OFW HELP DESK  ESTABLISHED AT MANILA CITY HALL

THE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the City Government of Manila on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, formalized the establishment of an OFW Helpdesk at the Manila City Hall through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), bringing government services closer to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families.

The agreement was signed by OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne M. Caunan and Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, reaffirming both institutions’ shared commitment to making government programs and services more accessible, responsive, and efficient for OFWs and their beneficiaries.

The establishment of the OWWA Helpdesk marks a significant step toward bringing frontline government services closer to OFWs in the city by providing a dedicated channel for information dissemination, program referrals, and assistance on OWWA’s welfare, reintegration, education, livelihood, and social protection initiatives.

Also witnessing the signing were OWWA Deputy Administrator Rosalia Susana S. Bahia-Catapang, OWWA NCR Regional Director Ma. Teresa B. Capa, City Vice Mayor Hon. Angela Lei I. Atienza-Valdepeñas, and Public Employment Service Office (PESO) Manager John Hiroshi F. Umeda Jr.

The partnership likewise reinforces OWWA’s community-based approach to service delivery. Through OWWA Regional Welfare Office–National Capital Region (RWO-NCR), the agency has continuously implemented the Family Development Support Program (FDSP) across local communities, equipping OFWs and their families with essential knowledge and skills through values formation seminars, financial literacy training, livelihood skills training, and other capacity-building interventions that promote family resilience and sustainable reintegration.

During the event, 10 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) received livelihood assistance under the Balik Pinas! Balik Hanapbuhay! Program.

By institutionalizing the OFW Helpdesk in the City Government of Manila, the agency further expands its network of local government partnerships, enabling it to reach more OFWs and their families at the grassroots level and ensuring that government assistance remains accessible where it is needed most.