The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has rolled out a new mobile application designed to strengthen the protection and welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) across the globe.
Speaking on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon on Friday, DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia said the Kumusta Kabayan app serves as a direct channel between OFWs and the government, allowing workers to report their conditions discreetly.
Through the app, migrant workers are asked whether their workplaces are safe, if employers treat them properly, and if they are getting enough food and rest. “OFWs can answer these questions and once our DMW staff finds out there’s a problem, we will call them and will find remedies and will also contact our Migrant Workers Offices and labor attachés [who] will be able to contact them so they can be assisted and the problem gets solved right away,” Olalia explained.
He emphasized that the platform is secure and protected under data privacy laws, ensuring that workers’ identities remain confidential. “So, we can expect that our OFWs that we will protect their identity and that their employer doesn’t know that they are reporting to us, should there be a problem. Only between the OFW and the DMW are the ones who know, as well as the labor attaché who will assist them,” Olalia said.
To register, users only need to provide their name, contact number, address, and email address. The app became available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store on August 19, and was formally introduced to OFWs on September 9.
