Coming home for good: OWWA's reintegration help

Balik Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay

OWWA’s Citizen’s Charter 2026 describes Balik Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay (BPBH) as “a package of livelihood support/assistance intended to provide immediate relief to returning member-OFWs”. It is for members who were repatriated, displaced or in distress: the papers include proof of displacement.

Active members

PHP 20,000

Inactive, more than one contribution

PHP 10,000

Inactive, one contribution

PHP 5,000

The cash is “start-up or additional capital for the livelihood project”. It comes with entrepreneurship development training, and help such as marketing links and job referrals. You do not repay it.

What to bring, from the Charter:

1. your OWWA membership record,
2. the application form, with an undertaking that the money will be used only for your livelihood,
3. proof that you came home: passport or travel document, airline ticket or boarding pass,
4. proof of displacement: a termination letter, a referral or certification from the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) or the Philippine Embassy, a complaint or request for repatriation, and similar papers,
5. the certificate from the entrepreneurial development training, and
6. other supporting papers, such as a barangay certificate as proof of where you live.

Apply at the reintegration unit of an OWWA Regional Welfare Office. You attend the training session there as part of the process.

Training

OWWA’s entrepreneurship training comes before both the cash aid and the business loan. For the loan it is the Enhanced Enterprise Development Training (EEDT), and OWWA’s Regional Welfare Office certifies that you, or the person acting for you, completed it.

The business loan

The OFW Enterprise Development and Loan Program (OFW-EDLP), formerly the OFW Reintegration Program, is OWWA’s loan with LANDBANK. LANDBANK lends, with an OWWA guarantee. OWWA and LANDBANK publish these terms:

• “Loanable amount per borrower is Php100,000.00 up to a maximum of Php2M for individual loan borrowers and up to a maximum of Php5M for group loan.”
• “A 7.5% interest rate per annum is fixed for the duration of the loan.”
• Apply “within 3 years from the date of arrival to the Philippines”, after the training.
• For working capital or fixed assets, with a land title, condominium title or tax declaration, or “any loan security acceptable to the bank”, as security (LANDBANK).

Neither OWWA nor LANDBANK gives a repayment term. The papers and the other government loans are in our guide to OFW loans.

Help from DMW for returning workers

The Department of Migrant Workers runs its own livelihood grants through the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO) and its regional offices. Its Citizen’s Charter 2026 lists:

• Balik Pinay, Balik Hanapbuhay, for distressed or displaced women OFWs (a DMW programme, separate from OWWA’s Balik Pinas), and
• a livelihood development grant for returning undocumented OFWs.

The amounts differ between regional offices in the Charter: PHP 10,000 at some, and PHP 15,000 under the enhanced programme at others. You must apply within three years of arriving home. Ask the welfare and reintegration division of your DMW regional office which applies.

Coming home with a plan

These programmes help with the first months back. For the longer run:

• SSS. You can keep paying as a voluntary member, or as a self-employed member if you start a business, so your contributions keep counting towards your pension. See SSS for OFWs. See SSS for the self-employed.
• Pag-IBIG. Your membership and MP2 savings continue at home. See the Pag-IBIG guide.
• Retirement. How SSS, Pag-IBIG and your own savings fit together is in planning your retirement. The coming home guides cover the move itself.

OWWA’s other cash help is in OWWA benefits.

To check your status, see OWWA membership.