The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is intensifying its campaign against predatory lending schemes and boosting mental health support for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong following a reported surge in suicide cases linked to mounting debts.

In coordination with the Hong Kong Police Force, DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac said the agency is addressing the growing problem of high-interest loans that push OFWs into financial distress, with rates reaching up to 48 percent.

“Unfortunately, in Hong Kong, the 48% interest rate is legal. However, we are actively pursuing harassers in partnership with the Hong Kong police,” Cacdac said.

The intensified drive follows the disclosure by Senator Raffy Tulfo of a series of suicides involving OFWs burdened by overwhelming debt—six cases recorded in 2023, five in 2024, and one as of April 2025.

Cacdac said loan sharks and their agents often employ aggressive and harassing tactics, deepening the emotional and mental strain faced by many migrant workers.

To mitigate the impact, the DMW has integrated financial literacy into its Post-Arrival Orientation Seminar (PAOS) to equip newly deployed OFWs with the skills to manage their finances and avoid debt traps.

The department is also working closely with the Hong Kong Police Financial Intelligence Unit to trace and hold accountable those behind these exploitative lending operations.

Reinforcing its support for distressed workers, the DMW, in partnership with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), is launching a 24/7 hotline dedicated to OFWs and their families.

“This is more than just a hotline. It’s a two-way line of care—our OFWs won’t only be calling us, but we’ll also be proactively reaching out to them,” Cacdac said.

Manned by trained former OFWs, the hotline will operate from the DMW One-Stop Shop Action Center in Makati City, serving as a lifeline for workers facing financial or emotional crises abroad.