‘Jobs, training, livelihood await iKalingas at Aug. 26 opportunities fair’ - Department of Migrant Workers-Cordillera

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), returning and former migrant workers, their families, aspiring OFWs, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) graduates, job seekers, and the general public will have access to employment, training, livelihood, and government services during the World Café of Opportunities (WCO) and National Reintegration Network (NRN) Fair on August 26 at the Kalinga Sports Center.

Organized by the Department of Migrant Workers-Cordillera (DMW-CAR) in partnership with the Provincial Government of Kalinga, TESDA, and several national government agencies, the one-stop event aims to connect participants with career, reintegration, and entrepreneurial opportunities.

One-stop venue for opportunities

Speaking during the Kapehan sa Kapitolyo on August 3, DMW-CAR Senior Labor and Employment Officer Rexton Falag-ey said the activity forms part of the agency's reintegration program for OFWs, particularly returning migrant workers seeking employment or livelihood opportunities in the Philippines.

The event will feature local and overseas job fairs, skills training and upskilling programs, livelihood and entrepreneurship assistance, financial literacy sessions, benefits orientation, psychosocial counseling, documentation services, and legal assistance.

One of the highlights is DMW's partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd), under which licensed teachers returning from overseas employment may be referred for teaching positions in local schools.

"Sa DepEd—ito kasi ang isa sa pinakamalaking collaborating projects namin sa Pilipinas. Ang mga licensed teachers na galing abroad at bumalik sa Pilipinas ay ire-refer natin sa DepEd for possible teaching positions," Falag-ey said.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will provide internet connectivity throughout the event, while partner agencies—including the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)-Kalinga Chapter, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and other government offices—will deliver frontline services to participants.

To further strengthen support for migrant workers, DMW will also sign a Memorandum of Agreement with the IBP-Kalinga Chapter to provide legal assistance to OFWs and their families on employment, contract, and other legal concerns.

Falag-ey added that the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) will participate to ensure the inclusion and representation of indigenous migrant workers and to integrate indigenous cultural practices into the event.

The fair will also feature a trade fair and market encounter, where returning OFWs, local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and young entrepreneurs invited by the DTI will showcase their products through the KADIWA program. Handcrafted products made by Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) under the BJMP's livelihood program will also be displayed.

With national government agencies and development partners converging in one venue, the World Café of Opportunities and NRN Fair is expected to expand employment prospects, strengthen reintegration services, and create more opportunities for skills development, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihoods for iKalingas.