Ligao City, Albay — Congressman-elect Raymond Adrian Salceda announced his plan to file the Balikbayani Center Act at the opening of the 20th Congress this July, aiming to establish one-stop reintegration hubs for returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families—patterned after the widely successful Malasakit Center model.
“Balik ka sa bayan — may gobyernong sasalubong,” Salceda said. “This bill will make sure that the first thing our OFWs encounter when they return home is care, not confusion.”
The Balikbayani Centers will consolidate key reintegration services in one location, with emergency and reception desks at major ports of entry (NAIA, Cebu, Davao) and permanent full-service centers in regional cities such as Legazpi to serve provincial returnees.
Each center will bring together frontline agencies:
OWWA – Certification, counseling, and referrals for livelihood, training, and reintegration services
DSWD – Aid to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) grants, shelter referrals, meals, and transport home
DOLE – TUPAD jobs and starter livelihood kits
TESDA – Training enrollment with allowances and toolkits
DTI – MSME support and business startup assistance
DOH & LGUs – Health checkups, psychological services, and access to Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients (MAIP) for OFW dependents
The bill notably includes OFW dependents—spouses, children, and parents—in the coverage of reintegration services, recognizing their vital role in the migration journey.
“This is not just a policy of convenience—it’s a policy of care,” Salceda added. “We are applying the Malasakit model to labor migration. This is Malasakit for workers who build the homes they don’t get to live in, and for families who waited years for their return.”
The measure gives priority to vulnerable and labor-intensive jobs such as caregiving, construction, domestic work, and factory labor.
Importantly, the bill requires no new bureaucracy. It will be funded through the OWWA Trust Fund, DSWD and DOLE Special Purpose Funds, and the President’s Socioeconomic Projects Fund. The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) will serve as lead implementing agency.
The Balikbayani Center Act will be filed on July 22, 2025.
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