PRESS RELEASE
WDC-14-2026
20 March 2026
Embassy Press and Information Section
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Migrant Workers Office–Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (MWO-OWWA) of the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. conducted an outreach mission in Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) from 14 to 15 March 2026, delivering essential labor and welfare services directly to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the territory.
The mission served more than 280 OFWs, focusing on labor protection through employment contract verification and access to social welfare programs through OWWA membership enrolment. A town hall meeting with 70 OFWs was also held highlighting services and benefits for OFWs from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), OWWA and the Social Security System (SS), including the DMW AKKSYON Fund, OWWA scholarship and training grants and SSS social security entitlements.
During the outreach, the team processed 218 OWWA membership renewal applications, verified 171 employment contracts and accredited two (2) employers. They also conducted a work site visit to a merchandising company employing over twenty (20) Filipino workers, engaging both management and employees to ascertain the OFWs’ working conditions and reinforce employer’s confidence in Filipino workers.
The MWO-OWWA team was composed of Labor Attaché Saul De Vries, Welfare Officer Mae Codilla, Ms. Freya Palad, and Mr. Oliver Flores, with New York-based SSS Foreign Representative Rigor Pantollano participating virtually in the town hall meeting. The outreach mission was supported by members of the Filipino community in TCI led by Mr. Alfonso Palatino.
Labor Attaché De Vries said that the mission underscores the Philippine government’s continuing commitment to make its services accessible to OFWs wherever they may be.
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The Team visited the Do It Center, a merchandising company, which employs about twenty (20) Filipinos who works in its retailing and accounting sections.