OFW deployment rises but still below pre-COVID levels — DMW

Background photo from Reuters

MANILA, Philippines — The deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) has increased but it is still below the pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said on Tuesday.

During the Senate subcommittee on economic affairs hearing, DMW Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac said that both land-based and sea-based deployment rose in 2022 compared to 2021.

“Ang land-based deployment, tumaas ng mga 50 to 70 percent as far as I recall. It could be higher… Sa sea-based, tumaas ng mga by November. By November of last year, same period as compared to 2021, tumaas ng mga 10,000 seafarers ang deployment,” Cacdac said.

(The land-based deployment rose by 50 to 70 percent as far as I recall. It could be higher. Sea-based deployment grew in November. By November of last year, same period as compared to 2021, the deployment of seafarers swelled to 10,000.)

“We are already moving forward. But having already said that, we still had not achieved pre-COVID levels sa (in) deployment. We’re still probably around 50, 60 percent of pre-COVID levels,” he added.

Villanueva, subpanel chairperson, asked for projections when the OFW deployment would return to pre-pandemic levels.

Cacdac replied: “The way the trends are going, baka po (maybe) in two to three years time, maka-pre-COVID na po tayo (we will be in pre-COVID level), this is just my own estimate.”

The undersecretary likewise noted that the Middle East market has opened and economies there are “very bullish.”

The government is looking to offer $3 billion in retail treasury bonds for OFWs by June this year.

JMS