Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who come home in distress can get immediate support at the airport. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said arriving workers may approach its Airport Arrival Assistance Desk at NAIA Terminals 1 and 3, located in the arrival area just after Customs.
The desk matters for workers who arrive with urgent needs and no clear plan. It gives them one trusted place to turn when they first step back on home soil.
Why Arriving OFWs May Need Support
Not every OFW lands in Manila ready to head straight home. Some have lost their jobs, fallen ill, or left behind a crisis overseas. Many arrive worn out, low on money, and unsure of what comes next.
For others, Manila is only one stop. Workers from the provinces may still face a long bus ride, a ferry trip, or another flight before they see their families. That last part of the journey can feel heavy without someone to guide them.
Assistance Available at the OWWA Arrival Desk
OWWA staff talk with each worker, assess the situation, and arrange the right help. Depending on the case, support may include:
- Food, so no one has to go hungry after a long flight
- Transport, to help workers move on to their next destination
- Temporary shelter, for those who need a safe place to rest before traveling further
- Medical assistance, for workers who are sick or injured
- Mental and psychosocial support, for those carrying stress or painful experiences from abroad
A worker may receive more than one kind of help if needed.
Thousands of Kababayan Already Helped
OWWA’s records show how often returning workers rely on this support. From January to August 2026, the agency provided 41,461 airport assistance services under its Emergency Repatriation Program. In the same period, it delivered 2,159 mental and psychosocial health services and 1,648 medical transport or medical assistance services.
These figures count services, not individual workers, since one OFW may receive several kinds of help.
Care That Continues After Landing
OWWA said its support does not stop once a plane touches down. The goal is to stay with distressed workers until they safely reach their loved ones.
“Whether in the arrival or departure area, OWWA is ready to serve,” said OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne “PY” Caunan.
For workers with a confirmed onward flight, the OFW Lounge in the departure area remains available. Those who have just landed and need help should go to the arrival desk.
Share the Word
Families and friends can help by passing this information along before a loved one flies home. A simple reminder to stop by the OWWA desk after Customs can make a hard homecoming a little easier and safer.