Senators have thrown their full backing behind the proposed 2026 budget of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), emphasizing that millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) deserve stronger support from the government.
During the Senate Finance Sub-Committee K deliberations, Senator Erwin Tulfo led calls to protect and enhance funding for OFW services, highlighting the sacrifices made by Filipino workers abroad. “We are in support of the DMW budget. Sila po ay mga bagong bayani natin, dapat itrato sila ng naaayon. We must give what they deserve, hindi lang sila pati ang pamilya nila,” Tulfo said.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac revealed that their original request of ₱2.4 billion for the AKSYON Fund—meant for emergency aid and welfare services—was reduced to ₱1.2 billion under the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP). Meanwhile, OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan reported similar cuts affecting the Alagang OWWA program, including facilities at OFW Lounges in airports.
Senators Erwin and Raffy Tulfo, joined by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, expressed plans to restore the reduced funds, stressing that every peso should go toward safeguarding OFWs and their families.
Raffy Tulfo, who chairs the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, underscored the importance of matching government support with the scale of OFW contributions. He cited that OFW remittances reached ₱2.2 trillion in 2024—equivalent to 8.3% of the country’s GDP—while the DMW’s total proposed budget is only ₱10.2 billion. “Ngayong araw, susuportahan natin ang budget ng DMW at OWWA para mapantayan ang serbisyo ng mga OFWs at kung kinakailangang madagdagan, ipaglalaban natin ito,” he said.
