APRIL 13, 2026 – Department of Social and Welfare Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian urged repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to apply for the agency’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), as this can help them when they return to their hometowns.
Aside from the DSWD, other agencies like the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) are making sure that repatriated OFWs get the help they need.
DSWD Chief Commits to Giving Aid for Repatriated OFWs
On Wednesday, April 8, DSWD Secretary Gatchalian visited Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija to award repatriated OFWs from the Middle East. He handed them PHP 20,000 each under the SLP, and PHP 10,000 throught the agency’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program.
The DSWD Chief also talked more about the SLP: “Iba naman yung programa na ginagamit natin, hindi na yung AICS, kundi yung SLP kung tawagin namin, yung Sustainable Livelihood Program (We are using a different program, not AICS, but what we call SLP, the Sustainable Livelihood Program),” Secretary Gatchalian said, as stated in a DSWD press release.
“So dalawa ang klase niyan, meron para sa mga indibidwal, kung saan bawat indibidwal, pag nag-aaply sa DSWD ng SLP, tinutulungan natin slila gumawa ng business plan nila. At sa kaso natin dito sa Cabanatuan, pareho sila magsari-sari store or karinderya. (There are two types, for individuals, where each individual, when he/she applies for the DSWD’s SLP, we help them make a business plan. In the case here at Cabanatuan, they can have a sari-sari store or eatery),” he explained. “Both of them will receive PHP 20,000 each.”
The Secretary added: “Meron din kaming mga set up na inaayos namin ngayon. Inorganize natin yung mga OFW groups na umuwi into SLP Associations. Ibig sabihin, grupo sila nga 20 OFWs at bubuo sila ng association. Normally yung group, yung negosyo nila, sama-sama sila, either magtayo ng malaking bigasan meron mga patahian. Yan yung dalawang track (We also have a set up that we are arranging now. We organize returning OFWs into SLP associations. This means, a group of 20 OFWs will form an association. Normally, they run the business together, either starting a rice or textile business. Those are the two tracks).”
Moreover, Secretary Gatchalian shared that OFWs can apply directly for assistance through the DSWD or by referrals from partner agencies, such as the DMW and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
In Cabanatuan, beneficiaries Beverly Manansala and Maria Luisa Musni each received a total of PHP 30,000 in assistance. Likewise, in Pampanga, Jenelyn Egbert also received the same amount.
Manansala had worked in Kuwait for only two weeks before being repatriated due to the Middle East conflict. She expressed her gratitude for the DSWD’s assistance. “Maraming maraming salamat po sa DSWD, kay Secretary Rex Gatchalian, dahil po sa livelihood assistance na ito. Malaking tulong po ito para makasimula po kami ulit. Salamat din po kay Pangulong Marcos kase may aksyon po sila (Thank you very much to the DSWD, to Secretary Rex Gatchalian, for this livelihood assistance. This is a big help for us to start again. Thank you as well to President Marcos for his actions),” she said.
Meanwhile, Egbert had worked as a telemarketer in Bahrain for a year, before being repatriated. She plans to use the SLP assistance to start a home-based business. “Dahil sa binigay ni DSWD na livelihood, nag-inquire na ako for home negosyo for CDO and Pampanga’s Best. Maraming maraming salamat sa DSWD, kasi in times na ganitong situation, nandyan sila. No need nang mag-antay nang sobrang tagal (Because of the DSWD’s livelihood assistance, I have inquired about starting a home business with CDO and Pampanga’s Best. Thank you very much to the DSWD, because in times like these, they are present. There’s no need to wait for a long time),” she shared.
Other than the DSWD, agencies such as Pag-IBIG have also been helping OFWs affected by the Middle East crisis. Read this article to learn about the Pag-IBIG special benefits package for repatriated OFWs.