House eyes to pass bill creating dep’t for OFWs by November

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives aims to pass the proposed measure establishing a new department that would cater to overseas Filipino workers (OFW) by November.

House Speaker Alan Cayetano, who is also an author of one of the bills for a Department of OFWs, said on Tuesday the chamber will aim to have the proposed measure be deliberated on the plenary floor by November.

“Kung kaya, second week of November to the end of November nasa floor na for second reading and plenary debates,” Cayetano told reporters in an interview.

“Kung masusunod ito, mahahabol natin hanggang December… That’s the target,” he added when asked if the House aims to have the bill signed by the President by December.

During committee hearing on the bills for a Department of OFWs, Cayetano said that leaders of the House and Senate along with Cabinet members held a “consultative meeting” and there was a proposal to create a joint technical working group to “thresh out” all the issues.

There are a total of 31 bills in the chamber that is seeking to create a Department of OFWs.

READ: House conducts first hearing for plan to create Department of OFWs

Cayetano argued that the creation of a new department for OFWs will allow the government to harmonize and consolidate all their efforts to cater the needs of the OFWs.

“Mayroon kang one person—lalaki o babae—he or she will be in the Cabinet. So meron maho-hold accountable ang Presidente na isang tao lang,” the House leader said during the hearing.

“Secondly, there’s one department that you will go to, and although they will coordinate with the other agencies least isa lang ang masisingil ninyo sa OFW Department,” he added. /je