By Lane Afable
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) in partnership with Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), soft launched the” Lawyer of the Day Initiative” (LODI) offering free legal assistance to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
This free legal assistance will include trafficked and vulnerable migrant workers—and their families.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said, LODI is designed as a legal aid help desk system supported by volunteer lawyers, intended to bring legal guidance closer to OFWs and their families—especially those facing trafficking, abuse, labor violations, or other legal challenges.
The program is an operationalization of IBP–DMW Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed on July 30, 2025, which set a broader framework for OFW protection initiatives including free legal assistance, legal representation, and support services for OFWs, including trafficking victims,” he said.
Under the MOA, the IBP committed to deploying volunteer lawyers through LODI and supporting legal aid desks and assistance mechanisms for OFWs.
The LODI Desk is located at the 4th floor of the Blas F. Ople Building, DMW Central Office, in Mandaluyong City, making walk-in legal support more accessible for migrant workers and their loved ones.
