P1.4 billion OWWA land deal being probed

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May 19, 2025 | 6:13pm

MANILA, Philippines — The government is investigating a P1.4 billion land acquisition deal allegedly made by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), according to Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac. 

In an interview on the Philippine News Agency, Cacdac said that they are investigating the land acquisition, which was made under the former OWWA chief Arnell Ignacio, who was appointed by former president Rodrigo Duterte. 

The property was intended as a halfway house for overseas Filipino workers returning from abroad during emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Cacdac said the OWWA board of trustees did not approve the project.

Malacañang has also commented on the matter. 

“Sa ngayon po ay under investigation pa po ang lahat at kung mayroon pa pong ibang mga opisyal na involved dito ay magkakaroon po ng action kung sila man ay tatanggalin, sususpendihin,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said. 

(For now, all of this is under investigation and if there is an official involved in this, there will be action on this and they may be removed or suspended.) 

Castro said that initial results from the infestation show that the OWWA trust fund is unaffected. The OWWA Fund is a private fund held by the administration and cannot be accrued by the national government. 

Ignacio was recently replaced by Patricia Yvonne Caunan, who was previously an undersecretary. 

Cacdac, however, made it clear that Ignacio was removed from office, not replaced. The DMW is currently studying possible cases that could be filed.