April 15, 2026
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has urged local government units (LGUs) to accelerate the establishment of Migrant Advisory and Information Network (MAIN) and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) desks to better protect jobseekers from illegal recruiters.
The push supports the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for LGUs to assist families affected by sudden job losses linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, including the provision of financial aid and livelihood support.
In a news release on Wednesday, the DILG said repatriated OFWs intending to work abroad again may seek assistance from their local MAIN desks in identifying suspicious recruiters, reporting illegal job offers and preventing potential trafficking attempts.
MAIN desks were initially created to localize the implementation of Republic Act 9208 or the “Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.” These serve as frontline units for handling trafficking-related cases, conducting public awareness campaigns and documenting recruitment schemes targeting local communities.
Through these mechanisms, the DILG said LGUs can strengthen protection for OFWs by coordinating with Public Employment Service Offices to detect illegal recruiters, as well as with local social welfare offices to provide recovery and rehabilitation services for trafficking victim-survivors and their families.
DILG data show that 645 out of 1,724 LGUs nationwide have already established MAIN and OFW desks. Compliance rates are highest among provincial governments at 64.63 percent, followed by cities at 56.76 percent and municipalities at 34.19 percent.
The DILG also highlighted its memorandum of agreement with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to expand OFW help desks nationwide and strengthen the Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons campaign at the local level. (Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)