New OWWA chief eyes stronger OFW reintegration support

Newly appointed Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan has committed to strengthening reintegration efforts and expanding support services for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

In a news forum held Saturday in Quezon City, Caunan said she is pushing for improved reintegration programs for returning OFWs through the establishment of a National Reintegration Network, which is currently being proposed in Congress.

“Because the returning OFWs, if you notice right now… our colleagues are thinking that the returning OFWs just want to do business, but let’s have a real talk… most of our returning OFWs are looking for a job,” Caunan said. “We’ll bring this to OWWA… I’m sure in the coming weeks, we’ll be able to show you the results.”

Caunan stressed that financial assistance alone is not enough to ensure a successful reintegration of OFWs. She said the government must also focus on programs that provide training, upskilling, and job-matching services, both locally and abroad.

“OWWA has financial assistance for reintegration. But allow me to say — and I ask OFWs to give us a little bit of time because I was just appointed yesterday — we will study this. Financial assistance for reintegration is not enough to successfully reintegrate our fellow citizens here in the Philippines,” she added.

Aside from reintegration efforts, Caunan also plans to expand programs that prioritize the literacy and health of OFWs and their families, alongside ongoing initiatives concerning migrant workers’ welfare and repatriation.

Among the key government efforts, she highlighted is the OFW Hospital in San Fernando, Pampanga, which provides free health services to Filipino migrant workers. Caunan added that there are ongoing discussions to establish partnerships with other hospitals and set up mobile clinics in malls and regional offices to increase healthcare access.

She also acknowledged the limitations of OWWA’s 24/7 hotline (1348), which is currently understaffed and in need of system improvements.

“I was also briefed yesterday that we will be making some upgrades to our system so we can respond more quickly to the requests for assistance from our fellow Filipinos,” she said.

Caunan officially took her oath as the new OWWA administrator on Friday, May 16. She previously served as the Department of Migrant Workers’ undersecretary for policy and international cooperation.

She replaced Arnel Ignacio, who, according to Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac will face charges over a land acquisition that did not pass a review of the OWWA Board.

The over a billion peso land is not needed by OWWA to serve OFWs, said Cacdac. He said he would have told Ignacio not to proceed with the land purchase had he (Ignacio) informed the OWWA Board about it.