Department of Migrant Workers - Philippines secures two wins at GovMedia Conference & Awards 2026

The department was honoured for enhancing OFWs’ welfare and strengthening protection against recruitment scams.

Department of Migrant Workers - Philippines won Philippines Public Facility of the Year - Social Services and Philippines Campaign of the Year - Regulatory at the GovMedia Conference & Awards 2026. The department received the accolades for its overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Lounge project and Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons Campaign.

Enhancing OFW travel welfare

The OFW Lounge project complies with a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to show appreciation for the contributions of migrant workers to the Philippines’ national economic development. The project is a collaborative effort amongst the Department of Migrant Workers - Philippines, the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration, and the New NAIA Infra Corp., whilst daily operations remain under the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration.

Located inside the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminals 1 and 3, and the newly opened OFW Lounge at Mactan Cebu International Airport, the free 24/7 lounges offer amenities similar to those of premier airline lounges. Transiting workers have access to comfortable spaces, food, wireless internet, charging stations, and secure baggage storage rooms. The Terminal 1 facility also underwent renovation to accommodate more travellers in a spacious setting.

The lounges have served more than one million migrant workers since their inception. In addition to standard lounge amenities, the project expanded its services to include a 20-bed sleeping and bathing area in Terminal 3. The initiative also provides faster, exclusive immigration counters to ensure a seamless travel experience for the workers.

This project earned the Philippines Public Facility of the Year - Social Services, a testament to the administration's commitment to delivering people-centred public service and ensuring that travellers experience dignity and care. The department also plans to expand the initiative to international airports in Clark, Pampanga and Davao City as part of ongoing efforts to expand the reach of welfare services.

Strengthening safe migration efforts

The Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons Campaign is a nationwide initiative aimed at promoting safe and legal migration whilst protecting OFWs and aspiring migrants from illegal recruitment and trafficking schemes. Anchored on DMW's mandate under Republic Act No. 11641, the campaign combines preventive measures through information dissemination, special operations (preventive measures), and legal assistance and prosecution (remedial measures).

Recognising the evolving nature of recruitment fraud, the DMW adopted a proactive approach that addressed both physical and digital channels used by illegal recruiters. Through strategic collaborations with major digital platforms, including Facebook and TikTok, the DMW strengthened its efforts to identify and remove fraudulent recruitment content. From 2020 to 2025, these initiatives resulted in the takedown of nearly 180,000 fraudulent social media assets, helping to dismantle online ecosystems that enable exploitation and protect vulnerable individuals from recruitment scams.

The campaign also achieved significant enforcement results nationwide. In 2025, the DMW closed 32 illegal establishments operating without proper authorisation and, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, apprehended 26 illegal recruiters involved in fraudulent overseas employment activities.

Through stronger enforcement, strategic partnerships, and early intervention, the campaign has reinforced trust in legal migration pathways whilst safeguarding the welfare and dignity of migrant workers. This achievement earned the Philippines Campaign of the Year - Regulatory.

GovMedia Conference & Awards gives recognition to the trends and best practices that transform the public sector in the Asia Pacific. The awards programme promotes excellence and provides a platform for exemplary government initiatives.

The GovMedia Conference & Awards is presented by GovMedia Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2027 awards programme and be recognised for your organisation's government projects and initiatives, please contact Marni Marco at +(65) 3158 1386 and [email protected].