The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) rescued 55 aspiring overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from unsafe and substandard accommodation facilities in Imus, Cavite, during a raid conducted on June 6, 2026.
The operation was led by Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac following reports of poor and illegal living conditions allegedly imposed on OFW applicants by licensed recruitment agencies while awaiting deployment abroad.
During the inspection, authorities discovered that the accommodation facilities failed to meet basic health, safety, and welfare standards required for temporary housing of OFW applicants.
The rescued individuals were immediately provided welfare assistance and temporary shelter by the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). They are also set to receive legal assistance and other forms of support from the DMW’s Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB).
Secretary Cacdac ordered the filing of recruitment violation cases against the agencies responsible for housing the OFW applicants in substandard accommodations.
The raid forms part of the DMW’s intensified nationwide inspection campaign targeting accommodation facilities for prospective OFWs, aimed at protecting migrant workers and ensuring their safety and welfare before deployment overseas.
