The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) announced plans to open more lounges for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in various international airports this year. This follows the successful launch of OFW lounges in NAIA Terminals 1 and 3, as stated by OWWA Administrator Arnel Ignacio on Tuesday.
Ignacio highlighted the significance of these lounges, especially during emergencies, citing their utility during Typhoon Carina when many flights were canceled. “During the flooding, many flights were canceled but you didn’t hear any adverse complaints from OFWs because they were in the lounges and provided with more than enough food,” he said in an ABS-CBN News report.
Plans are underway to establish similar lounges in NAIA Terminal 2 and other international airports. Currently, around 850 to 1,000 OFWs utilize these facilities daily, according to OWWA data.
OWWA recently received the ISO 9001:2015 Certification for its adherence to international quality management standards. The certification, awarded by Certification International Philippines, Inc., covers OWWA’s core processes such as repatriation, death and burial benefits, Arabic language training for household service workers, and education for development scholarship programs, along with 12 support processes.
Ignacio emphasized the agency’s commitment to improving services for OFWs. “We must deliver quickly. All documentation and management must be efficient, especially since repatriation involves international action and coordination, proper funding, and addressing all technicalities to ensure proper delivery,” he stated.