First OFW lounge in Visayas opens at Mactan-Cebu airport

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) departing from or arriving in Cebu and other parts of the Visayas can now access dedicated airport services with the opening of the first OFW Lounge in the region at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA).

The facility is the third international OFW Lounge established by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), following similar lounges at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminals 1 and 3.

The lounge was opened through a partnership among OWWA, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), and Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu Airport Corporation.

Designed to accommodate up to 80 people, the lounge offers free food and drinks, rest areas, Wi-Fi access, charging stations, and assistance desks for OFW-related concerns.

It also houses OWWA frontline services, including membership registration and renewal, OWWA E-Card issuance, and other welfare and social protection services.

The opening of the lounge coincided with the launch of a partnership between OWWA and SSP Mactan Cebu that grants exclusive dining and retail discounts to OWWA E-Card holders at participating establishments inside the airport.

Among the participating outlets are Burger King, Ritazza, Asian Kitchen, Nippon Ramen, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, BonChon, and Cabin Kitchen + Bar.

A Department of Migrant Workers OFW Facilitation Center was likewise opened at the airport to assist migrant workers with Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) concerns and other travel-related documents.

OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne “PY” Caunan said the facility aims to bring government services closer to migrant workers.

“We believe our OFWs deserve a lounge of their own in one of the country’s finest international airports here in Cebu. It is a simple but meaningful way of honoring their sacrifices and recognizing their invaluable contributions to our nation,” Caunan said.

She added that the lounge would help ensure migrant workers receive “the care, protection, and support they deserve at every stage of their migration journey.”

According to OWWA, the opening of the MCIA facility forms part of the government’s plan to expand airport lounges and strengthen social protection services for overseas Filipino workers.

LOOK: Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) traveling through the Mactan-Cebu International Airport can now access the first OFW Lounge in the Visayas, offering free food and drinks, Wi-Fi, charging stations, resting areas, and frontline OWWA services. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/84MI3YcIPC

— Sherylin Untalan (@untalansherylin) June 26, 2026

— LA, GMA News