OA Admin Arnel Ignacio, a Respected Ally of OFWs, Removed from Post Amid Controversy

One of the most admired public servants and considered an “idol” by many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) is OA Admin Arnel Ignacio. According to many OFWs, he was approachable and quick to respond when they had grievances or problems they couldn’t resolve on their own. Arnel Ignacio proved this time and again by showing his commitment to public service. Whenever an OFW reached out to him or called, he acted immediately.

He once said:
“If I hadn’t caught you, you would’ve just let this go. These people are so gullible. You even made them wear matching outfits while sitting outside looking like fools. Is that how you treat people? You’ve already earned from this. You agencies are disgraceful.”

Many were witness to Arnel Ignacio’s integrity and excellence while abroad, where he quickly responded to OFWs in distress. He did everything in his power to help them, including repatriation when needed. He also ensured agencies that violated laws or OA rules were dealt with swiftly. He was known to resolve issues before they could escalate.

“Who was the irresponsible person who brought this here?” he once demanded. “Just answer me this before I hang up. These workers were sent from Manila and you can’t even manage them. Now you’re sending them to Saudi Arabia? What’s your explanation? Don’t ‘rest assured’ me—I won’t be fooled. You gave them that number. So now it’s their fault? Out of coverage, out of coverage—always with the excuses. But when you found out I was involved, you panicked and started flooding them with calls and giving them PH5. Aren’t you ashamed of yourselves? You are the problem.”

He continued:
“There’s nothing wrong with these workers. They’re just following your orders. You are the irresponsible ones. Stop saying ‘I’m already there’—you weren’t even ahead of me. It’s been 30 minutes. First of all, remember—you are sending people, not products. These are human beings.”

One admirable thing about Arnel Ignacio is that he didn’t delay in taking action. He addressed problems right away.

“Put them in a hotel. If I pay for this hotel, believe me, we can afford to do it. So move fast. Because the moment we handle this ourselves, you’re done for. Do your job properly. How long has your agency been operating? A long time? And yet you still can’t manage something this basic. Useless. I’ll wait for an explanation, but I’m telling you now—if none comes, you’ll be in big trouble. I do what I say.”

However, in an unexpected turn of events, it shocked many when OA Admin Arnel Ignacio was reportedly dismissed from his position.

Arnel Ignacio was removed from his post as Administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). The big question among OFWs and the public is: Why would someone as competent, dedicated, and effective as Arnel Ignacio be removed from office?

According to reports, the reason for his removal was an unauthorized land purchase worth ₱1.4 billion, supposedly intended for a halfway house for OFWs. Many are baffled as to how Ignacio got involved in such a questionable transaction.

Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac revealed that Arnel Ignacio did not resign, but was dismissed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. due to his involvement in the said anomalous land deal. According to Cacdac, Ignacio entered into a transaction involving the purchase of land worth ₱1.4 billion without the approval of the OWWA board.

The deal was signed in September 2024, but the land was reportedly purchased as early as 2023, and the deed of absolute sale was only released in 2024. Upon learning of this, President Marcos was informed and preparations for legal action have been made.

In the meantime, Attorney Patricia Kuwanan has been appointed as the new OA Administrator, and the public hopes she will be just as effective as Arnel Ignacio.

It is saddening, however, that someone so trusted and relied upon—someone known for acting swiftly to help distressed OFWs—would be the one removed from service.

If the ₱1.4 billion project was genuinely meant for the benefit of OFWs, why not improve the project instead of halting it altogether? But if the allegations of irregularity are true, and if Ignacio indeed broke the law, then perhaps his removal was necessary. We can only hope that his successor will be equally capable and ready to respond quickly to the needs of OFWs.

Hopefully, whoever replaces him will have the same bravery and skill.
As Ignacio once pointed out:
“Your company operations are ridiculous. You can’t even provide a reliable number. When you deploy workers, who are they supposed to call? Maybe this person here—that’s why she couldn’t reach anyone. And now, you’ve been exposed. Just look—you’ve been shaking from nerves, and still can’t call that number. If this were an emergency, what good are you? Even your building is hard to find—it’s hidden. You probably thought I’d never come. Well, I’m persistent. Don’t cause problems if you can’t handle them.”

He added:
“You keep deploying people, yet don’t even have a working contact number. What should OFWs call? You keep saying you have an active line—but how do we know which number is which? You’ve even confused us at OA. Look at this—your phone screen is worn out from all the tapping. And you’re telling me your only problem is phone load? That’s pathetic.”

So now, the question is—was it right to remove Arnel Ignacio from his position?
If you were an OFW, what would you say about his dismissal?
Now that there’s new leadership at OA, what will happen to the OFWs who relied on prompt and compassionate action?