BY DANIE MAE FAJARDO-DELA CRUZ
MANILA – The House of Representatives approved the proposed P15.2-billion budget of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) for 2023.
According to Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople, the budget of the government’s newest cabinet department will help it realize the following objectives:
* provide effective and efficient services to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) which are its primary clients
* ensure a vigorous regulation and enforcement regime as well as sustain capacity development and empowerment of migrant workers
* expand DMW’s service menu to include e-governance and digitization and explore productive partnerships and linkages with a broad spectrum of public, private, and multilateral stakeholders
* implement a national reintegration program for returning OFWs
The House’s approval of the appropriation is the keystone that will finally constitute the DMW as a full-fledged cabinet department, said Ople who was recently in New York City, USA as part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s official delegation.
DMW is the government agency tasked to promote the protection, welfare and interests of OFWs and their families. It was created via Republic Act (RA) 11641 that then President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law in December 2021.
Cong. David “Jayjay” Suarez of Quezon sponsored and defended the budget in the House.
Of the P15.2-billion DMW budget, P3.5 billion is for the Office of the Secretary and the various units and bureaus under its supervision.
The remaining P11.7 billion of the department’s budget will be for the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, an attached agency of the DMW.
“It is an honor to sponsor and defend the budget of the most infant of departments in the government,” said Suarez.
According to the congressman, “We often refer to our OFWs as our modern-day heroes for the remittances that they send and continue to bring life to our economy. It is only right that we have a department that will truly cater, fight for the rights of our OFWs.”
DMW undersecretary Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones led the department’s team that supported Suarez through the House plenary session’s interpellation and inquiries.
Cong. Florencio “Bem” Noel of the An-Waray party-list moved for the approval of the DMW budget for 2023./PN
