The Philippine government delivered a total of 26,252 transactions to 17,822 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) during the first Bagong Bayani ng Mundo–OFW Serbisyo Caravan in Kuwait.
In a news release Thursday, the Department of Migrant Workers said the three-day caravan held in the Gulf state from Dec. 5 to 7 is one of the largest single deployments of government services for OFWs this year.
In a separate Facebook post, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac reiterated the administration’s commitment to expand the outreach that aims to bring government services directly to OFWs.
“Mga mahal naming OFWs: ayon sa tagubilin ng Pangulo, pupuntahan at paglilingkuran po namin kayo, saan mang lupalop ng mundo (Our dear OFWs: as per the President’s instructions, we will go and serve you, wherever you are in the world),” he said, noting recent deployments in Kuwait, South Korea, Budapest, Djibouti, Shanghai, and New York.
Cacdac added that aside from bringing government transactions, the Kuwait mission included aid to about 100 OFWs battling cancer and personal engagements with OFW families.
“Nakadaop-palad din po ang Kuwaiti government, at nagpasalamat po ako sa proteksiyon na ibinibigay nila sa ating mga distressed OFWs (We also met with the Kuwaiti government, and I am grateful for the protection they are providing to our distressed OFWs),” he said.
A total of 17 government agencies, including the Migrant Workers Office (MWO)-Kuwait, Philippine Embassy, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Social Security System (SSS), Pag-IBIG Fund, PhilHealth, Landbank, Land Transportation Office (LTO), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO), and the Presidential Action Center (PAC).
On-site assistance was provided to OFWs, including labor services, legal aid, social protection, documentation, and financial services.
Meanwhile, complementing the Kuwait caravan, the OFW Serbisyo Caravan was also rolled out in Abha and Jeddah, both in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), from Dec. 5 to 9, serving 2,265 OFWs and completing 9,211 transactions.
Philippine Consul General in Jeddah Rommel Romato described the caravan as a model of government collaboration.
“Ang Serbisyo Caravan ay isa sa pinakamagaling na inobasyon na ginawa ng ating pamahalaan (The Serbisyo Caravan is one of the best innovations our government has made). Through this, we have proven that we are very strong, effective, and efficient when we are united,” he said.
The DMW said the Kuwait leg is the 19th stop of the global Serbisyo Caravan initiative launched in June.
The initiative aims to bring essential government services closer to Filipino communities overseas and strengthen government presence and support for Filipino workers worldwide, while introducing digital innovations such as the OFW Pass and the eGovPH app for faster processing of documents upon their return to the Philippines. (PNA)
