Govt to forgo ₧200M by cutting fees charged to migrant workers

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

DMW Secretary Maria Susan V. Ople said they decided to remove the fees in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“[The] President made it clear that the OFW Pass should be free in honor of the huge sacrifices being made and contributions of our modern-day heroes to the needs of their respective families and the Philippine economy as a whole,” Ople was quoted in a statement the DMW issued last Wednesday.

The DMW chief noted that the expected foregone government income, roughly $3.642 million at current exchange rates, is just a fraction of the annual remittances of OFWs, which reached $32 billion last year.

The OEC is document issued by the government, which certifies the regularity of the recruitment and documentation of an OFW, with a P100 ($1.82) fee. DMW issues an average of 6,700 OECS daily through its offices, including its Migrant Workers Office (MWO).

DMW plans to eventually replace the OEC with OFW Pass, which can be accessed for free via the agency’s mobile application.

“Foregoing the P100-per-OEC