Land-based and sea-based Filipino workers abroad will continue to be the focus of his legislative agenda, Senator Rafael “Raffy” Tulfo declared in a video message played before delegates at the OFW Global Summit 2026 on June 7.
The senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, used the address to thank overseas Filipino workers directly, framing their labor as the driving force behind both household stability and the wider economy. “Dahil sa inyong dedikasyon at sakripisyo, tuluyang umaangat ang inyong mga pamilya, at kasama diyan ang ating ekonomiya. Kayo po ang number one inspirasyon ko upang magampanan ang aking tungkulin bilang senador,” he said.
Tulfo also gave assurances that his office remains reachable for workers seeking help. “Patuloy ko pong isusulong ang mga batas na magbibigay proteksyon at kalinga sa lahat ng OFWs, land-based man o sea-based. Ang aking programa’t opisina ay nanatiling bukas upang tugunan ang inyong mga hinaing at nakahandang tumulong sa inyo sa anumang oras at araw, katuwang ang DMW, OWWA, at iba pang ahensiya ng gobiyerno,” he added.
The gathering, the first of its kind organized by the Department of Migrant Workers, was staged at the Quezon City MICE Center in coordination with the Quezon City government and coincided with the observance of National Migrant Workers’ Day. Organizers positioned the event as a platform for recognizing Filipinos working abroad as nation builders and as partners in the country’s economic growth.
According to the DMW, the summit was designed to tighten coordination among agencies, reaffirm commitments to safe and ethical labor migration, and lay out a road map with defined priorities and timelines. A Summit Declaration formalizing multi-sectoral commitments was also set for adoption during the proceedings.
The summit forms part of a broader government effort, carried out under the direction of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., to ensure that the concerns of overseas workers are factored into the policies that govern their sector.
