Returning OFWs get permanent teaching posts, local applicants waiting for years ask DepEd: “Where’s Our Chance?”

Tabuk City, Kalinga – A government program offering permanent teaching positions to returning overseas Filipino worker (OFW) teachers has sparked mixed reactions online, with some Philippine-based applicants questioning why special teaching items are being allocated to former migrant educators while many local teachers continue to wait for permanent appointments.

The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) are implementing the “Sa Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma’am at Sir” (SPIMS) program, which aims to help licensed Filipino teachers working abroad return to the country and secure permanent teaching positions in public schools.

The program is open to Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)-licensed teachers who have worked overseas and returned to the Philippines within the last three years.

Under SPIMS, qualified beneficiaries may receive a one-time cash grant of P20,000, a P10,000 cash allowance at the opening of classes, medical assistance, and other benefits.

The initiative seeks to encourage returning OFW teachers to continue their teaching careers in the Philippines while helping strengthen the country's education sector.

According to DepEd-CAR Human Resource Division Education Program Specialist Arnel Billy G. Lim, as cited by the Philippine Information Agency-CAR, applicants are initially screened by the DMW before being endorsed to DepEd for placement.

Unlike applicants under the regular hiring process, SPIMS applicants are not required to meet the standard Registry of Qualified Applicants (RQA) cutoff score, provided they comply with all documentary and eligibility requirements.

The program, however, has drawn criticism from some locally based teacher-applicants who have spent years waiting for permanent teaching positions through the regular recruitment system.

Several online commenters questioned why returning OFW teachers are being given dedicated teaching items while many licensed teachers in the country remain unemployed or are still waiting to be hired.

“Please prioritize current local applicants. They've been waiting in line for openings for so long. Even fresh graduates should be given opportunities as soon as possible so they won't be forced to seek jobs elsewhere or abroad. Good for teacher-OFWs because they are already employed—just saying,” one commenter wrote.

Another commenter, who identified as an OFW teacher, shared a similar sentiment.

“You should prioritize teachers in the Philippines first and foremost. I left the Philippines 25 years ago to teach abroad and never looked back. It was the best decision I ever made for my teaching career,” the commenter said.

In response to the concerns, officials clarified that SPIMS teaching items are separate from the regular pool of teaching positions and do not reduce the number of opportunities available to local applicants.

The program forms part of the government's broader reintegration efforts for returning migrant workers while also helping address teacher shortages in public schools.

For 2026, the Cordillera Administrative Region has been allotted 104 SPIMS teaching items, up from 97 positions in 2025.

DepEd data further showed that, as of April 2026, the program had assisted 11,056 returning OFW teachers nationwide. Of these, 8,047 beneficiaries received financial assistance, while 521 teachers completed refresher training under the initiative.