More than 20 government agencies converged in Dipolog City for the Bayanihan para sa Balikbayang Manggagawa caravan, serving 575 clients from across the province with employment support, frontline services, and financial aid, the Philippine Information Agency reported.
Bringing Government Machinery to Grassroots Communities
Organized by the Department of Migrant Workers Regional Office IX, the caravan delivered economic and social protection assistance directly to overseas Filipino workers and their families. DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac led the activity alongside Regional Director Gay Iris TS.
“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the DMW to ensure that no OFW is left behind,” Cacdac said, emphasizing the directive to reach every Filipino family in grassroots communities.
The outreach distributed ₱920,000 in livelihood assistance grants to 21 beneficiaries. Seventeen individuals received support through the Department of Labor and Employment Integrated Livelihood Program, while four secured enterprise development backing under the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration reintegration initiatives.
Financial Aid, Healthcare, and On-Site Job Placements
Beyond livelihood grants, OWWA distributed ₱280,000 in direct financial assistance for medical and burial support to seven beneficiary families. The on-site programming also tackled immediate employment and health needs for returning migrant workers.
Fifty-six registered jobseekers participated in the employment fair, resulting in three immediate hires for overseas positions. Concurrently, another 56 individuals accessed free healthcare services during the medical mission.
Cacdac noted that the caravan aligns with the Bagong Pilipinas agenda by bringing essential government services closer to OFWs and their families and providing returning migrant workers with opportunities for sustainable livelihood and social protection. The DMW Regional Office IX intends to maintain its partnerships across the National Reintegration Network to sustain employment and welfare support throughout the Zamboanga Peninsula.
