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DMW announces free yearly medical check-ups for deployed OFWs

31 May 2025

 

Secretary Cacdac made the announcement during a Senate inquiry led by Senator Tulfo

The Department of Migrant Workers has pledged to grant a long-standing plea by deployed overseas Filipino workers to be provided with free periodic medical check-ups while they are abroad.

DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac made the announcement during a Senate inquiry on Thursday, in response to concerns raised by Senator Raffy Tulfo over irregularities in pre-employment medical examinations and allegedly abusive practices by some clinics.

Cacda said OFWs will soon receive free annual medical check-ups through the DMW’s Aksyon Fund, one year after being deployed, and shortly before finishing their two-year contract.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

The Aksyon Fund or Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFW na Nangangailangan is a financial support mechanism for OFWs needing urgent assistance abroad.

The idea is for the government to ensure the rights of all Filipinos to health and well-being are observed even while working abroad.

"Yes, Mr. Chair, we will do that through the AKSYON Fund, dahil maaari po nating pondohan ang follow-through medical check-up ng ating mga OFW upang matiyak ang kanilang kalusugan at kapakanan habang nasa abroad at bago sila umuwi sa bansa (because we can fund the follow-through medical check-ups of our OFWs to ensure their health and well-being while abroad and before they return home)," Cacdac said.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

He was responding to Tulfo’s concern that alleged irregularities in the pre-deployment  screenings could result in an OFW being given a clean bill of health even if he or she has a medical issue that needs to be addressed.

Cacdac said that under the directive, routine health monitoring of OFWs will also be covered during their deployment and prior to repatriation.

Pindutin para sa detalye

But he did not elaborate on the mechanics of providing such a service abroad, as well as the potentially huge cost it would entail.

Following up on his initial query, Tulfo urged the DMW to institutionalize the initiative through a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Health to ensure greater oversight and regulation of medical clinics authorized to provide health clearances to OFWs.

Tulfo cited as an example SuperCare Medical Services, Inc. (SMSI) an accredited maritime clinic which reportedly charges OFWs P1,200 for initial tests and P1,300 for each repeated “confirmatory” test without proper explanation

Basahin ang detalye!

Cacdac said in response that private recruitment agencies are supposed to oversee the pre-employment medical check-ups, but the DMW has the authority to investigate and impose sanctions on agencies that commit malpractice.

He promised to pursue a MOA with DOH, and at the same time bring the matter to the Human Resource for Health Network and the private sector so there will be a coordinate response to the health-related issues.  

Cacdac’s pronouncement drew a surprisingly critical comment from DMW Assistant Secretary Kiko de Guzman, who said there was a seeming “disconnect” between the response and Tulfo’s query over alleged malpractices of medical clinics.

De Guzman said providers of pre-employment medical examinations are accredited and regulated not by the DMW but by the DOH. Some foreign countries of destination also have their own medical screeners. 

He also questioned how the DMW intends to implement the annual medical screenings at the jobsites if the host government does not require these.

If not done at the jobsites, he asked if the medical examinations will be required for the millions of rehires, re-contracts and workers on leave when they arrive in the Philippines. And, if the returning worker is found unfit to work, can the DMW prevent him/her from returning to the jobsite.

Clearly, a lot of issues need to be resolved first before the check-up plan, no matter how advantageous it may sound for the OFWs, could be fully implemented.

 

 

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