Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING AN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINO 
WORKERS IN DISTRESS, AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
For decades, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) have kept the Philippine 
economy afloat with their continued individual remittances. Even amidst the 
pandemic when economies worldwide were dwindling, Filipinos continued to 
send remittances to their left-behind families. In 2021, the total remittances 
from OFWs were more than Php 30B1 accounting to about 9% of the country's 
gross domestic product and gross national income2. 
With the decline in the economies in many destination countries, 
hundred of thousands of Filipino migrant workers also had to be repatriated 
as a consequence of the COVID 19 pandemic.3 
As the State ensures that it protects the well-being of its migrant 
workers, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration has been facilitating 
the repatriation of returning Filipinos, providing for airport assistance, 
temporary shelter, psychosocial counselling, stress debriefing and transport 
services. 
1 Statista. 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1242750/remittance-overseas-filipino-workers-
to-philippines/ Accessed Online on September 13, 2022 
2  Agcaoili, Lawrence. February 16, 2022 “OFW remittances hit all-time high in 2021”. The Philippine 
Star.  https://www.philstar.com/business/2022/02/16/2161041/ofw-remittances-hit-all-time-high-
2021 Accessed Online on September 13, 2022 
3 London School of Economics and Political Science. October 8, 2020 
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/seac/2020/10/08/a-heros-welcome-repatriated-overseas-filipino-workers-
and-covid-19/ Accessed on September 13, 2022 
September 21, 2022
9:10 am
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This bill seeks to strengthen the State’s capacity in repatriating our 
distressed Filipino migrant workers who need to return to the country by 
creating a Special Assistance Fund for the Overseas Filipino Workers in 
Distress. Having adequate appropriation will ensure that distressed migrant 
Filipino Workers will have medical expenses within six months upon arrival 
of the OFW, migration fees as needed for over-staying, legal assistance for 
court hearings, and other necessities for OFWs caught in emergency 
situations or are detained. The bill also provides special financial assistance 
to OFWs who have been victims of abuse from their employers, or who have 
been repatriated from host countries due to natural or man-made calamities. 
 
 
Through this mandate, we effectively enable the progress of an 
empowered and protected migrant worker. 
 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought.  
 
 
 
 
REP. PM VARGAS   
 
Fifth District, Quezon City 
 
 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING AN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINO 
WORKERS IN DISTRESS, AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
SECTION  1.  Short Title. – This act shall be known as the “Distressed OFW 
Assistance Act.” 
SECTION  2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared a policy of the 
State that full protection must be accorded to overseas workers, particularly 
those who are forced to seek employment abroad in order to provide for their 
families at home, furthermore, this assistance to overseas Filipino worker 
must be 
without 
distinction, 
covering 
both 
the 
documented 
and 
undocumented migrant workers. 
SECTION  3. Creation of Fund. – A Special Assistance Fund for Overseas 
Filipino Workers in Distress, in the amount of One Billion Pesos 
(P1,000,000,000.00) is hereby created. The fund utilized for the following 
purposes: 
(a) Repatriation:
(b) Medical expenses, hospitalization and purchase of medicine in the
form of vouchers for six (6) months from arrival;
(c) Migration fees for over staying Filipinos;
(d) Legal assistance including litigation expenses, legal fees, payment of
translation fees, attendance in court hearings;
(e) Basic necessities of OFWs caught in emergencies or are detained.
Provided, That the least thirty percent (30%) of the total fund shall be allotted 
to provide monetary support, in the form of lump sum payment not in excess 
of Fifty Thousand pesos (PHP 50,000.00) for each recipient, to be given to 
overseas workers   who have been the victims of abuse from their employers, 
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or those who have been repatriated from host countries due to natural or 
man-made calamities. 
 
SECTION 4. Transparency. – In the utilization of the Fund, the principles of 
accountability and transparency must be fully observed. And as such, every 
Filipino citizen has a right to, and shall on request be given access to any 
information pertinent to this law, when such information is under control or 
in the possession of any government agency involved in the implementation 
of this law. Government agencies involved in the implementation of this law 
shall maintain appropriate records of their actions under this law, particularly 
with regard to the disbursement of funds and the identity of recipients. 
 
SECTION 5. Implementing Agencies and Rules. – The Department of 
Migrant Workers is hereby tasked to implement this Act and shall coordinate 
with and be supported by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), 
and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). The abovementioned agencies, 
in consultation with the Department of Budget and Management and 
representative of the private sector, and recognized overseas labor 
organizations, shall issue the necessary implementing rules and regulations 
to implement the provisions of this Act within ninety (90) days after its 
effectivity. 
 
 
SECTION 6. Appropriations. – The fund needed to initially implement the 
provisions of this Act must be sourced primarily from the General 
Appropriations Act. The appropriation allotted to the Assistance to National 
and Legal Assistance Fund in the DFA, and to the Overseas Workers Welfare 
Administration (OWWA), shall serve as core fund for the program. Thereafter 
the yearly PHP 1 Billion appropriation shall be sourced from the earnings of 
the Bureau of Immigration, Duty-Free Philippines, passport processing fees 
of the DFA, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and other relevant offices 
or agencies as may be recommended and identified in the implementing rules 
and regulations. 
 
 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. –If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the 
other provisions hereof. 
 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, presidential 
decrees, presidential proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly. 
 
 
SECTION 9. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its 
publication in the Official Gazette or at least two (2) national newspaper or 
general circulation. 
 
Approved,