Department of Overseas Filipino Workers (DOFW) is a government department that has been proposed in the Philippines by various persons, most prominently by Bataan Bishop Ruperto Santos.
It was hoped that an announcement pertaining to its creation be announced during President Rodrigo Duterte’s second SONA speech on July 24, 2017. The president had previously expressed support for the idea.
Critics say creating a DOFW would indicate that the country expects OFWs to be a mainstay in the Philippine employment landscape. It has been argued that the thrust of the government should instead be to eliminate the need for Filipinos to go overseas in search of work.
OFWs are currently serviced by the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Labor and Employment, the National Statistics Office, and the National Bureau of Investigation (BI), among others.
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is under the Department of Labor and Employment.
OFW STATS
The number of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who worked abroad at anytime during the period of April to September 2016 was estimated at 2.2 million.
Saudi Arabia was the leading country of employment for OFWs. About one in every four (23.8%) OFWs worked there during the period April to September 2016.
Among other countries where OFWs could be found employed were United Arab Emirates (15.9%), Europe (6.6%),Kuwait (6.4%), and Qatar (6.2%).
