The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced a landmark reform for the overseas employment sector today by mandating the adoption of the DMW Standard Quality Management System (QMS) for all private recruitment and manning agencies (PRAs/LMAs).
Issued via Department Order No. 03, Series of 2025, this decisive move aims to institutionalize ethical recruitment practices, enhance transparency, and strengthen the protection and welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). The mandate was formally introduced during an orientation held in Pasig City.
The DMW Standard QMS is a comprehensive framework anchored on Republic Act No. 11641, the 2023 DMW Rules, and the globally recognized ISO 9001:2015 standard. Developed in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the system introduces structured quality management, clear accountability, and standardized operations to promote continuous improvement and align Philippine recruitment with international integrity benchmarks.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac praised the initial 44 pioneering agencies participating in the first QMS onboarding batch, calling them “partners in reform, professionalization, and high standard setting.”
“The DMW QMS will be the standard for every licensed PRA and LMA—a system based on ISO 9001:2015 and the principles of fair and ethical recruitment,” Secretary Cacdac said. “Through this, we will have a better process, clear accountability, and stronger protection for our OFWs and their families. The dignity we recognize in our OFWs should also start with our own dignified and professional work ethic and operations.”
Enforcement of the QMS begins on October 20, 2025. The DMW’s Licensing and Regulation Bureau (LRB) will be responsible for overseeing compliance. Agencies seeking license renewal or upgrade must fully implement the system, while existing ISO-certified agencies will be integrated through special onboarding sessions.
Migrant Workers Undersecretary Bernard P. Olalia, alongside Assistant Secretaries Venecio Legaspi and Jerome Alcantara, emphasized the DMW’s unwavering commitment to ethical recruitment, transparency, and high-quality service.
Undersecretary Olalia stated, “This initiative emphasizes our ongoing effort to uphold ethical recruitment, safeguard the welfare of OFWs, and ensure that all recruitment practices align with global standards of quality and integrity.”
The DMW stressed the seriousness of compliance, noting that failure to adhere to the QMS framework or submitting false documents may result in the denial, suspension, or cancellation of agency licenses.
This major initiative supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas directives and reinforces the DMW’s core mission to protect, empower, and uphold the dignity of every Filipino worker globally.
