In the past, there were several government agencies that focused on the preparation, deployment, and management of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Among them were the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs, which was part of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Today, all of these agencies have been gathered into a single government department: the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). Established in 2022 through Republic Act Number 11641, the DMW is responsible for upholding the rights and welfare of OFWs and their families. Currently, the DMW has 16 Regional Offices (ROs) across the country, and 39 Migrant Workers Offices (MWOs) abroad. One of these offices is in located in Bahrain, serving the Filipino community who are living and working in the Kingdom.
What is the Migrant Workers Office?
Through its Regional Offices (ROs) in the Philippines and Migrant Workers Offices (MWOs) around the world, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is able to promote and promote the wellbeing and interests of OFWs by implementing various labor policies and programs.
Programs and Services
The MWO in Bahrain provides the following services to OFWs in the Kingdom: employment contract verification, counseling and welfare assistance, temporary shelter, SSS services, Pag-IBIG Fund services, and accreditation of recruitment agencies, among others.
Employment Contract Verification
The MWO makes sure that the employment contracts of Filipino workers in Bahrain meets labor policies and standards. This way, the rights and welfare of OFWs are protected.
Counseling and Welfare Assistance
The MWO works hand-in-hand with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), an attached agency of the DMW. Among the services provided by OWWA to OFWs are information and guidance, psycho-socia counseling, legal assistance, and more.
Temporary Shelter
In cases where there are OFWs who are experiencing distress and emergencies, they can go to the MWO, which also serves as a temporary shelter where they can rest and seek assistance.
SSS Services
The Social Security System (SSS) is a state-run social insurance program for Filipino workers in the private sector, both inside and outside the Philippines. It offers different types of benefits and assistance, such as: retirement, maternity, sickness, disability, unemployment, death, and funeral assistance.
Filipinos in Bahrain can go to the MWO for information and support regarding record verification, payment of contributions, applying for assistance, and other SSS-related services.
Pag-IBIG Fund Services
Similar to the SSS, the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), a.k.a. “Pag-IBIG Fund” is also a state-run entity. It is part of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), and is focused on providing affordable shelter financing and savings programs to its members, which include OFWs.
The Pag-IBIG Fund offers housing loans, multipurpose loans, calamity loans, savings programs, and other services. Filipinos in Bahrain can go to the MWO for guidance and assistance in Pag-IBIG Fund services like record verification, payment of contributions, applying for housing loans, and so on.
Accreditation of Recruitment Agencies
The MWO is tasked with verifying and accrediting recruitment agencies and companies in Bahrain, making sure that these are operating legally and upholding their workers’ rights and welfare.
Advisories on Illegal Recruitment
Speaking of recruitment agencies, the MWO, as part of the DMW, is vigilant in protecting Filipino workers and jobseekers; it is always on the lookout for activities that seek to victimize job applicants.
Earlier this month, for example the MWO office in Bahrain shared a Facebook post by the DMW, featuring a press release about the “Third country recruitment” of OFWs. The DMW warned about this scheme, which is being proliferated in social media platforms by illegal recruiters and syndicates.
According to the post, there were reports from the Philippine Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria about possible human trafficking incidents involving Filipinos. The Filipinos were recruited to go to Nigera from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, using tourist visas. They were told that their work permits would be processed upon arrival; however, the Nigerian government does now allow this. To work in Nigeria, a Filipino must first acquire a Subject to Regularization (STR) visa from the Nigerian Embassy in the Philippines.
To avoid such incidents, the DMW informed everyone that hiring through a third country is considered illegal, especially if the recruiter or employer has no proper authorization from the Philippine government and the host country’s government. It also urged OFWs and Filipino job seekers to be more careful, especially when they see suspicious recruitment activities on social media.
If you see any social media post that looks suspicious and may be related to illegal recruitment or human trafficking, do not hesitate to report it to the MWO in Bahrain. You can also report it to the Facebook page of the DMW Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons Program, send an email to mwpb@dmw.gov.ph, or call their hotline number +632 8721 0619.
Video: DMW Pays Tribute to OFWs
Last December 17, 2024, the DMW paid tribute to OFWs and their families through “Pamaskong Handog,” a yearly gift-giving activity that recognizes the sacrifices and contributions of our “bagong bayani” or modern-day heroes.
The event — which was organized in partnership with OWWA, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) — was held at the Heroes Hall in Malacañang, Manila. Around 500 OFW-repatriates from Israel and Lebanon attended with their families. Notably, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. joined the event, together with DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac.
Check out this video of the “Pamaskong Handog” event:
Contact Information: MWO Bahrain
If you have any questions and concerns for the MWO office in Bahrain, or if you need assistance, you can get in touch with them through the following contact details:
Address: Villa Number 2, AMAR Villas, Building 2186, Road 2755, Block 327, Adliya, Kingdom of Bahrain
Telephone: +973 1772 1234 / +973 3807 2476
Email: mwo_bahrain@dmw.gov.ph
Website: https://www.dmw.gov.ph/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mwobahrain.gov/
Google Map Location:
Final Thoughts
Working abroad and living away from our families in the Philippines is not easy; we need all the help and support we can get. Fortunately, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), through its Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Bahrain, is here to help and provide assistance to OFWs in the Kingdom.
Meanwhile, as OFWs, being a member of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is a must; it entitles you to various types of services. If your membership is expiring soon, visit this article to learn how to renew your OWWA membership in Bahrain.