The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has opened new offices in Budapest, Hungary, and Vienna, Austria, to support Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Central Europe. OFW Party-list Rep. Marissa Magsino hailed the milestone as a critical step in providing timely assistance to thousands of OFWs in the region.
“This achievement is a significant step towards providing timely assistance to the thousands of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Central Europe,” Magsino said in a statement.
The OFW Party-list, along with the Embassy of Hungary in the Philippines and OFW groups in the host countries, played an active role in advocating for the establishment of these offices. Magsino had formally written to the DMW in February 2024, emphasizing the importance of opening a migrant workers’ office (MWO) in Budapest, an emerging labor market.
The new office in Budapest will serve around 12,000 OFWs in Hungary and an additional 5,000 in neighboring countries, offering vital resources such as legal, medical, and labor assistance. Magsino believes that localized support is crucial for ensuring the welfare of Filipino workers in these regions.
“Labor migration continues to be a cornerstone of our economy, and we need MWOs in these areas to ensure direct and timely service to our OFWs,” Magsino added.
The new offices are a result of close collaboration between the executive and legislative branches, with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s administration working to enhance the welfare of Filipinos abroad.
Magsino expressed her gratitude to DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac for fast-tracking the establishment of these offices, adding that the OFW Party-list will continue advocating for a larger budget for DMW to establish more offices and improve services for OFWs.
