Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac moved to set the record straight.
On Sunday, he denied reports claiming that the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) spent ₱557 million for overseas Filipino worker shelters in Taiwan and Hong Kong, calling the figure wrong and misleading.
The truth, he said, is far from that amount.
“The total cost was ₱5 million”
According to Cacdac, the DMW spent ₱5 million in 2025 to shelter 300 distressed OFWs in three facilities in Taiwan.
“These shelters were run by or supported by the DMW,” he explained,
“in partnership with faith-based NGOs.”
For many of the workers who stayed there, these shelters were more than just a roof.
They were safe spaces — places to rest, recover, and breathe after hardship.
Help beyond shelters
Cacdac also highlighted the role of the AKSYON Fund — short for Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFWs na Nangangailangan.
Last year alone, 557 distressed OFWs received financial assistance through the program, which provides immediate legal, financial, and humanitarian aid to Filipinos working abroad.
The fund, he noted, began implementation under the Marcos administration, and continues to expand its reach.
Support on the ground in Taiwan
Beyond shelters and emergency aid, the government’s presence in Taiwan remains active.
Cacdac said the Migrant Workers Office (MWO), working through the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), also supported training programs and civic activities for OFWs.
These initiatives aim to help workers gain new skills, build community, and feel less alone while far from home.
Looking ahead
While dismissing the inflated figures, Cacdac acknowledged that more can still be done.
The DMW, he said, plans to improve its shelter services in 2026 — a commitment to better care for Filipinos who find themselves in crisis abroad.
At the heart of it all, he stressed, is one goal:
to protect, support, and stand by Filipino workers — especially when they need it most.
