The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) formally inaugurated the OWWA Seafarers’ Welfare Center on Tuesday, marking a key milestone in the government’s sustained efforts to enhance support services for Filipino seafarers and their families.

The new facility expands the existing Seafarers’ Welfare Hub and reflects OWWA’s renewed commitment to delivering accessible, inclusive, and responsive services tailored to the unique needs of the maritime workforce. The center is designed to serve as a dedicated space for assistance, protection, and empowerment throughout a seafarer’s employment lifecycle.

OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne M. Caunan highlighted the agency’s focus on integrated programs and facilities that promote the well-being and long-term security of Filipino seafarers. She underscored that the center aims to bring essential services closer to those who work at sea and to their families onshore.

In his message of support, Hans Leo J. Cacdac, Secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers, emphasized the importance of comprehensive assistance from deployment and onboard employment to repatriation and reintegration.

Messages of solidarity were also conveyed on behalf of members of Congress, reinforcing legislative support for initiatives that uphold the rights and welfare of Filipino seafarers.

The establishment of the center is anchored on OWWA’s mandate and Republic Act No. 12021, or the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, which provides for dedicated mechanisms to protect and promote the welfare of maritime workers.

OWWA reiterated its commitment to ensuring that Filipino seafarers are supported, protected, and empowered at every stage of their journey. The agency announced that the official opening of the OWWA Seafarers’ Welfare Center to the public will be announced in the coming year.