A bill aiming to give overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a better shot at life after working abroad has moved one step closer to becoming law after the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs approved a substitute measure creating a reintegration program for returning OFWs.
Dubbed the “Bagong Balikbayan Act,” the consolidated bill seeks to implement a long-term, structured support system for OFWs—documented or not—once they return to the Philippines. Among the priorities are livelihood assistance, access to financial services, reintegration counseling, and psychosocial support.
“This bill aims to create a solid framework—one that offers real, long-term support,” said House panel chair Rep. Jude Acidre, stressing that the bill goes beyond token measures and instead focuses on building a future for returning OFWs and their families.
OFW Party-list Rep. Marissa “Del Mar” Magsino, who authored one of the merged bills, emphasized that reintegration is the most critical yet often neglected phase in the migration cycle. Quoting a 2021 UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) report, Magsino noted that 87 percent of OFW returnees remain jobless three months after coming home, while 96 percent were unable to access reintegration support.
“Ang bahaging reintegration ang pinaka-kritikal,” Magsino said, pointing out that reintegration must go hand in hand with restoring family bonds, personal well-being, and achieving financial independence.
Under the proposed bill, services will also be extended to families of OFWs, especially those in vulnerable sectors such as the elderly and solo parents. The reintegration process is expected to begin six months before the OFW’s return and will include training, employment facilitation, and business opportunities. The National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO) will serve as the lead implementing agency.
A dedicated Returnee-OFW Management Information System and a Reintegration Management System will be established to streamline services and track progress. A provision is also included to regularize undocumented OFWs to ensure their access to the program.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will spearhead the social protection aspect of the program, with other agencies such as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) playing supportive roles.
“Reintegration is not a closure—it is a continuation of public service,” said OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan, affirming full support for the measure. DMW Assistant Secretary Francis De Guzman added that the department is ready to implement the bill once it is signed into law.
In the same session, the House committee also greenlit a report tackling the long-standing balikbayan box issue. Among the key proposals in the draft Joint Administrative Order are simplified procedures for tax exemptions and imposing joint liability on consolidators—both local and foreign—ensuring that OFWs and their property are protected during shipment.
The consolidated bill now awaits further deliberation and approval in the plenary.
