As thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) return to the Philippines following the holiday season, House Committee on Higher and Technical Education Chairperson Jude Acidre is calling on the Senate to prioritize the swift passage of the Bagong Balikbayan Act (HB 6643). This priority reintegration measure, principally authored by former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and Rep. Acidre, was recently approved and transmitted by the House of Representatives. Acidre noted that the timing of this appeal is critical, as the first quarter of the year often sees a surge in returning workers looking to transition back into local employment, entrepreneurship, and community life after years abroad.
The Bagong Balikbayan Act seeks to institutionalize long-term protection by consolidating reintegration services and expanding access to livelihood assistance. Rep. Acidre, who also chaired the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs during the 19th Congress, emphasized that the bill addresses a recurring reality where returning OFWs often face unemployment or underemployment despite the high-level skills they acquired overseas. By passing this measure, the government aims to send a strong signal that the sacrifices of migrant workers are matched with concrete, lasting reforms that prevent them from navigating the difficult transition back to local life alone.
Under the framework pushed by Romualdez and Acidre, reintegration support would begin as early as six months before an OFW’s actual return through Migrant Workers Offices abroad. This proactive approach allows families to plan ahead for education, skills upgrading, and psychosocial support. Furthermore, the measure mandates regular job fairs and the formal recognition of overseas work experience, even exploring the grant of appropriate civil service eligibility for returnees. Acidre highlighted that the goal is to ensure valuable global expertise does not go to waste once an OFW steps back onto Philippine soil.
To modernize the process, the bill establishes centralized digital platforms to reduce bureaucratic delays, allowing returnees to access job matching and financial literacy programs through a single system. The measure also extends significant support to the families of OFWs and provides a lifeline for undocumented or distressed workers through confidential assistance and affordable credit for small enterprises. With the bill transmitted to the Senate on December 17, 2025, Acidre remains hopeful for a timely concurrence that would allow this comprehensive reintegration framework to take effect within the year.
