CSWDO formally opens Davao City’s OFW Crisis Center

The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) has formally opened Davao City’s OFW Crisis Center to serve as the central referral hub for concerns of migrant workers. It has also launched the Center’s hotline number, mobile and telephone numbers, and official website.

In an interview during Serbisyo Dabawenyo on Davao City Disaster Radio, Lawyer Marlisa Gallo, the Head of the CSWDO, said that the center was launched during the flag-raising ceremony of their office on Monday.

The establishment of the center is the offshoot of the City Ordinance No. 0411-20 Series of 2020 which institutionalized the creation of a center that will focus on the protection of rights, interests, welfare, and development of the families of the Dabawenyos who left abroad for work.

Even without the Center yet, Gallo said that her office has already received messages from seven clients – three OFWs and four families of OFWs.

“Ang client gyud nga atoang na monitor kay kadtong nianhi na gyud sa atoang opisina og nakig-istorya na sa atoang socal workers. Gitutukan na sa atoang social workers kay ni-contact gyud sa atoang opisina (The clients that we monitored are those who came to our office and talked with the social workers. Last week we already had seven. They are prioritized by our social workers because they really contacted our office),” Gallo said.

Gallo said the main function of the Center is coordinating with various offices, monitoring, and providing direct services to families. It has five personnel to take care of its operations.

The direct services include financial assistance, livelihood assistance, rescue, and psychosocial intervention depending on the assessed needs of the concerned families.

Gallo said that the center is currently in the stage of profiling OFWs based on the records obtained from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Her office also plans to discuss with other agencies catering to OFWs to avoid duplicity of pre-existing modes of assistance.

“Hopeful na makalingkod ta og usab kauban ang atoang mga partners para ihan-ay ang serbisyo sa atoang opisina (We are hopeful that we can sit with our partners to lay down properly the services of our office),” she said.

Those who want to raise their concerns may reach OFW Crisis Center thru 0999 994 3577, or thru their landline number (082) 225 6214, email ofwcenter.davaocity@gmail.com, or message their official Facebook Page: OFW Families’ Welfare and Crisis Center Davao City. CIO