04 July 2017, Dubai, U.A.E. Philippine Consul General to Dubai Paul Raymund P. Cortes, officials from POLO-OWWA Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and the Filipino Community leaders of Dubai and the Northern Emirates warmly welcomed Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Ciriaco A. Lagunzad and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac at a Town Hall meeting held yesterday, 3 July 2017 at the Rizal Hall of the Philippine Consulate General.

Usec Lagunzad informed the community of DOLE's new project – the OFW ID, which replaces the Overseas Employment Certificate or OEC, which they can present to the Immigration and other government agencies as proof of being an OFW for ease of transactions.

OWWA Administrator Cacdac, on the other hand, highlighted its mandate to bring OWWA closer to OFWs by providing a One-Stop-Shop Center, which would cater different government services available in one location; thereby establishing a stronger relationship with DFA in terms of monitoring and mapping Overseas Filipinos. He also explained about projects for the repatriated OFWs including proactive assistance OFWs in crisis (e.g. with relatives in Marawi City); developing micro-lending programs in partnership with Land Bank; the OWWA mobile app for access in OFWs’ contribution; deployment of additional Welfare officers abroad; and burial assistance for the family of the deceased OFWs.

Some 80 community leaders attended the event. The Consulate General holds monthly Town Hall meetings to further engage the community and encourage them for greater stakeholder participation in the Consulate's various priorities. END