Returning overseas Filipino worker (OFW) teachers were lauded on Monday for their dedication and resilience as the Department of Education (DepEd), in partnership with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), reinforced pathways for their reintegration under the “Sa Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma’am/Sir” (SPIMS) program.
At the “Bayanihan Para sa Balikbayang Manggagawa: A National Reintegration Network (NRN) Fair” held at Quezon City Hall, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara highlighted the government’s commitment to ensuring that returning OFWs are supported not just in employment, but also in education and family stability.
“Dati inuuwi lang kayo pero you’re on your own. Bahala na kayo sa plano ninyo sa buhay. Pero ngayon hindi, hinahatid kayo sa probinsya, may job fair, may serbisyo agad at pumupunta sa mga paaralan. At kami sa DepEd naha-hire ang mga aplikante doon pa lang sa eskwelahan (Before, you were just brought home and left on your own. It’s up to you to plan your life. But now it’s different, you are taken to the provinces, there are job fairs, immediate services and visits to schools. And we at DepEd hire the applicants right there in schools),” he said.
During the event, Angara highlighted the streamlined reintegration process implemented especially for repatriated teachers.
He said the DepEd provides immediate employment pathways and educational support to OFW teachers fleeing the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
According to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the program’s comprehensive approach, which includes employment financial assistance to 8,047 teachers and online refresher courses for 521 others, has established SPIMS as the government’s most successful reintegration program for OFWs.
The DMW said since the SPIMS launch in 2014, the program has assisted over 11,000 licensed Filipino teachers in transitioning from overseas employment back into Philippine public school classrooms.
Teacher “Jennifer,” who spent 12 years in Qatar before returning to teach in Malabon, credited SPIMS for easing her transition.
“Through SPIMS, nag apply lang ako tapos pag-uwi ko ready na ‘yung item (that’s it, I only applied, and when I returned home, the item is ready),” she said.
Jennifer said she first inquired via the SPIMS Facebook page and later sent an email.
Three former OFWs were also honored for their inspiring journeys.
At a panel discussion, Bryll Borgoños, Veronica Dungog and Aylene Lara shared how they overcame challenges abroad and successfully returned to the country to teach.
Aylene Lara, who formerly taught in Thailand, described reintegration as a pathway to healing from family separation.
“I didn’t want to work abroad for a very long time because it’s not easy. First time ko nalayo sa pamilya pero kailangan kasi sa hirap ng buhay (It was my first time being away from my family, but it’s necessary because of the hardships of life). My father died while I was away, and that is a hurt I will always carry with me,” she said.
Lara now teaches at the Calero Integrated School in Liloan, Cebu and credits the SPIMS program as well as the DepEd Schools Division Office, her school principal and co-teachers for her smooth reintegration transition.
“Iyong simpleng pangarap ko na makapagsuot ng uniporme ng DepEd, na makapagturo sa mga kabataang Pilipino at makapagturo sa Pilipinas, natupad because of the SPIMS program. Isang karangalan at utang na loob ko po na natupad ang dream ko at gumanda ang buhay ng pamilya ko (My simple dream of wearing the DepEd uniform, teaching Filipino youth and teaching in the Philippines came true because of the SPIMS program. It is an honor and a debt of gratitude for me that my dream has come true and my family’s life has improved),” she said.
Dungog, displaced from the United Arab Emirates by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, also praised SPIMS for alleviating fears of unemployment.
She expressed gratitude to the government for allowing her to teach again in the country, specifically at the West Crame Elementary School in San Juan City.
“Salamat po sa DMW at sa DepEd sa ibinigay ninyong suporta, lalo na sa pangangailangang pinansyal at sa trabaho. Kahit noong panahon ng pandemya, hindi ninyo kami pinabayaan. Hanggang sa aking pagbalik sa bansa, patuloy pa rin ang suporta ng pamahalaan (Thank you to the DMW and DepEd for the support you have given, especially in terms of financial needs and employment. Even during the pandemic, you did not abandon us. Until my return to the country, the government’s support continues),” she said.
Meanwhile, DepEd also provided on-site services at the fair, including registration for Accreditation and Equivalency tests, the Philippine Educational Placement Test for OFW children, access to the Senior High School Voucher Program, 720 scholarship slots under the Teacher Education Scholarship Program, and review incentives for licensure exams.
The DepEd said that beyond providing employment, the SPIMS program addresses national teacher shortages and leverages the global exposure of returning OFWs, helping improve local teaching quality while allowing educators to stay close to their families.
“Ang tawag ko sa mga teachers ay doble, tripleng bayani kasi teacher sila at OFW pa sila (I call these teachers double, triple heroes, because they are teachers and also OFWs),” DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said. (PNA)