Duterte asks to pass OFW Department bill

President Rodrigo Duterte once again asked lawmakers to pass a bill that would establish an OFW Department Bill that will address the needs and welfare of overseas Filipino workers.

“I also ask Congress to pass a law creating the Department of Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos,” Duterte promised in his last State of the Nation Address on Monday.

“Kailangan po ito because they are suffering… with so many inadequacies both in our government response and including the monetary assistance,” he added.

The bill has already passed the House of Representatives, while it is pending in the Senate.

Last May, Duterte certified the creation of the Department of Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos as an urgent bill.

With this, the Senate can pass within one day the proposal for the second and third reading.

Once the measure is approved and becomes full law that will create the OFW Department, it will have the power of several agencies such as:

Duterte asks to pass OFW Department bill

-Philippine Overseas Employment Administration
-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs
-The Commission on Filipino Overseas
-All Philippine Overseas Labor Offices under the Department of Labor and Employment
– International Labor Affairs Bureau under DOLE
-National Reintegration Center for OFWs under the Overseas Workers ’Welfare Administration
-The National Maritime Polytechnic under DOLE
-International Social Services Office under the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Some lawmakers are skeptical of supporting the creation of the OFW Department because they believe it will not solve the problems of Filipino migrant workers.

According to Senator Joel Villanueva, chairman of the Labor Committee, hearing the proposal, they will conclude deliberation in the Senate plenary in the coming months.

“Tuloy-tuloy lang po tayo sa pagsulong at pag-aksyon sa Department of Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos. Nasa plenaryo na po itong panukala, at handa po tayong talakayin ito. Bilang certified urgent measure, itong panukala po ay nasa prayoridad ng Senado,” he explained.