In a decisive move to bolster the protection of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Thursday with the Professional & Responsible International Migration Engagement (PRIME) Alliance.
The agreement, aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to institutionalize ethical recruitment, establishes a unified front against illegal recruitment, human trafficking, and the rising threat of sophisticated online scams targeting Filipino workers.
The MOU was signed by Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac, alongside key DMW officials and PRIME Alliance President Nora B. Braganza. The partnership also includes the heads of five major industry associations: PRIMA, JEPPCA, PEACEME, ASPROE, and OPAP.
Under this agreement, the DMW and the PRIME Alliance will collaborate on several high-impact initiatives:
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Joint Information Campaigns: Raising awareness to prevent workers from falling victim to predatory recruitment practices.
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Ethical Recruitment Initiatives: Setting higher standards for the industry to ensure fair and transparent hiring.
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Victim Support & Reintegration: Providing comprehensive aid and career pathways for survivors of trafficking and illegal recruitment.
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Community Engagement: Organizing localized job fairs and career caravans to provide safe, legal, and direct employment opportunities.
Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac emphasized that the partnership is a proactive response to the evolving nature of global migration challenges. “Exploitation has no place in the migration system. This MOU will serve as a living partnership—one that adapts, responds, and grows stronger in the face of new challenges,” said Secretary Cacdac. “It brings us closer to a migration system that is safe, orderly, and sustainable.”
By leveraging the private sector’s reach through the PRIME Alliance and its member associations, the DMW aims to ensure that every Filipino seeking work abroad is protected by a “safety-first” recruitment framework.
