PRESS FEATURE
Education opens new possibilities for OFWs in Hong Kong
(June 12, 2025) This article was originally published in The Manila Times.
As the Philippines commemorates Migrant Workers Day and Independence Day, some overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong are choosing to celebrate in a meaningful new way by returning to school.
Emilio Baja, founder of Full Phil, says, “We often talk about independence in the context of our history, but for many OFWs, especially women, real independence also means having the chance to study again to grow, to choose, to lead. That’s also what we’re celebrating this June.”
Through the support of Full Phils, a youth-led nonprofit founded in 2023, almost 30 OFWs have enrolled in tertiary education via flexible, accredited online programs. Many of these learners are women who once put their studies on hold to work abroad.
Today, they are proving that learning is not only a form of personal liberation but a vital first step in preparing for life beyond overseas work, especially as government efforts shift toward full-cycle reintegration for OFWs.
Baja adds, “Independence Day reminds us that we are free to pursue the lives we strive for ourselves. For OFWs who once felt limited by their circumstances, education becomes a passport not just to better jobs, but to dignity, confidence and real choice.”
Building independence through education even abroad
Full Phils works with partner universities such as AMA University and Philippine Women’s University to offer degree programs suited to the unique schedules and needs of OFWs.
Additionally, in partnership with the University of the Philippines Open University, Full Phils is working to explore new academic pathways specifically for OFWs. These opportunities are made possible by a coalition of corporate donors, legal advisors and community supporters in both the Philippines and Hong Kong.
“This isn’t just about access to a college degree,” adds Baja. “It’s about showing OFWs, especially those who’ve always been told their job defines them, that they’re more than that. They have every right to invest in themselves.”
Many of the OFWs Full Phils serve left the country without a college degree — some, without completing high school — driven by the need to support their families. Education gives them something they’ve often been denied: the ability to shape their own trajectory, not just survive within someone else’s.
Beyond career advancement, the program aims to foster self-worth and lifelong learning. As Baja puts it, when OFWs are given tools to succeed, they begin to see themselves differently, not just as workers abroad but as individuals with the potential to drive change in their communities and beyond.