nstead of opening the year with program launches, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) placed its financial standing at the center of its first press briefing, outlining how OFW contributions are being safeguarded amid rising demand for services.
OWWA Administrator PY Caunan reported that the agency’s trust fund continued to increase year-on-year, climbing from ₱20.3 billion in December 2024 to ₱21.3 billion by the end of 2025. He stressed that protecting the fund remains a core responsibility of the agency, linking its steady growth to sustained confidence among migrant workers. “Ang OWWA Trust Fund ay protektado at hindi lamang protektado, lalong [pang] lumalago… Isa rin itong testimento siguro, hindi lamang ng tiwala, kundi yung nararamdaman nila yung Alagang OWWA: Serbisyong May Puso, mula sa pag-alis nila sa Pilipinas [patungong abroad],” Caunan said.
That confidence, according to OWWA, is also reflected in membership figures. Active members rose from around two million in 2024 to 2.6 million in 2025, adding roughly 600,000 enrollees within a year. Caunan attributed the increase to OFWs viewing OWWA not only as an emergency support institution but as a long-term partner. “Nagpapasalamat [kami] sa tiwala ng ating mga OFW sa OWWA, na siya namang nakikita nilang katuwang nila—hindi lamang kapag may problema, kundi [kasama rin] sa pagpa-plano ng kanilang buhay pagbalik nila sa Pilipinas,” he said.
Beyond finances and enrollment, OWWA highlighted upgrades to its physical facilities and frontline services. These include ongoing Pre-Departure Orientation Seminars and the continued operation of OFW airport lounges at NAIA Terminals 1 and 3. A major infrastructure milestone cited was the opening of a larger, fully equipped Seafarer’s Welfare Center at Monarch Parksuites in Parañaque City, the first of its kind in the National Capital Region. “The Seafarer’s Welfare Center, hindi lang ito tinayo dahil gusto ng OWWA, ito ay nasa batas, ito ay nasa Magna Carta for Seafarers. Inatasan ang OWWA magtayo ng siyam (9) na Seafarer’s Welfare Center at ito ang kauna-unahan dito sa National Capital Region,” Caunan explained.
OWWA also reported progress in expanding its overseas presence, pointing to the Global Center in Hong Kong located within the same building as the Philippine Consulate and Migrant Workers Office. Nearly 2,000 OFWs have already accessed services there, ranging from legal assistance and basic health care to skills training and upskilling programs.
Health-related support remained a significant focus, particularly for OFWs facing serious illnesses. Caunan said the agency has continued to extend aid to members diagnosed with cancer, including those assisted during OWWA Serbisyo Caravans held in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Financial assistance and essential items were personally distributed to affected workers under the Welfare Assistance Program, which covers medical needs not included in the MEDplus Program.
With higher fund levels and a growing membership base, OWWA acknowledged that expectations from OFWs have also intensified. In response, the agency introduced the Alagang OWWA Fund, a dedicated budget line intended to strengthen and sustain welfare initiatives. “Habang tumataas ang pondo at tiwala sa OWWA, tumataas din ang expectations ng ating mga OFW—at handa kaming tugunan iyon,” Caunan said.
The administrator also announced a major expansion of educational support, describing it as the largest scholarship increase in the agency’s history. OWWA plans to add 10,000 new scholarship slots this year, on top of the roughly 15,000 scholars currently supported. “Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon sa kasaysayan ng OWWA, ito ang pinakamalaking increase sa loob ng 43 taon,” he said.
Caunan framed the agency’s 2025 direction around a single principle: “Ibalik sa OFW ang pondo, ibalik ang benepisyo nang maramdaman nila ang tunay na alaga mula sa pamahalaan.”
