Department of Migrant Workers plays a crucial role

The demand for overseas Filipino workers continues to grow, with foreign employers preferring Filipinos because of their admirable work ethic.

- AMBASSADOR B. ROMUALDEZ

This positive outlook has greatly contributed to their reputation for being reliable, dependable and hardworking. Added to that is their ability to communicate in English and their eagerness to learn the language of their host country.

According to Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Cacdac, job opportunities are expanding rapidly in many countries across Europe such as the Czech Republic that is doubling its annual quota for Filipino workers, while Austria will need over 200,000 workers in the coming years and Croatia is opening up jobs in the health care and hotel sectors.

In the United States, the demand for nurses and other professionals in the health care sector as well as in education, manufacturing and information technology continues to be high. During my interactions with Republican and Democrat members of the US Congress, they only have high praise for Filipino workers, describing them as hardworking and dedicated.

Dubbed as "bagong bayani" or "new heroes," OFWs have been a major contributor to the economy of the Philippines through their remittances that amounted to over $37.2 billion in 2023 which, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, represented 8.5 percent of the country's gross domestic product or GDP. Topping the country of origin for remittances was the United States followed by Singapore and Saudi Arabia. This year, OFW remittances are estimated at $38 billion and it's likely this amount does not include money sent through informal channels.