Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 19) — A Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) will soon be established in Thailand to serve overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) there, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Susan ‘Toots’ Ople said Saturday.

Ople made the announcement as President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. met with the Filipino community in Bangkok.

Marcos backed the establishment of the labor office, saying it would allow the government to promote the interests and attend to the needs of Filipinos in Thailand.

However, Marcos and Ople have yet to announce a date for the office’s opening.

POLOs previously served as an extended arm of the Labor Department abroad until it was moved to the jurisdiction of the newly-created DMW.

Marcos vowed to uphold the rights of OFWs in Thailand and thanked them for their contributions to the country.