Senator Raffy Tulfo is pushing for the immediate passage of his proposed Senate Bill No. 1839, also known as the “Bagong Balikbayan Act,” which aims to provide overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with opportunities to sustainably rebuild their livelihoods upon returning to the Philippines.

Tulfo, who chairs the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, noted that an estimated 2.44 million OFWs in the Middle East are at risk of displacement, job loss, and possible repatriation due to the escalating conflict in the region.

Because of this, the senator stressed the urgency of discussing how the government can effectively bring OFWs home and provide the necessary support once they return to the country. He emphasized that the proposed measure is both timely and necessary.

“Once they come home, what is in store for them? This is where the importance of reintegration comes in. The National Reintegration Bill or the proposed ‘Bagong Balikbayan Act’ is one of the priority bills under LEDAC, and it is truly timely that we pass it now, especially in light of developments such as the Middle East crisis,” Tulfo said.

“While we have existing reintegration programs under the Department of Migrant Workers, there is obviously a need to strengthen and institutionalize these measures and expand their reach,” he added.

The proposed “Bagong Balikbayan Act” seeks to address existing gaps in the current system by establishing an integrated, comprehensive, and sustainable reintegration framework for all returning OFWs.

The bill also underscores the importance of coordinated action among the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and local government units (LGUs) to ensure continuous support for OFWs, from pre-departure preparation to their eventual return to the country.

Under the proposed measure, reintegration will also focus on psychosocial, social, and community-based support systems, recognizing that the needs of returning migrant workers go beyond economic reinsertion.

Tulfo further noted that the bill explicitly includes undocumented and distressed OFWs within its coverage, recognizing the findings of UN Women (2023) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM, 2022) that these groups are among the most vulnerable yet often the least served.

“Through this measure, OFWs will have access to a comprehensive support system that will provide them with knowledge, livelihood opportunities, and care,” Tulfo said.