In a continued effort to support the reintegration of repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Pampanga and DTI Regional Office 3, in partnership with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), conducted a two-day Financial Awareness and Small Business Management Seminar at Redd Manor Hotel, City of San Fernando, Pampanga.
The training benefitted around 160 returning OFWs, equipping them with essential financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills to help them rebuild their lives and livelihoods in the Philippines. The sessions were facilitated by DTI-Pampanga Senior Trade-Industry Development Specialist Emil Paolo Galang, Trade-Industry Development Specialist Eugene Lazatin, and DTI-3 Supervising Trade Industry Development Specialist Jojo Toledo. An on-site business name registration and consultancy service were also offered throughout the program.
SupTIDS Jojo Toledo highlighted the importance of collaboration in his message: “This briefing is brought to you by DTI-3 and DMW-3 which seeks to provide basic entrepreneurial knowledge on how to initially go about in starting your own business. The beauty of this joint activity is when government agencies move in harmony, MSMEs tend to thrive, because streamlined support means faster access to finance, training, and markets.”
Currently, DMW has been implementing the DMW AKSYON Fund, a comprehensive support system that offers legal assistance, medical assistance, financial aid, repatriation services, and emergency assistance. Complementing these initiatives, financial literacy and entrepreneurial development trainings provide the backbone for the needed skills of OFWs who decide to pursue their entrepreneurial journey.
According to a 2023 survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (released on September 13, 2024), there were about 2.16 million OFWs nationwide, more than 328,000 of whom hail from Region 3. These numbers underscore the importance of sustained programs to strengthen the reintegration and economic resilience of OFWs in Central Luzon.
This initiative forms part of the ongoing partnership between DTI-3 and DMW-3 to deliver sustainable livelihood assistance and capability-building programs for OFWs. By empowering them with practical knowledge, financial awareness, and access to enterprise support, the agencies aim to foster economic resilience and long-term success among returning migrant workers.
For more information on upcoming programs and support services, interested parties may contact DTI Region 3 or the Department of Migrant Workers Regional Office.
