CLARK FREEPORT ZONE (PIA) — The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has formally opened an Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Lounge at Clark International Airport (CRK) to provide migrant workers with a dedicated space for rest and access to government services.
This facility, which can accommodate up to 40 OFWs, offers refreshments, charging stations and a one-stop area for government assistance, making essential services more accessible to OFWs before they leave the country.
For OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan, the lounge puts into practice the government’s commitment to recognize OFWs not only through words but through the way they are treated and served.
“Yung tatawagin mong bagong bayani, hindi lang sa papel, kundi sa pagtrato natin sa kanila,” she said.
Caunan added that the treatment of Filipino migrant workers also sends a message to the countries and territories where they will work, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
“Simple ang mensahe ng Pilipinas, ng Department of Migrant Workers, ng OWWA, ng ating Pangulo, ng ating bansa. Ganito namin tratuhin ang mga OFWs. May respeto at dignidad. Sana naman ho, pag nagtatrabaho na sila dyan, bigyan niyo rin po sila ng respeto dahil sila po ay tunay na mga bagong bayani natin,” she emphasized.
For his part, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Undersecretary Bernard Olalia said the lounge is important because departure and arrival are among the most significant experiences in an OFW’s migration journey.
“There are two important experiences in the life of every OFW that he or she will never forget. One is the experience when he or she leaves the country and the other when she comes back to the country,” he said.
Olalia said government support should remain available throughout the migration cycle, from departure and return to access to programs that help OFWs and their families.
“In every migration cycle, the Department and OWWA will always be there. Kasama po ninyo kami sa inyong pag-alis, kasama ninyo kami sa inyong pagbabalik,” he said.
The facility also allows OFWs to apply for OWWA E-Cards, which now serve as a primary government identification for OFWs, as well as access other OWWA programs and services without having to leave the airport.
The OFW Lounge at Clark is the fourth nationwide established by OWWA, expanding the agency’s network of dedicated facilities for migrant workers.
It was established through the partnership of OWWA, DMW and LIPAD Corporation, the operator of Clark International Airport, which provided support for the facility and additional seating outside the lounge.
