Philippines: Department of Migrant Workers' suffers cyber attack; online OFW services put on hold

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The Department of Migrant Workers' (DMW) online systems are temporarily unavailable following a ransomware attack, said the agency on Tuesday.

The agency has assured that no overseas Filipino worker (OFW) databases were affected. However, the DMW decided to take pre-emptive steps to protect information by putting their systems offline.

'While efforts to restore online systems are ongoing, electronic or online systems that issue OECs (overseas employment certificate)/OFW Passes and OFW information sheets and other online services may not be used temporarily,' the DMW said in a Facebook post.

The DMW said that it is working with the Department of Information and Communications Technology to restore online systems. The migrant agency is also working with the Bureau of Immigration to facilitate the departure of OFWs.

For migrant workers who wish to secure an OFW or OEC pass, they will undergo manual processing at the DMW National Office, Regional Offices and extensions, One-stop Shops, and Migrant Workers Assistance Centers.

Meanwhile, OFWs who need information sheets could request for the form from infosheet@dmw.gov.ph. The DMW will then send a QR-coded information sheet to the requesting OFW. OFWs could also make their request by messaging the DMW's Facebook.

'The DMW apologizes for inconveniences to the OFWs and members of their families and is exerting all efforts to continue serving OFWs while instituting stronger measures to protect their information,' the DMW said.

A ransomware is a type of malicious software that blocks access to files until a substantial sum of money is paid to hackers.

The DMW is only one of the many government websites hacked. In 2023, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. suffered a Medusa ransomware attack, wherein hackers tried to extort $300,000-a fee that the government refused to pay.