Not all overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who went abroad went home with goals of a better quality of life fulfilled.

Realizing the fact that some returning OFWs and their families need livelihood assistance, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) through its National Reintegration Center for overseas Filipino workers (NRCO) launched a series of OFW reintegration caravans that will be held in different cities all over the country.

The reintegration caravan aims to increase the people’s awareness about the various reintegration services available to them and to make it more accessible to OFWs and their families. The caravan started last Friday, November 23 in Baguio City. Caravans in Manila, Davao City, and Iloilo City would follow in December.

Some of the program services are the following: business loans, skills training, legal assistance, learning sessions on financial management, savings mobilization schemes, and job facilitation services for local or overseas employment.

According to the DOLE secretary, Arturo Brion, "The caravans would be an opportunity for OFWs and their families to find productive means where they can invest their earnings and subsequently mitigate the impact of the strong peso on remittances."

The NCRO was formed, early 2007 as a response to the findings that there is a huge gap between overseas employment and the attainment of development goals. Brion cited the report that a large portion of OFWs' income went for daily expenses while only a small percentage is set aside for savings, investments or business ventures.

The NCRO is also a "One Stop Center" providing various reintegration services for OFWs and their families. It is also a "Service Networking Hub" that facilitates the delivery of services by cooperating stakeholders and service providers to OFWs and their families.

For more infpmation, please visit

For more infpmation, please visit www.dole.gov.ph