18/10/2025
NEWS RELEASE
Department of Migrant Workers
15 October 2025
ICYMI: DMW Opens PhilippinesโCroatia Friendship Week, Launches G2G Pilot Hiring Program
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) launched the PhilippinesโCroatia Friendship Week with optimism as it enhanced labor relations between the two nations through the Government-to-Government (G2G) pilot hiring program.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac led the ceremony at the DMW Lobby in Mandaluyong City, along with His Excellency Gordan Grliฤ Radman, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, Mr. Ivan Vidiลก, State Secretary at the Croatian Ministry of Labor, Pension System, Family, and Social Policy, and Ambassador Evangelina Lourdes Arroyo-Bernas, Philippine envoy to Croatia.
Secretary Cacdac said the G2G pilot hiring program generated 435 job opportunities for Filipino workers in Croatiaโs hospitality sector. The initiative followed the Memorandum of Cooperation ratified by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in January 2025.
โThe President has directed us to open safe, ethical, and dignified employment opportunities for Filipinos abroad,โ Secretary Cacdac said. โOur partnership with Croatia brings that vision to life.โ
He mentioned that approximately 12,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are now located in Croatia, Slovenia, and Slovakia, with many of them excelling in the hospitality, construction, and service sectors. He also expressed gratitude to the Croatian government for its trust in Filipino workers and its dedication to fair and transparent hiring practices.
โTo our OFWs, both here and in Croatia, you are the heart of this mission,โ he said. โThis Friendship Week celebrates your dedication and contribution to our country.โ
The DMW reaffirmed its commitment to deepen cooperation with Croatia and other partner countries, promote ethical recruitment, and strengthen mutual respect and friendship among peoples.
