OFW agencies under DOLE transition to DMW

The Department of Labor and Employment  said Thursday that agencies handling the concerns of overseas Filipino workers have started transitioning to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to focus on their mandates.

Earlier, Labor and Employment Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma and Migrant Workers Secretary Susan 'Toots' Ople signed a joint circular defining the roles and responsibilities of DOLE and the DMW.

“Sec. Toots and myself recognize the imperative need of raising in transition in order that the DOLE and the DMW can focus on their respective mandates to be able to contribute to the overall goal of the BBM administration of economic recovery and poverty reduction,” Laguesma said in a press conference.

Also, he said the transition will allow DOLE to focus on local employment concerns.

According to Laguesma, DOLE Undersecretary Benjo Benavides and OWWA Administrator Hans Cacdac will look into ways to speed up the transition and issues on the shifting of resources.

“Uulitin ko lang po, the directive was to make sure that services to the OFWs and their families will be continuous and in fact dapat pagandahin pa at pagbutihin, lalo na sa panahon na ito,” he said.

(I repeat, the directive was to make sure that services to the OFWs and their families will be continuous and, in fact, it should be better, especially now.)

Laguesma stressed that the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Philippine Overseas Labor Offices, International Labor Affairs Bureau, National Reintegration Center for OFWs, Overseas Worker Welfare Administration, and the National Maritime Polytechnic will continue their operations.

“They should continue to perform their respective duties and responsibilities para hindi po mapinsala, hindi magkaroon ng pagkabalang doon po sa pagbibigay ng mga serbisyo sa mga OFWs, sa kanilang pamilya, at sa kanilang stakeholders,” he said.

(They should continue to perform their respective duties and responsibilities to avoid conflict in the giving of their service to OFWs, their families, and their stakeholders.)

“And they shall receive their corresponding salaries kasi nandyan naman po ‘yung budget na nakalaan… doon sa 2022 General Appropriations Act,” he added.

(And they shall receive their corresponding salaries because there is a budget for that under the 2022 GAA.) —LBG, GMA News