Pampanga group plans to put up OFW desk

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- There would be better times ahead for would-be and currently deployed Kapampangan overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families. This is the assessment of the Pampanga Inter-Agency Council for Migrant Concerns (Piamco), a church-initiated multi-sectoral group that consolidates all existing programs and services for the protection of rights and welfare of OFWs. The Pampanga Archdiocese Migrants' Desk (PAMD), which is the lead convener of Piamco, plans to take up with Gov. Eddie Panlilio the five-point Kapampangan migrants agenda that they earlier submitted to his office. This was learned from Rev. Fr. Arnie Serrano, director of PAMD, who added that the agenda include the setting up of a migrants' desk or office that will provide and facilitate various forms of services for OFWs and their families. The group has been meeting to discuss the immediate formation of the migrants' concerns committees for information, education, welfare, and protection; reintegration with sub-committees on economic and family integration; and lobbying and advocacy. To lead the committees are the Provincial Public Employment Services Office (PESO) and the Provincial Social Welfare Development Office PSWDO), respectively. Serrano emphasized that the Piamco initiative is in line with the Provincial Government's efforts for the advancement and better protection of the rights and welfare of would-be and currently deployed Kapampangan OFWs and their families. Earlier, the governor signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to integrate and intensify the anti-illegal recruitment campaign in the province through massive and barangay-level information dissemination. "The Piamco is very much like the provincial government's Pamisaupan program and its success lies in the commitment and the concerted efforts of all who have genuine concerns for our OFWs and their families," Serrano said. Government agencies represented in the formation of Piamco in July this year were the regional officers of the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole), National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth). Provincial offices represented then were the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), while the Provincial Cooperative and Entrepreneurial Development Office (PCEDO) and the PSWDO represented the Pampanga Provincial government. - Sun.Star