Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) party-list Rep. Marissa Magsino welcomed the opening of the Department of Migrant Workers’ (DMW) offices in Budapest, Hungary, and Vienna, Austria.
“This achievement is a significant step towards providing timely assistance to the thousands of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Central Europe,” Magsino said in a statement on Tuesday.
Magsino’s OFW party-list group actively pursued the initiative, together with the Embassy of Hungary in the Philippines and with OFW groups in the host country.
As early as February 2024, she formally wrote to DMW about the importance of opening a migrant workers office (MWO) in Budapest as it is becoming an emerging labor market.
The OFW party-List also followed up the request with DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac in a private meeting last April 2024.
The establishment of the MWO in Budapest, which caters to around 12,000 OFWs in Hungary and over 5,000 more in neighboring countries, addresses a long-standing need for localized support.
“As labor migration continues to be a cornerstone of our economy and unstoppable in the foreseeable future, I truly believe we have to focus on and capitalize on emerging labor markets, such as in Europe, especially those that commit to international labor standards, strong workers’ protection, and dynamic opportunities,” Magsino said.
“However, in order to fully maximize the opportunities for Filipinos in these countries, we need MWOs in these areas to ensure direct and timely service to our OFWs,” she added.
The office will be a vital resource for OFWs, offering legal, medical, and labor assistance while strengthening partnerships with businesses in the region to create job opportunities.
Magsino reiterated the OFW party-list’s commitment to advocate for the rights and well-being of Filipino workers abroad.
The recent openings in Budapest and Vienna reflect her ongoing efforts to make tangible improvements for OFWs, as demonstrated by her proactive dialogue with DMW officials earlier this year.
These offices are a direct result of collaboration between the executive and legislative branches of government, through President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s vision for Bagong Pilipinas, who are deeply invested in enhancing the welfare of overseas Filipinos.
“I thank the DMW, under the leadership of Secretary Cacdac, for fast-tracking the establishment of MWOs in Central Europe,” Magsino said.
“The OFW Party List continues to fight for a bigger budget for DMW because we have a shared vision of bringing our services closer to our OFWs. And one vital way of achieving this by establishing more MWOs and equipping it with sufficient manpower,” she added.
