DFA Announces Renaming of Offices to Align with Migrant Workers’ Department
PASAY, April 10, 2024 – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has announced significant changes in its organizational structure, reflecting the government’s ongoing efforts to streamline services for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Effective today, the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) has been officially renamed as the Office of the Undersecretary for Migration Affairs (DFA-OUMA).
In a parallel move, the DFA’s Office of Migrant Workers Affairs (DFA-OMWA) will now be known as the Office of Migration Affairs (DFA-OMA). These changes are part of a broader initiative to enhance the coordination of assistance-to-nationals (ATN) functions for OFWs, which have been transferred to the newly established Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), as mandated by Republic Act 11641.
The DFA assures the public that services will continue without interruption. All OFW-related concerns, including End-of-Service Benefits (ESBs), should now be directed to the One Repatriation Center (ORCC) of the DMW. The ORCC Help Desk operates from Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at the Blas F. Ople Building in Mandaluyong City.
For further assistance, OFWs and their families can reach out to DMW Regional Offices, One-Stop Service Centers for OFWs (OSSCO), and Migrant Workers Offices (formerly known as POLOs). Contact details and additional information can be found on the DMW’s official website.
In regions where Migrant Workers Offices are not present, the DFA will continue to provide support to all distressed overseas Filipinos, including OFWs. The MWOs are currently operational in various countries across the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Northern Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
The DFA’s commitment to the welfare of OFWs remains steadfast as these organizational changes take effect, aiming to foster a more efficient and responsive system for Filipino migrants worldwide.