50 Public Services Delivered to Thousands of UAE Filipinos in Dubai
The Millennium Plaza Downtown Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road hosted thousands of UAE-based Filipinos on November 7 as the Philippine government opened the fourth leg of the “Bagong Bayani ng Mundo: OFW Serbisyo Caravan.” The single-day gathering pushed total turnout for the Dubai caravan series to nearly 20,000 overseas workers, bringing direct access to crucial paperwork, civil records, and legal counseling under one roof.
Services Move to Al Twar 2 and Philippine Consulate on November 8
For residents who missed the main session on Saturday, operations shift on November 8 to two satellite locations: Al Hudaiba School in Al Twar 2 and the Philippine Consulate General. Twelve government entities, including the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Social Security System (SSS), Pag-IBIG Fund, and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), are offering more than 50 individual services. A team of 128 personnel across 16 offices, supported by 50 volunteers from the Filipino Social Club (Filsoc), managed queue registration, credential renewals, and document verification.
The mobile setup allows workers to clear administrative backlogs without navigating separate visits across municipal offices. Beyond standard renewals, the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) joined the Dubai lineup for the first time to handle unresolved or delayed government transactions directly on site. ARTA Deputy Director General for Operations Lea Grace Salcedo confirmed the agency’s focus is ensuring participating bodies process permits, applications, and public records within mandatory response windows.
The event also introduced practical updates to operational platforms. The DMW finalized an agreement with its UAE IT partner, DataFlow Group, to update the Digital Employment Assistance Platform (DEAP). DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac stated the agreement streamlines accreditation for UAE-based companies seeking to hire Filipino staff, removing processing delays for local employers. OWWA also highlighted expanded features for its e-card system, including integrated benefit services and merchant discounts.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac confirmed that a fifth Dubai edition of the service caravan is currently being scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.
