MANILA — House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs Chairperson and AGIMAT Party-list Rep. Bryan Revilla called on Philippine consular offices worldwide to provide services to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) even during weekends and holidays.

Revilla proposed that embassies and consulates, particularly in countries with large OFW populations, explore seven-day operations or adopt rotational day-off schedules to ensure better access to services.

The lawmaker made the call during the organizational meeting of the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs, which included briefings from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and Maritime Industry Authority.

“Most of the OFWs, especially in the Middle East, have only one day off—often falling on weekends or holidays. If the embassy or consulate is closed, they have no opportunity to seek services,” Revilla said.

He noted that many overseas workers operate under “no work, no pay” arrangements, losing income when taking time off to process documents or seek assistance. Revilla said his proposed schedule would help reduce long queues and provide timely access to essential services, including passport renewals, notarial services, and emergency assistance.

While praising the DFA and DMW for expanding digital services, Revilla emphasized the importance of physical and on-site accessibility for urgent transactions. He said he would coordinate with relevant agencies to review current practices and propose legislation to ensure more accessible and responsive consular services for Filipinos abroad.