Expanded Help Desk for Overseas Filipino Workers

Summary

Legazpi City commits to provide services to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and their families through a Municipal Help Desk and to expand the Help Desk services in 2023 to support pre-migration orientation seminars and improved access to health care. 

The Municipal OFW Help Desk: 

• Engages with civil society and the Filipino diaspora to monitor the needs of OFWs and to map stakeholders.  
• Compiles information on government services and informs prospective OFWs on the processes and risks of overseas employment. 
• Conducts trainings for the families of OFWs, as well as provides training materials to prevent human trafficking. 

Started originally in 2015, the Legazpi City has already reached over 4,037 OFWs. The work of the Municipal OFW Help Desk has also forged cooperation with national governments to protect the welfare of Filipinos living abroad.

The city now commits to further expand its activities with: 

1. Pre-Migration Orientation Seminars before departure.
2. Work with Legazpi City Hospital to ensure that medical services are available for OFWs. 
3. Develop a Community-Based Monitoring System to improve the effectiveness of the Help Desk. 
4. Advocate at national level, and specifically with the National Department of Migrant Workers to support with the organization of Pre-Departure Orientation Seminars in Legazpi City

Impact

In mapping the OFWs, the City was able to gather initial information to come up with a situationer on the target group and identifying potential mission and/or project partners. It also where ground working and linkages are initiated and eventually forged or established. 

It also helped the City in identifying the proper programs, projects and activities to address the needs of the OFWs and their families for inclusion in the development plan of the City. 

The City was able to organize the group and identify officers that will lead in the implementation of the programs, projects and activities with assistance from other agencies.

The City has also created the Children of Migrants in Legazpi, an organization composed of children of OFWs and identify PPAs for them in partnership with the Department of Education Division of Legazpi.

Also, the City was able to identify the participants and partners to be engaged in the implementation of various capacity building training and formation activities.

Lessons learned

Data plays an important role in local governments. It allows the local chief executives, managers and planners to design better solutions, gain insights in delivering and enhancing services, formulate policies, and improve accountability and understanding of local operations.

The OFW database was used in determining the different programs/projects/activities/ services that the City Government will implement in partnership with the multi-stakeholders. The data also serves as justification in implementing the different programs/projects/activities/services.