Senator Joel Villanueva on Monday expressed his support for the proposed launching of retail treasury bonds targeted at overseas Filipino workers, saying that there is a need for great investment opportunities for the "modern heroes."

"I fully support the Department of Finance in its initiative. This dollar-denominated security to be issued next year is a great opportunity for our kababayans abroad to invest their hard-earned income in safe, low-risk, and affordable investment instruments," he said.

The senator added that he has high hopes for the dollar-denominated bonds and urged both the public and the private sectors to spread the word and support this offering.

"Filipinos should consider buying retail treasury bonds as a patriotic way of investing in the country's growth and progress," the senator added.

As the bond offering is targeted for migrant workers, Villanueva said that the government should add more protections for OFWs, which the senator said he anticipated when he pushed for the passage of the Department of Migrant Workers Law.

The lawmaker also called on the DMW to enrich the country's full reintegration program so that OFWs would have more access to livelihood opportunities when they come home.

"Other than offering livelihood packages, the program should include investment options such as government bonds and financial literacy training so that our OFWs could build their 'retirement plan" when they return to the country," he said.

Last month, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno announced that the government aims to raise an estimated $3 billion through the issuance of dollar-denominated retail bonds targeting OFWs.