OWWA Administrator Arnel Ignacio at the ‘Alagang OWWA: Seafarers Hub’ located along Mabini Street, Barangay 670, Ermita, Manila, during its launching on July 11, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — More lounges for Overseas Filipino Workers will open in other international airports, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration said on Tuesday.

OFW Lounges are expected to be launched within the year, according to OWWA Administrator Arnel Ignacio, following the opening of lounges in NAIA Terminals 1 and 3.

READ: OFW Lounge at NAIA Terminal 1 now open

Ignacio said the existing OFW lounges have proven to be useful for OFWs during the onslaught of Typhoon Carina when flights were canceled due to bad weather.

"During the flooding, ang daming cancelled flights pero wala kayong narinig na OFW na may adverse complains dahil nasa lounges sila and they were provided with more than enough food," Ignacio said.

OFW lounges in NAIA Terminal 2 and in other international airports are in the pipeline, according to Ignacio.

Around 850 to 1,000 OFWs are being served in OFW lounges daily based on data from OWWA.

The agency looks to further improve its services to Filipino migrant workers after being awarded ISO 9001:2015 Certification in recognition of its adherence to International Standards of Quality Management.

Recognized by the Certification International Philippines, Inc. are OWWA’s core processes of repatriation and post-repatriation, death and burial benefit, Arabic language and training for household service workers, education for development scholarship program, and 12 support processes of the agency.

Ignacio said their office is working on faster and efficient delivery of services for OFWs.

“Ang dapat mabilis itong i-deliver. Dapat lahat ng documentation, management, we must remember that repatriation involves international action and coordination and proper funding and all nitty-gritty and technicalities on how to deliver repatriation properly,” Ignacio said.