APRIL 13, 2026 – The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) participated in the hearing of the Senate Committee on Proactive Response and Oversight for Timely and Effective Crisis Strategy (PROTECT). Created in March 2026, this is an ad hoc committee that addresses the socioeconomic effects of the Middle East crisis.
Likewise, OWWA also joined the hearing of the House Joint Committee on Legislative Energy Action and Development (LEAD). Held alongside the Senate PROTECT Committee hearing, LEAD is a House of Representatives panel that focuses on energy security and crisis management.
OWWA Officials Join Senate, House Committee Hearings
Led by Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan, OWWA took part in the hearing of the Senate Committee on PROTECT on Monday, April 13. The committee hearing was chaired by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, according to this OWWA news release.
The Senate PROTECT Committee hearing tackled updates on the national contingency plan. These include current and continuing interventions of different government agencies, along with their feedback on the implementation of short-, medium-, and long-term policy responses, which are based on recommendations in the Chairperson’s Preliminary Report.
Regarding the migrant sector, government measures to ensure the safety and well-being of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were also discussed. These measures include ongoing repatriation efforts, welfare assistance, and other support mechanisms, in response to the Middle East conflict.
On the same day, OWWA also participated in the hearing of the House Joint Committee on LEAD. Deputy Administrator Jasmine Ann Gapatan represented the agency, based on this news release.
At the House LEAD Committee hearing, different government agencies provided briefings about the country’s energy sector in relation to the Middle East crisis. This includes the implementation of Executive Order No. 110, which declared a state of national energy emergency. Also discussed were the government’s measures to develop a unified response package for transportation, food, livelihood, and industry.
Notably, the hearing follows previous discussions of the House Committee on Ways and Means; it is also part of the government’s ongoing efforts to come up with concrete measures that address the effects of the latest crisis on the Filipino people, and on the Philippines as a whole.
In other news, OWWA continues to promote and protect the welfare of OFWs in various ways. It recently launched an OFW Global Center in Malaysia. Check out this article to learn all about this new facility.