Susan Ople
The newly created Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) will soon assume the responsibilities of the Assistance to Nationals (ATN) currently handled by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in which embassies and consulates give legal, humanitarian and reparation assistance to Filipino nationals. According to the DFA statement, Migrant Secretary Susan Ople said her department would take over ATN’s tasks by the end of June especially with the DMW’s AKSYON funds already being utilized. Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo hosted the working luncheon with Ople and other DMW high-level officials at the DFA office where the two secretaries had a broad discussion about the transition of the ATN functions. The DFA said in accordance with Republic Act No. 11641, the DFA will continue to provide ATN services to overseas Filipinos who are not OFWs and will continue its ATN services for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in jurisdictions where there are no resident MWO (Migrant Workers Office).