The launch of the Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Airport Lounge at the Davao International Airport has underscored a broader push by the national government to upgrade regional gateways, signaling yet another step in modernizing Mindanao’s key transport hubs while bringing frontline services closer to the people. Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Leo Tereso Magno welcomed the initiative of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), saying it reflects a shift toward people-centered development that goes beyond traditional infrastructure projects. “Hindi lamang imprastraktura, hindi lamang edukasyon at agrikultura ang dapat pag-usapan. Dapat pag-usapan ang tao, lalo na ang ating mga OFWs,” Magno said during the lounge’s inauguration at the airport on Monday, December 23, 2025. The facility is expected to benefit more than 300,000 Mindanaoan overseas Filipino workers, many of whom continue to play a critical role in sustaining their families and local economies through remittances and overseas employment. The Davao OFW Airport Lounge forms part of the Marcos administration’s broader agenda to strengthen frontline government services and decentralize support mechanisms traditionally concentrated in Metro Manila. Officials also highlighted the emotional toll experienced by migrant workers, particularly during departure and arrival. The newly opened lounge seeks to ease this burden by providing a comfortable, dedicated space for OFWs within the airport. Designed to mirror the amenities of a business-class lounge, the facility offers comfortable seating, free food and coffee, real-time flight announcements, and access to government assistance desks. DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the project embodies the President’s directive to bring government services closer to migrant workers nationwide. “Ang pahiwatig ng ating Pangulo ay ilabas ang ating serbisyo sa labas ng Metro Manila,” he said. Cacdac stressed that even simple interventions can have a meaningful impact on the OFW experience. Calling the lounge a tribute to migrant workers, Cacdac added, “Ito ang aming parangal sa inyo. Dito pa lang sa pag-alis, tinatrato na namin kayo bilang very important persons.” The opening comes at a symbolic time, coinciding with the Christmas season when many OFWs either return home or prepare to leave after spending the holidays with their families. The lounge is the first OFW Airport Lounge established outside Luzon, marking a milestone in the regional expansion of OFW-focused facilities. The DMW, Cacdac said, is already studying the establishment of similar lounges in Cebu and other cities with international flight routes. The launch also comes as the Davao International Airport is preparing for a major transformation under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement, part of the government’s wider airport modernization program. Under the PPP framework, the private concessionaire is responsible for the rehabilitation, expansion, operation, and maintenance of the airport, while ownership of the facility remains with the government. The project aims to modernize terminal facilities, enhance airside and landside infrastructure, and increase the airport’s ability to handle growing passenger traffic in Mindanao.
