In a landmark step to strengthen bilateral relations and align with the vision of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Ministry of Labor and Immigration of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas have signed a Memorandum of Agreement on Labor Cooperation. This is the first-ever comprehensive bilateral labor agreement for Filipino workers in a Caribbean nation.
The agreement, signed at the Philippine Center in New York by DMW Secretary Cacdac and Foreign Affairs Minister Frederick A. Mitchell, M.P., establishes a formal framework for the mutual protection, ethical recruitment, and safe deployment of Filipino Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). It covers a wide range of industries in The Bahamas, including healthcare, tourism, domestic work, and hospitality.
“This is a win for our OFWs,” said Secretary Cacdac. “This agreement is a testament to our commitment to creating safe and fair pathways for our skilled professionals and workers abroad. We thank the Bahamian government for making the Caribbean a second home for our dear OFWs.”
The new Memorandum of Agreement is the culmination of diplomatic efforts that began with discussions between Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez and Governor Cornelius A. Smith in March 2023. This was followed by a meeting between Secretary Cacdac and the Bahamian Minister of Labor and Immigration in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in January 2025.
As the seventh bilateral labor agreement signed by the DMW this year, and the first in the Caribbean and Central America, it further demonstrates the Philippines’ commitment to expanding its network of protection for Filipino workers globally. With a growing Filipino population of 2,800 in The Bahamas as of June 2025, this agreement is a crucial step in ensuring their welfare and labor rights are upheld at every stage of their employment.
