MANILA, Philippines — The next Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) secretary should have a heart for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), Senator Raffy Tulfo said on Monday.
“I want someone with a heart for OFWs to serve [the department]. That person should do everything to improve the welfare of OFWs, not the welfare of anyone who supports them,” said Tulfo during the Senate’s deliberations on the 2024 budget of the DMW.
Then DMW Secrertary Susan Ople, who had been battling breast cancer, died on August 22.
Tulfo, who also sits as the chairperson of the Senate’s panel on migrant workers, urged DMW Officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac to make sure that all DMW employees are pursuing the best interests of OFWs.
“OIC Cacdac, maglinis-linis kayo dyan sa DMW. Meron akong mga source na nagsabi sa akin na may mga tao kayo dyan na may sympathy sa recruitment agencies, dapat wala kayong tauhan na dating nagmamay ari o kaibigan ng recruitment agencies,” said Tulfo.
(OIC Cacdac, clean up the DMW. I have sources who told me that you have people there who sympathize with recruitment agencies, you must not have staff who used to own or are friends with recruitment agencies.)