03 July 2023, Seoul – Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito met with the leaders of the Filipino community organizations in South Korea on 02 July 2023 in a dialogue meeting organized by the Philippine Embassy together with the Migrant Workers Office – OWWA in Korea at the Hyehwadong Catholic Center in Seoul. This is part of the Senator’s efforts to assess the impact of the establishment of the new Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) as one of the legislators involved in determining the resource allocation for the DMW.

During the activity, the Senator discussed important legislation that seek to improve the welfare of OFWs, including the Universal Health Care Act (UHCA) of which he is the principal author. “In the ongoing Congress, we hope to pass amendments to the UHCA that seek to adjust the current PhilHealth premium contribution rates, including those for OFWs, and free distressed or repatriated OFWs from their unpaid premiums upon return to the country”, Senator Ejercito said.

The Senator listened and responded to the Filipino community representatives as they conveyed their most pressing needs and shared views on how the legislature could support OFWs and their families back home.

Senator Ejercito affirmed his continued commitment to support the expanding operational and budgetary requirements of the DMW, the Philippine Embassy and MWOs to meet the current and future needs of OFWs. “Having been given the honor of defending the DMW’s inaugural budget for 2023, it is incumbent upon me to keep an eye on the responsiveness of the programs and services to the needs of our OFWs”, Senator Ejercito said. The Senator also shared related legislative efforts in infrastructure development and transportation modernization which will generate new opportunities for Filipinos back home.

Senator Ejercito visited Korea briefly to assess the challenges of the Embassy as well as MWO-OWWA, which is the overseas operating arm of the DMW, during this important period of organizational transition under RA 11461. The Embassy and MWO briefed the Senator about the PH-ROK bilateral relations, the employment and welfare condition of OFWs, and its programs and operational requirements. He checked on the facilities of the MWO-OWWA, including the Migrant Workers and other Filipino Resource Center, and met with the OFWs who were attending the regular skills training classes there. The visit provided an opportunity to examine the status of welfare, livelihood and reintegration support services for the Filipino migrant workers as well.

Ambassador Theresa Dizon–De Vega assured the Senator that the DFA and MWO-OWWA Seoul are working closely to ensure the smooth transition of service delivery for Assistance-to-Nationals for OFWs from the Consular Section of the Embassy to the MWO-OWWA under the one-country-team approach.

As part of his health and fitness advocacy for overseas Filipinos, Senator Ejercito also met and led nearly 100 OFW cyclists in South Korea in a 60 km ride through the Han River in Seoul.

Before leaving Korea, The Senator offered a floral tribute to the Filipino soldiers who bravely fought in the Korean war at the War Memorial Museum of Korea, as part of the commemoration of the 73^rd anniversary of the PEFTOK and the 70^th anniversary of the Korean armistice. On the same occasion Senator Ejercito likewise met with War Memorial Museum Chairman Baek Seung-Joo. END