Department of Migrant Workers seeks P11.62 billion for 2027 budget

The Philippine Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has requested P11.62 billion in the 2027 National Expenditure Program to support overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). This budget includes P7.27 billion for the DMW Office of the Secretary and P4.35 billion for the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

A key component of the proposal is the P2-billion AKSYON Fund, intended to provide legal, medical, and financial assistance to distressed workers. While the AKSYON Fund remains steady, other areas face reductions; the “Worker’s Welfare and Government Placement Services” line item is projected to drop to P4.6 billion from P4.8 billion in 2026, and OWWA’s Emergency Repatriation Program is slated to decrease to P978 million from P1.29 billion.

In parallel with these fiscal plans, the DMW has expanded its service reach through the Kabalikat program. The program recently launched in Northern Mindanao to provide OFW services directly to provincial families, aiming to reduce the need for workers and their dependents to travel to Metro Manila for assistance.