Expanded call center operations for OFW concerns in the offing

MANILA, Philippines—  Aside from the existing 1348 hotline,  a bigger call center will soon be set up in Manila for distressed  overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

 It will be manned by 30 former OFWs,  according to Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac during the Senate committee on migrant workers’ consultative meeting on Wednesday.

The plan was first disclosed by Overseas Workers Welfare Administration  (OWWA) Administrator Arnell Ignacio as the committee headed by Sen. Raffy Tulfo tackled the many issues confronting Filipino workers abroad.

“Nagusap na po kami ni Secretary Hans na dyan sa bagong office ng DMW, dyan sa Buendia, meron po tayong e-expand na mas malaking call center…”  Ignacio said.

(Secretary Hans and I have already discussed that in the new DMW office in Buendia, we will be expanding to a larger call center.)

Cacdac confirmed this joint effort by the two agencies, saying that the OWWA Board of  Trustees has already approved a budget for it.

On the part of the DMW, Cacdac said they are planning to deploy  30 former OFWs to man the  call center.  

“Isasakay natin dito ang monitoring work dito sa call center. So hindi lang sila nag-aantay para tumanggap ng tawag Sen., sila mismo ang tatawag,” the DMW  chief said.

(We will integrate the monitoring work into the call center operations. So instead of just waiting to receive call, they will proactively make the calls themselves.)

It was discussed during the meeting that some OFWs have taken their own lives due to financial and love-related problems. “Isa rin po sa mga pinoproblema dyan sa Hong Kong yung hong lovelife. Karagdagan din po yan e na nagiging seryosong problema…” said Ignacio.

One of the problems in Hong Kong is also related to love life. It has become an additional and serious problem for some.)

Hotline 1348 was launched in 2019 to help address and concerns of OFWs.