Hans Leo Cacdac

Hans Leo Cacdac is the current secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), a position to which he was appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in April 2024.

Prior to his appointment, Cacdac was officer-in-charge of the DMW for around seven months, a role he took on following the death of his predecessor, Maria Susana Ople. He had been one of the inaugural undersecretaries of the department since 2022.

The son of a father who was an overseas Filipino worker (OFW), Cacdac has decades of experience with labor and migration issues. His previous government posts include director of the Department of Labor and Employment’s Bureau of Labor Relations, administrator of the National Conciliation and Mediation Board, DOLE undersecretary for labor relations, administrator of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, and administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

Cacdac obtained a philosophy degree from Ateneo de Manila University in 1989 and a law degree from Ateneo Law School in 1993. He passed the Bar Examinations in 1994 and went on to complete a master’s degree in comparative law from Samford University in the United States in 1998.

Upon his appointment as DMW secretary, Cacdac pledged to continue “safeguarding the rights and welfare” of OFWs. His priorities include ensuring ethical recruitment, developing workers’ skills, promoting financial literacy, digitizing processes, and strengthening ties with OFW host countries.

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