Women overseas Filipino workers and their families now have stronger protection against cyber threats and exploitation, thanks to a new partnership between the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Women in Security Alliance Philippines (WiSAP).
The agreement, formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), was signed in line with the World Day Against Trafficking. It focuses on safeguarding OFW women and their families from rising online scams and trafficking schemes through cybersecurity training, information drives, and capacity-building initiatives.
DMW Assistant Secretary Jerome A. Alcantara stressed the urgency of cybersecurity amid the government’s push for digitalization. “The trend in government right now is digitalization, we are migrating a lot of our systems and processes online. And while it poses a lot of benefits, it also poses serious threats in cyber safety and security,” he said, warning that neglecting these risks would be “irresponsible.”
Under the agreement, the DMW and WiSAP will collaborate on cybersecurity education and offer membership opportunities to empower more women OFWs through WiSAP’s programs.
WiSAP President Carmela Migrino affirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting the DMW’s digital resilience. “We also wanted to collaborate with the DMW on strengthening their cybersecurity policies and practices and to provide guidance on how they can build a roadmap towards cyber resilience,” she said. “We are one with the DMW in their fight against human trafficking.”
The partnership supports President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to digitize government services while prioritizing the safety of OFWs in the digital landscape.
