The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) defended its proposed P8- billion budget for 2025, citing bilateral agreements with high-employment countries — Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates — as key to protecting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

During a Senate budget hearing on Wednesday, however, senators raised concerns about the enforceability and impact of these agreements.

Senator Risa Hontiveros emphasized the need for sufficient resources to meet growing demands for OFW protections, noting the importance of resources for effective operations.

She also highlighted issues of illegal recruitment, inadequate shelter for male OFWs in Qatar, and the prolonged detention of a Filipino in Jeddah prison past his eight-month liquor-related sentence.