THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reported that nearly 1,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) imprisoned in the Middle East have been visited in prison and detention facilities in 2025.
The report came after Vice President Sara Duterte earlier claimed that detained OFWs were not being visited. DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in a social media post that the visits were part of the agency’s assistance to Filipinos abroad.
"We do conduct prison or detention center visits," said Cacdac.
"In the Middle East alone, as of July 2025, we have visited 885 of the 1,215 incarcerated OFWs," he added.
The DMW chief said he has conducted prison visits when given the opportunity.
"I join our teams visiting our jailed OFWs when I visit our Posts abroad," said Cacdac.
Duterte earlier questioned why jailed OFWs have not been subjected to welfare checks from the Philippine government.
This was after Duterte claimed that personnel of the Philippine Embassy in The Hague conducted a "welfare check" of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained by the International Criminal Court. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)