For many decades now, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have been living and working in Saudi Arabia. This oil rich, progressive country has been providing numerous job opportunities for our fellow kababayans and other nationalities, too.
For OFWs in Saudi Arabia, the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has established an operating arm that provides various services: the Migrant Workers Office (MWO). In fact, there is more than one MWO in the Kingdom, catering to Filipino workers located in different parts of the country.
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What is the Migrant Workers Office (MWO)?
The Migrant Workers Office (MWO) is the overseas operating arm of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). Notably, the DMW is an integration of several agencies that provided services to OFWs in the past: the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and many more. There are currently 39 MWOs in different countries around the world, including Saudi Arabia.
Vision and Mission
Based on the official website of MWO Riyadh, the vision and mission of the DMW — and correspondingly, the MWO — are as follows:
Vision. “The DMW is the exclusive home in government of our OFWs and their families that protects their rights, promotes their welfare, and unleashes their potential to fulfil their destiny as co-architects of national economic development.”
Mission. The DMW aims to achieve the following:
- “Commit to empower our migrant workers through digital transformation of our processes and ensuring sustained ease of doing business; and
- Manage a national reintegration program to enhance their skills, knowledge, and competence, and facilitate their safe and productive reintegration in their communities.”
Functions and Responsibilities
The MWO Riyadh website also presents the following functions and responsibilities (among others) of the agency:
- Verifying employment contracts and other employment-related documents;
- Monitoring and reporting to the Secretary of Migrant Workers on situations and policy developments in Saudi Arabia that may affect OFWs in particular and Philippine labor policies in general;
- Pursuing, in coordination with the Philippine Embassy or Consulate, discussions on labor and other issues and concerns with the foreign government and/or embassies concerned, and international organizations;
- Ensuring the promotion and protection of the welfare and interest of OFWs and assisting them in all problems arising out of employer-employee relationships including violation of work contracts, non-payment of wages and other benefits, illegal dismissal, and other violations of terms and conditions of their employment.
Programs and Services
The MWO provides different types of programs and services to companies, agencies, and OFWs in Saudi Arabia, including:
Verification of Job Orders
The MWO provides job order verification for companies that are hiring skilled Filipino workers. It also offers the same service for recruitment agencies that are hiring household service workers (HSWs) for local employers.
“Balik Manggagawa” Services
The MWO offers various services for “Balik Manggagawa” or returning workers. These include job contract verification for current OFWs (both HSWs and skilled workers) who are going on vacation and need their employment contracts verified. The office also facilitates OFWs’ membership renewal to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
OWWA Labor and Welfare Services
The MWO helps facilitate OWWA labor and welfare services, particularly for HSWs and skilled OFWs who are facing labor concerns. Services include labor and welfare case management such as legal assistance, temporary shelter, and more.
Assistance to Nationals (ATN)
The Assistance to Nationals (ATN) Unit of the MWO is responsible for providing help to OFWs who are facing administrative, civil, criminal cases, etc. For OFWs who have passed away abroad, it also offers shipment and burial services.
DMW e-Registration
The MWO assists OFWs in registering or retrieving their DMW e-Registration accounts. Formerly known as Balik Manggagawa (BM) Online, DMW e-Registration is a digital platform that allows OFWs to access their records online. It also enables them to acquire an Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) or exit clearance without having to go to the nearest DMW office in the Philippines.
Other Services
On a case to case basis, the MWO provides other welfare assistance services such as psycho-social counseling, worksite visitation, hospital visitation, jail visitation, repatriation assistance, and more.
For OFWs who are planning to return to the Philippines for good, the office also offers reintegration services, including: financial literacy training, skills training, entrepreneurial development training, business counseling, and other related services.
Video: MWO Riyadh Celebrates “Overseas Filipinos Month”
Last December 2024, MWO Riyadh participated in the celebration of the “Month of Overseas Filipinos,” as mandated by Presidential Proclamation No. 276, s. 1988. Featuring the theme, “We Give the World Our Best,” here is a video that commemorates the special event, as shared by MWO Riyadh Facebook page:
Contact Information: MWOs in Saudi Arabia
At present, there are three MWOs in Saudi Arabia, each with its own territorial jurisdiction: MWO Riyadh (Central Province and Central Region), MWO Eastern Region Operations (Eastern Region), and MWO Jeddah (Western Region). The contact details and location maps of each MWO are also presented below.
MWO Riyadh
Address: 3267 Makkah Al Mukarramah Branch Road, Al Mutamarat, Riyadh 127118103, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Telephone: +966 50 285 0944
Email: mwo_riyadh@dmw.gov.ph (Main) / ofwpass.mworiyadh@gmail.com (OFW Pass/eRegistration/Online OEC concerns)
Website: https://www.mworiyadh-govph.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Migrant-Workers-Office-Riyadh-KSA-100069337504462/
Google Map Location:
MWO – Eastern Region Operations
Telephone: +966 56 232 9926
Email: mwo_alkhobar@dmw.gov.ph / alkhobar@owwa.gov.ph (for OWWA concerns)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Migrant-Workers-Office-Eastern-Region-Operations-KSA-100069054581947/
MWO Jeddah
Address: Building No. 4663, Fajer Street, Al Rehab District 6, Jeddah 21412, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Telephone: +966 56 981 9720
Email: pjcc2022@yahoo.com (Main/Labor Concerns) / atn.mwojeddah@gmail.com (ATN) / jeddahmwo.vu@gmail.com (Verification) / owwa_jeddah@yahoo.com (BM)
Website: https://www.mwo-jeddah.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MWOJeddahOfficial/
Google Map Location:
Final Thoughts
Filipinos who are working in Saudi Arabia can rest assured that their rights and welfare are protected, thanks to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and its Migrant Workers Offices (MWOs) in the country. After all, the DMW is also dubbed as the “Tahanan ng Mga OFW” (Home of OFWs) abroad.
Of course, as workers and residents in the Kingdom, OFWs should be familiar with the country’s laws, policies, public services, and emergency hotlines. Visit this link to learn the emergency numbers and important hotlines in Saudi Arabia.