NEDA chief Chua 'open' to creation of OFW department

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief Karl Kendrick Chua on Thursday said he is open to the creation of a department for overseas Filipino workers (OFW).

Chua explained during a Senate budget hearing that NEDA, under the leadership of its former chief Ernesto Pernia, did not support the creation of such an agency before because "they did not think it would be beneficial or the answer to the concerns raised" at that time.

"I have begun to review this again and personally there are many tradeoffs kasi when we create new departments especially if the mandates are being done by other offices but given the developments, the COVID, the need to look after millions of OFWs, I am actually more open to it," he said.

"My stand right now is I'm open to it but I think there are some provisions that we can help you further improve," he added.

Chua made the position after Senate committee on labor chairperson Joel Villanueva said he intends to know the pulse of various government agencies as he is ready to hold hearings on the administration-backed bill creating the OFW department.

The House of Representatives approved its counterpart bill on final reading last March.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III supports the creation of this new agency as over 600,000 OFWs displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic have so far sought help from the government.—AOL, GMA News