President Rodrigo Duterte in his 4th annual State of The Nation Address (SONA) last July 24, reiterated his call for the creation of the Department of Overseas Filipino Workers (DOFW). The said department will focus solely on the welfare and well-being of millions of Filipinos working in foreign countries.

The DOFW creation will then provide prompt, immediate and effective response to the problems of OFWs, from deployment to repatriation. As the said new agency will promote the overall welfare, rights and needs of OFWs and their own respective families.

And by December this year, the President calls to put the DOFW on work, stating that he would rush the formation of the separate executive department, and vowed to give government supervision regarding the process of recruitment.

The President also further warned illegal recruiters inside and outside of the country that their days of terror are numbered, as he plans to let the government take full supervision in the operations of recruiting. Further advising Filipinos who want to work abroad to only participate in the services of legal recruiters.

That being said, the proposed department will aim to put  recruitment agencies under strict supervision and a must-follow government regulations.

Meanwhile, different recruitment agencies, and various groups of overseas workers are pleased by the effort of the Philippine government in improving the state of OFWs.