Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.  3199 
Introduced by Representative MARLYN L. PRIMICIAS-AGABAS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) have long been heralded as the modern-day heroes of the 
Philippines. Their remittances significantly contribute to national economic growth, accounting for billions 
of pesos annually and sustaining countless Filipino households. However, while the economic impact of 
labor migration is clear, the social costs borne by the families left behind—particularly spouses, children, 
and elderly dependents—are often overlooked and insufficiently addressed. 
This bill, entitled the “Left-Behind Household of OFWs Act,” seeks to establish a comprehensive 
welfare and social assistance program for families left behind by OFWs through the creation of OFW 
Family Centers nationwide. These centers should provide psychosocial support, welfare services, and 
government agency linkages to assist families in coping with the challenges of transnational family 
arrangements, and to prepare them for the eventual reintegration of the OFW into the family and 
community. 
The Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, under Article XV, Section 1, recognizes the 
Filipino family as the foundation of the nation and mandates the State to strengthen its solidarity and 
promote its total development. Similarly, Article II, Section 12 affirms the State’s duty to protect and 
strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. These constitutional principles serve as 
the moral and legal framework for this measure, which aims to safeguard the well-being of OFW families 
by addressing not only their economic needs but also their emotional and social vulnerabilities. 
The Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 (Republic Act No. 8042, as amended 
by R.A. No. 10022) emphasizes the State’s responsibility to ensure the welfare and protection of migrant 
workers and their families. However, while that law focuses largely on the rights and protection of the 
OFWs themselves, there remains a critical gap in institutionalized support for those they leave behind. 
This proposed legislation aims to close that gap by mandating the Overseas Workers Welfare 
Administration (OWWA) to establish and operate OFW Family Centers using the resources of its 
regional offices and in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), 
the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), and relevant local government units. 
These centers serve three main purposes: (1) to provide welfare assistance and counseling to 
left-behind households; (2) to serve as coordinating hubs for non-governmental and civil society 
organizations that serve OFW communities; and (3) to act as liaison offices to various government 
services that relate to overseas employment and family welfare. 
August 6, 2025
11:51 am


The bill also mandates OWWA to facilitate the formation of support groups or community 
organizations among families of OFWs. These organizations will foster peer support, mental health 
awareness, and community resilience—important factors in mitigating the social impact of long-term 
family separation. 
Finally, this bill calls for periodic reporting to Congress and relevant executive departments, 
ensuring transparency, data-driven intervention, and accountability in the implementation of the 
program. It authorizes the appropriation of necessary funds from the National Treasury, recognizing that 
investment in Filipino families is an investment in national development. 
In view of the vital role of OFWs in our society and economy, and the equally important need to 
care for their families left at home, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
MARLYN L. PRIMICIAS-AGABAS 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.  3199 
Introduced by Representative MARLYN L. PRIMICIAS-AGABAS 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A WELFARE AND SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO 
FAMILIES LEFT BEHIND BY OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
Section l. Short Title. -This Act shall be known as the "Left-Behind Household of OFWs 
Act." 
Sec.2. Declaration of Policy. - It is declared policy of the State to strengthen the 
solidarity of the family and actively promote its total development. The State recognizes the 
Filipino Family as the foundation of the nation. 
Towards this end, the Administrator shall take such actions as are necessary to the 
maximum extent practicable, to sustain harmony with the family and prepare families for future 
reintegration of OFWs. 
Sec.3. Definition of Terms - For purposes of this Act, the term: 
(A) "Administration" means the Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration or
"OWWA”. 
(B) "Administrator" means the Administrator of OWWA.
(C) "Center" means the Overseas Filipino Workers Family Center.


(D) "Left-Behind Household" means families left behind by Overseas Filipino 
Workers to work abroad; and 
(E) "Overseas Filipino Worker" or "OFW" means any Filipino citizen who 
is temporarily working in any country outside the Philippines. 
 
Sec, 4. OFW Family Centers. - 
(A) Centers. - The Administrator shall establish OFW Family Centers nationwide, 
using the facilities of its regional offices, or any of the regional offices of the 
Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and the Department of Social 
and Welfare Development. The purpose of each Center is - 
(1) To provide welfare assistance and counseling services to the families of 
OFWs. 
(2) To serve as coordinating office to non-government organizations and 
associations that cater to the plight of OFWs; and 
(3) To serve as a link between left-behind households to various services 
and/or agencies of the government on overseas employment. 
(B) Location of Centers. - Each Center shall be strategically located in every 
municipality where there is a large population of families who have relative working 
abroad. 
(C) Jurisdiction. - The responsibilities of each Center shall be centered on the 
welfare of left-behind families of OFWs. 
 
Sec. 5. Left-Behind Household Organizations. - OWWA shall facilitate the 
establishment of organizations or support groups of families left behind by migrant workers. It 
should also provide a venue for the interaction of members of families of migrant workers. 
 
Sec. 6. Report to Congress. - Three (3) years from the passage of the provisions of 
this Act, the OWWA shall report to Congress the number of cases brought to the various 
Centers and the intervention provided. A yearly statistical report shall be submitted to the 
Department of Labor and Employment and other concerned agencies. 
 
Sec. 7. Appropriations. - To carry out the provisions of this Act, such sums as may be 
necessary are hereby authorized to be appropriate from the National Treasury. 


Sec. 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectiveness of the other provisions 
hereof. 
 
Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, and issuances, or portions 
thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed, amended 
or modified accordingly. 
 
Sec. 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,