Philippines to open new airport lounge at Clark to support overseas Filipino workers

Dubai: Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) departing from Clark International Airport in Pampanga, Philippines will soon have a dedicated space where they can rest, grab a meal, and seek assistance before boarding their flights.

The new OFW Lounge at Clark International Airport's Terminal 2 has been scheduled to open on September 16, following the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Philippine Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and Luzon International Premiere Airport Development (LIPAD) Corporation.

The ceremonial signing on July 21 has been spearheaded by OWWA administrator Patricia Caunan and LIPAD president and CEO Noel Manankil and they have outlined how the two organisations will jointly operate the facility.

Under the agreement, OWWA will manage the OFW Lounge, while LIPAD will provide the space and operational support needed to ensure the facility operates smoothly, safely, and without interruption. 

The partnership has been aimed at improving the pre-departure experience for thousands of Filipino workers who leave the country through Clark International Airport.

For many OFWs, reaching the airport is only the beginning of a longer trip. Recognising this, Caunan has noted that the lounge is intended to give departing workers a comfortable place to pause before they begin their journey overseas.

“We know that many of our OFWs travel for several hours before arriving at the airport. When they arrive in Clark, we want them to have a place to sit, rest, eat, and ask for help if needed,” said Caunan in Filipino.

She added, “This will not reduce the sacrifice of moving away from the family, but it will show that before they fly, there is a government that cares and is prepared for them.”

According to Caunan, the Clark OFW Lounge is part of the Philippine government's continuing efforts to establish similar facilities at major international airports across the country.

She has bared that the project supports President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to provide OFWs with safe, comfortable, and accessible spaces before they leave the Philippines for work abroad.

Meanwhile, the Clark facility will become OWWA's fourth OFW Lounge at a major international airport. The agency already operates similar lounges at Ninoy Aquino International Airport's Terminals 1 and 3 in Manila, as well as at Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

With Clark joining the network, more overseas workers from Central and Northern Luzon have been expected to have easier access to pre-departure support closer to home.