Solon warns DMW budget cut will impact OFW services, programs

MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker lamented on Thursday that many initiatives and programs for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) worldwide would suffer due to a significant decrease in the Department of Migrant Workers’ (DMW) 2025 budget.

Based on the Department of Budget and Management’s National Expenditures Program for 2025, DMW received a budget of P8.503 billion, lower than the Congress-approved P10.12 billion in the 2024 General Appropriations Act.

READ: House moves Dept. of Migrant Workers’ budget hearing to Sept. 9

“Parang binawi lang ang increase nung taong 2024 gayung mas dumami pa ang OFW na nadeploy sa kasalukuyan,” OFW party-list Rep. Marissa Magsino said during the 2025 General Appropriations Bill plenary deliberations.

(They just took back the increase from last year, even when there’s an increase in the number of deployed OFWs this year.)

“Napakaraming mga serbisyo at programa ng DMW na maapektuhan dahil sa malaking budget cut,” she added.

(Many DMW services and programs would be affected by this budget cut.)

Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Jil Bongalon, who was defending the 2025 budget of the DMW, said the cut was caused by the “non-recurring capital outlays” or the “appropriations spent for the purchase of goods and services with benefits extending beyond the fiscal year.”

“This is due to non-recurring capital outlays amounting to P835 million and action fund adjustment amounting to P650 million to retain its net level,” he explained.

In response, Magsino said these issues should be addressed so as not to compromise the services of the OFWS.

In an earlier statement, DMW chief Hans Leo Cacdac said the budget will be used “to sustain the agency’s efforts in strengthening protection of rights and welfare of our OFWs and in enhancing their capacities for economic self-reliance and empowerment of their families.”

“The budget will also support the establishment of CITES (Competence, Integrity, Transparency, Efficiency, and Service) Centers at the local levels, the expansion of legal assistance to workers, provision of specialized services to senior and solo-parent OFWs, and modernization and expansion of the National Maritime Polytechnic,” the agency further said.