DMW assures support for OFWs with legal issues

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Friday reiterated that the government will assist overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) should they encounter legal problems abroad.

''Ang gusto namin sabihin sa ating mga mahal na OFWs, patuloy po at pinaiigting pa natin ang serbisyo sa inyo at sa inyong mga pamilya sa pamamagitan ng Action Fund, among others, na nagpapalawig ng legal, financial, medical, humanitarian assistance sa inyo,'' Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in a statement.

(What we want to convey to our dear OFWs is that we will continue to strengthen our services for you and your families through the Action Fund, among others, which provides legal, financial, medical, and humanitarian assistance.)

At a Senate inquiry into the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, Senator Imee Marcos said some OFWs were concerned about whether the government would still protect them if they ran into legal problems overseas.

In response, Cacdac said, “Ito po ay pinabulaanan natin (We refute this).”

“1348 ang hotline natin. And of course, meron din mga Facebook pages at websites tayo kung saan puwede ninyo idulog ang inyong mga concerns as well as regional and overseas offices.”

(Our hotline is 1348. And of course, we also have Facebook pages and websites where you can raise your concerns, as well as regional and overseas offices.)

Cacdac said that the DMW will extend its support to all OFWs worldwide, regardless of their personal or political beliefs.

Last week, the cases against the 17 OFWs who were arrested in Qatar on March 28 for illegal assembly were dismissed.

The OFWs reportedly participated in an unauthorized protest in support of Duterte, who is being held by the International Criminal Court in The Hague on allegations of crimes against humanity related to his administration's deadly war on drugs.

Cacdad had said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed concerned agencies to provide legal aid to these OFWs.— VBL, GMA Integrated News