TACLOBAN CITY — With thousands of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) returning home after the holidays, Rep. Jude Acidre on Sunday, Feb.8, urged the Senate to swiftly approve the Bagong Balikbayan Act, a reintegration measure recently passed by the House of Representatives.
Acidre said the timing underscores the need for structured programs that help returning OFWs transition smoothly into local employment, entrepreneurship, and community life after years abroad.
House Bill No. 6643, principally authored by former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and approved by the House on December 16, 2025, seeks to consolidate existing reintegration services, expand livelihood and employment assistance, and establish a coordinated support system for returning migrant workers and their families.
“With OFWs coming home in large numbers, early Senate action would show that Congress is ready to match their sacrifices with lasting reforms,” Acidre said.
The bill provides for reintegration assistance beginning up to six months before an OFW’s return through Migrant Workers Offices abroad. It also mandates job fairs, skills recognition, employment facilitation, and even possible civil service eligibility based on overseas work experience.
The measure further includes digital platforms for easier access to reintegration services, psychosocial support for families, and enhanced assistance for distressed or undocumented OFWs, such as livelihood training and affordable credit access.
Acidre emphasized that timely Senate concurrence would allow the reintegration framework to take effect within the year, enabling the government to address both the immediate and long-term needs of returning OFWs and their families.
(LIZBETH ANN A.ABELLA)
