal counsels will exchange updates, refer cases, and communicate progress. A unified prosecutorial strategy targeting fraud and illegal recruitment was also mapped out, with an eye toward bolstering coordination with Italian authorities.
To date, officials have identified 278 victimized OFWs in northern Italy—212 flagged by DMW and another 66 by the National Bureau of Investigation. In its statement, the DMW vowed to approach each case “with diligence and compassion,” assuring that no Filipino worker in Italy would be left without legal support.
