Emirates and OWWA sign three-year deal to support Filipino migrant workers

Emirates has signed a three-year Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to support Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families. The partnership aims to establish a strategic framework for collaboration on welfare, social protection, repatriation assistance, and community engagement.

Key initiatives under the agreement may include preferential fares for official OWWA travel and complementary travel support for individuals advocating for OFW welfare. The collaboration also covers areas such as corporate social responsibility, travel and tourism, and livelihood reintegration.

The agreement arrives as the United Arab Emirates has become the second-largest global destination for Filipino workers, hosting approximately 271,000 OFWs. Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas indicates that cash remittances from the UAE reached US$750.3 million in the first half of 2026, a 4.3% increase from the previous year.