A nationwide push to help overseas Filipino workers rebuild their lives at home has channeled 24,372 separate services to beneficiaries, according to government figures released May 31, 2026. The bulk of that support reached 4,061 former OFWs, while 646 workers who had recently returned to the country also received assistance.
The effort falls under a program titled “Bayanihan para sa Balikbayang Manggagawa: National Reintegration Network (NRN) and Job Fair,” led by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) in partnership with several other government bodies. To date, 13 NRN fairs have been staged across the Philippines, drawing participation from 31 agencies.
Employment formed a central pillar of the initiative. The program logged 2,142 job facilitation beneficiaries, with 226 local companies alongside 104 private recruitment and local manning agencies taking part in the hiring drive.
Beyond direct placement, the DMW coordinated local job referrals with partner agencies across multiple departments: 1,305 to the Department of Labor and Employment, 656 to the Department of Tourism, 383 to the Department of Health, 151 to the Department of Public Works and Highways, and 18 to the Department of Education.
Skills development and training rounded out the support. Officials distributed 837 training vouchers and scholarships, while 1,605 domestic workers were profiled and endorsed for skills training in coordination with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
For those hoping to build their own livelihoods rather than seek employment, the NRN disbursed a total of PHP 9.65 million in financial assistance.
Returning workers also received mental health and welfare support. A total of 680 recently repatriated OFWs took part in the Kalinga: Post-Repatriation Orientation Seminars, which provided psychosocial and welfare services.
The DMW has framed the sustained assistance as a response to a directive from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., positioning the network as a comprehensive channel for OFWs who choose to remain in the Philippines and start anew.
