Facade of the Department of Labor and Employment. (FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — A joint circular from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is scheduled for release, addressing the list of Labor Attached Agencies that will be consolidated to the latter department.
According to DMW Sec. Susan Ople during the weekly “Kapihan sa Manila Bay” forum on Wednesday, the circular clarifies the relationship between the different agencies between DOLE and DMW.
“We are preparing a joint department circular, para mas klaro kung ano ‘yung mga relasyon ng iba’t ibang ahensya sa office of Secretary ng DOLE and office of Secretary ng DMW during this transition period (for clarity on the relationships of the various agencies with the office of Secretary of DOLE and the office of Secretary of DMW during this transition period),” said Ople.
Labor Sec. Bienvenido Laguesma likewise explained the same thing, assuring that the service for overseas Filipino workers and their families will not be disrupted by the circular.
“Dahil sa napasang batas na lumilikha ng DMW, merong mga tanggapan o opisina ang DOLE na specifically dapat maconsolidate maabsorb ng DMW, ‘yun ang nakapaloob doon sa aming nalagdaang sumpaan,” said Laguesma.
(Due to the law creating the DMW, the DOLE has offices that must be consolidated and absorbed by the DMW, that’s what’s contained in our signed oath.)
“Ang handle noon is for transition so that ‘yung serbisyo sa mga manggagawa na ika nga ay nangingibang bansa, hindi magkaroon ng pinsala,” he added.
(The handle is for the transition so that the service to the emigrating workers will not be disrupted.)
Apart from the transfer of the offices, resources and funds will also be tackled in the circular, specifically the funds entrusted to the agencies attached to DOLE which are set to be transferred to the newly-formed DMW.
“So maliwanag na gusto namin maging smooth at hindi kami magiintay ng matagal na panahon para maging ‘fully operationalized,’” said Laguesma.
(So obviously we want a smooth [transition], and we won’t have to wait long to be fully operationalized.)
“Yun ang direction namin ngayon kasi kinikilala rin namin na may regulations na dapat naming igalang at kilalanin, ‘yun ang framework ng aming joint advisory,” he explained.
(That is our direction right now because we also recognize that there are regulations that we must respect and acknowledge, that is the framework of our joint advisory.)
The Labor-attached agencies set to be consolidated into the DMW are the following:
*Philippine Overseas Employment Administration;
*Overseas Workers Welfare Administration;
*International Labor Affairs Bureau;
*National Reintegration Center For OFWs;
*National Maritime Polytechnic; and,
*The Office of Social Welfare