Vice-presidential candidate Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan has made a firm commitment to provide better protection and social security benefits to land-based and sea-based overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in a covenant he and Vice President Leni Robredo signed with the sector.

In signing the covenant, Pangilinan hailed the OFWs’ hard work to give their families better lives, noting how OFW remittances kept the economy afloat amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Patuloy ang inyong pagsisikap para sa inyong pamilya at sa bayan. Kailangan itong tumbasan ng pamahalaan ng mahusay at mabilis na serbisyo (You continue to work hard for your family and the country. The government needs to match this through efficient and speedy services)," he said.

"Ang bawat paglayo ng ating mga OFW ay hindi dapat nasasayang. Dapat katulong ang gobyerno sa pagtupad ng inyong pangarap (OFWs leaving the country should not go to waste. The government needs to help in fulfilling your dreams)," he added.

Pangilinan said he supports the creation of migrant resource centers, especially in the provinces, "to make integrated and efficient migration services available in communities for OFWs and their families."

The covenant also seeks to empower families to participate in migration governance; ensure fair and ethical recruitment; prevent abuses, violence, trafficking, or illegal recruitment; allow reporting and access to justice remedies; and help them plan and realize employment, skills development, and reintegration."

It likewise calls to expand the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Trust Fund and use this to develop a national provident savings and reintegration fund for OFWs.

"This is an essential part of reintegration preparedness and serves as a safety net in crisis such as job loss, untimely return, health, and other emergencies," the covenant states.

Meanwhile, OFWs pushed for their social security rights in countries where they work through bilateral labor and social security agreements.

"OFWs will have portability of benefits through bilateral labor agreements and social security agreements," the covenant said, adding that the Universal Healthcare Act should also be responsive to their needs and their families.

The covenant also seeks a "recalibration" of the overseas deployment program by ensuring that OFWs will be deployed only to countries where national laws guarantee their rights and welfare.

Earlier, Pangilinan presented a program that encourages OFWs to venture into agriculture after retiring.

The former food security secretary also suggested that adopting or establishing a farm enterprise will help these OFWs match their earnings from working abroad. For Pangilinan, Filipinos are seeking greener pastures overseas because the wages offered in the country are not enough to live a comfortable life.