DMW, DOT collab provides tourism-related job, business opportunities for returning OFWs

DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo J. Cacdac and DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco sign an agreement under the Balik Bayani sa Turismo that will provide free trainings for OFWs who woulkd decide to return back to the country for good. (photo: DMW)
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has initiated a program that provides jobs and business opportunities in the local travel and tourism industry for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who would decide to return to the country for good.
DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo J. Cacdac said the initiative is under the Balik Bayani sa Turismo in collaboration with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and aims to provide returning OFWs and their families with jobs and business opportunities through free tourism-related skills development and enhancement trainings.
The training programs include free tourism-related training in culinary tourism, farm tourism, homestay operations and tour guiding.
“Every OFW wants to return for good. Everyone has plans for their families and communities. That’s why this partnership with the DOT is a huge help for our OFWs to come home with their families while having a sustainable source of income in the local tourism sector,” Cacdac said.
He said OFWs with extensive experience in language skills or in tourism-related activities can also be part of the DOT’s pool of experts, including opportunities as resource persons in various government programs.
For her part, DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco noted that OFWs are the best tourism ambassadors of the Philippines because of the competence and expertise they offer to the world, and because of their rich experiences that can help in the promotion of the local tourism industry.
“We are counting on our partnership with the DMW because the returning OFWs are so much valued in the tourism industries because of their experience and expertise,” Frasco said.
Cacdac said the DOT and DMW in cooperation with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will also provide scholarship grants for qualified OFWs and their family members who want to become tourism front-liners and service providers or tourism enterprise owners.