Legazpi City, April 13, 2026 – As part of the office’s commitment to support the national government’s program for repatriated Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and affected migrant workers in the Middle East, the Department of Education (DepEd) Bicol, in partnership with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Bicol, has officially launched the Balikbayang Manggagawa: A National Reintegration Network Regional Fair at the DepEd Regional Office.
The regional fair, which aims to provide services and assistance to migrant workers, will run from April 13–16, 2026 with DepEd Bicol serving as the lead host.
DepEd Bicol Director Gilbert Sadsad explained that the regional fair is designed to extend support and offer programs to returning OFWs through the following programs: Sa ‘Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma’am at Sir (SPIMS), the Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Test, the Philippine Education Placement Test, the Senior High School Voucher Program, and the Teacher Education Scholarship Program. These programs aim to help OFWs and their families rebuild and reintegrate into local communities.
As part of the fair, a booth has been set up at the regional office to accommodate inquiries and applications for various programs. The booth also displays information materials to guide stakeholders about available services.
Prior to the opening, Assistant Regional Director Bebiano Sentillas and other key DepEd Bicol officials met with DMW regional officials to finalize plans for the event.
A regional kick-off program will be held on April 15, 2026, at the NEAP Hall, with around 50 OFWs, DMW officials, partner agencies and SPIMS beneficiaries expected to attend. The program will feature testimonies from participants and presentations of reintegration initiatives by DepEd and DMW that include the SPIMS and other support services.
At the national level, Education Secretary Eduardo “Sonny” Angara expressed his gratitude to the regional offices of DepEd for their commitment to ensuring the agency’s active support in this initiative.
Source: DepEd Bicol