Gabriela Party-list Representative Arlene Brosas has criticized the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) over its collection of verification fees intended to fund Migrant Worker’s Offices (MWO) abroad.

Brosas highlighted that, for instance, OFWs in Taiwan are being charged NTD 1,535 (around P2,500) for contract verification. She urged the agency to stop overburdening OFWs, saying, “Let’s not cook our OFWs in their own oil.”

“If Congress needs to allocate funds [to support MWO operations], there are plenty of resources available. We can tap into confidential and intelligence funds,” the lawmaker emphasized.

Brosas also highlighted that many OFWs in Taiwan do not finish their three-year contracts due to termination. As a result, they are forced to find new employers, sign new contracts and pay additional verification fees each time, further adding to their financial burden.

Rep. Jil Bongalon echoed Brosas’ concerns, stressing that employers should bear the responsibility for verification fees, not the OFWs. However, he acknowledged that in practice, OFWs are often the ones paying these fees.

“In reality, it is the OFWs who physically pay the verification fees, although technically, these should be shouldered by the employers,” Bongalon explained.

He further noted that the budget for the operations of MWOs under the 2025 National Expenditure Program is P387.322 million, with the DMW authorized to supplement this budget through the collection of verification fees.

Brosas emphasized the importance of providing MWOs with a proper budget, as these offices are crucial for OFWs, especially those filing complaints about labor violations.