The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reported over 10,000 government transactions delivered during the Serbisyo (Service) Caravan for Filipino workers in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, marking the largest turnout so far in the program’s international rollout.

The DMW said 10,765 transactions were completed for over 4,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at the Bagong Bayani ng Mundo-OFW Serbisyo Caravan held at the Dubai World Trade Center on Sunday.

“Napakalaki po ng naging turnout dito sa Dubai. Pinakamalaki sa lahat ng ating Serbisyo Caravan sa iba’t ibang bansa tulad ng Hong Kong, Japan, Qatar at Riyadh (The turnout here in Dubai was huge, the largest of all our Serbisyo Caravans in various countries such as Hong Kong, Japan, Qatar and Riyadh),” DMW Undersecretary Jainal Rasul Jr. said, as quoted in a news release late Monday.

“Ito po ay malinaw na patunay ng pangangailangan ng ating mga OFWs para sa direktang serbisyo ng gobyerno (This is clear proof of the need of our OFWs for direct government services),” he added.

The Serbisyo Caravan is part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to bring government services closer to the people, including OFWs, under the administration’s One Country Team Approach, a whole-of-government strategy for overseas Filipinos.

Among the government services availed of were the issuance of Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) E-cards, National IDs, and civil registry documents such as birth, marriage, death certificates, and Certificates of No Marriage Record.

The high volume of clients and high demand for services prompted OWWA and the Philippine Statistics Authority/Philippine Identification System to extend their services and continue processing of registrations at the Migrant Workers Office in Dubai until Tuesday.

Other services offered were business and financial literacy programs, franchising opportunities, psychosocial counseling, and legal assistance.

Philippine Ambassador Alfonso Ver, meanwhile, expressed gratitude to the UAE for its inclusivity toward Filipino workers, while reiterating the Philippine government’s commitment to look after the welfare and protection of the rights of the OFWs.

“Lubos po kaming nagpapasalamat sa bansang ito sa pagiging bukas at mapagbigay. Dito, nabibigyan ang bawat Pilipino ng pagkakataong magtagumpay at maabot ang kanilang mga pangarap. Kaya naman minarapat ng inyong pamahalaan, sa pangunguna ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., na ilapit sa inyo ang mga serbisyo ng gobyerno at ipadama ang pagkalinga at pagmamahal ng Inang Bayan (We are deeply grateful to this country for being open and generous. Here, every Filipino is given the opportunity to succeed and achieve their dreams. That is why your government, led by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., has taken upon itself to bring government services closer to you and make you feel the care and love of our motherland),” he said.

The DMW said more rounds of caravans are being planned for Filipino communities in the UAE and other countries in response to the growing demand for government services. (PNA)