The Department of Migrant Workers–National Capital Region (DMW-NCR) has successfully rescued a total of 519 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from 24 unregistered and substandard accommodation facilities across Metro Manila. The operations, conducted since June 2026, follow rigorous inspections that uncovered severe, inhumane, and unsafe living conditions.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac commended the proactive welfare checks and closure operations carried out by the DMW-NCR, emphasizing the government’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the health, safety, and dignity of OFWs awaiting deployment.
Secretary Cacdac underscored that it is the legal obligation of every registered private recruitment agency to provide proper, approved, and lawful temporary residences for their workers. “If the accommodation is not registered, it is illegal. Therefore, we can come in and inspect. And if the condition is inhumane, we have the authority to close it,” explained Secretary Cacdac.
The DMW chief reiterated that protecting OFWs from unhygienic and hazardous temporary housing is critical during the pre-deployment phase. These targeted operations form a core pillar of the Department’s broader mandate to strengthen protection and welfare services for OFWs and their families, directly aligning with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to prioritize and safeguard the interests of the country’s modern-day heroes.
Key highlights of the DMW crackdown:
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Total OFWs Rescued: 519 workers
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Facilities Closed: 24 unregistered temporary housing sites in Metro Manila
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Timeline: Operations conducted since June 2026
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Core Directive: Mandatory agency compliance and zero tolerance for inhumane pre-deployment conditions
The Department of Migrant Workers continues to urge recruitment agencies to strictly adhere to housing regulations and encourages the public to report any suspected illegal or substandard accommodation facilities housing OFWs.
