Senate panel wraps up discussion on proposed department for OFWs

FILE PHOTO. Returning OFWs

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate committee on labor, employment, and human resources development wrapped up Monday its discussion on the proposed Department of Overseas Filipinos (DOFIL).

During the committee’s meeting, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Monday the creation of the DOFIL is the Duterte administration’s top priority among the proposed new government agencies.

Nograles said three proposed new government departments are included in the Duterte administration’s priority—the DOFIL, the Department of Water, and the Department of Disaster Resilience.

This prompted Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon to question if this means other proposed new government agencies—such as the Department of Economic Planning and Department of Culture—are not a priority.

“I guess I am just spreading into the record the reality that you do not consider—or the executive branch—does not consider as a priority the other areas of serious concern,” Drilon said.

Nograles, nonetheless, stood by his earlier remark that the DOFIL remains to be the top priority of the Duterte administration, saying that other proposed government agencies have to be vetted to be included in the priority legislations.

DOFIL’s organizational framework and budget were also questioned during the hearing, which Senator Imee Marcos said only “confused” her.

The call to submit DOFIL’s organizational framework and budget plan to the Senate was likewise endorsed by Drilon.

“Right now it’s not clear to all of us,” Drilon said.

At the end of the hearing, a technical working group was formed to iron out the details of the committee report on the DOFIL bill.

Senator Joel Villanueva, who chairs the said committee, said DOFIL should meet the country’s need of navigating a post-pandemic world that will be very challenging to overseas Filipino workers.

“COVID 19 has changed our economic landscape. If local industries are retooling for a post-pandemic era, then a sector which makes up 10 percent of the economy need to be protected in a changed work,” Villanueva said.

“The last thing we need is new bureaucratic accessory. What we should have is an agency that is a toolkit for the future,” he added.

Further, Villanueva said a “new global response system for OFWs” is needed as the coronavirus continues to mutate and spread which could trigger another wave of “displacements of OFWs.”

“New normal na po ba ang ganitong mga disruptions? Dapat kasama po ito sa mga tasks ng DOFIL para matulungan ang ating mga kababayang OFWs,” Villanueva said.

EDV