President Rodrigo Duterte told government agencies to improve services to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). According to the Chief Executive, they should not make it difficult for OFWs to process the documents they need.
Duterte made the statement at the groundbreaking ceremony of the OFW Center in Daang Hari, Las Piñas City, which is a one-stop-shop satellite office of the government for needed OFW documents.
“At this is one aspect of the journey of a migrant worker starting on his working on the papers ang ayaw ko kasi patagalan, so itong Red Tape [Authority] it will really well call your attention that you are not serving the people alam mo ganun sa gobyerno eh,” Duterte said.
“Yung masakit sa akin saan-saan ituturo: you have to go to the NBI [National Bureau of Immigration] then you have to go the BIR [Bureau of Internal Revenue], then you have to go to… alam dito sa Manila traffic alone even with the advent of this elevated highways is not enough really to make a great impact to improve the lives,” he added.
Duterte said he understands the hardships faced by those who want to work abroad, especially those in the province who have to wake up early and travel to complete the documents that will come from the government agencies they need.
Duterte orders agencies to assist OFWs
“Ang migrant workers hindi puwede mag-ano… walang pera ‘yan and it is very tiring because they have no private cars they have to travel public and they cannot complete the papers pabalik-balik ‘yan. Ang ayaw ko yung pabalik-balik,” the president said.
Duterte warned the officers to do their job and follow his orders.
“Dito sa executive department isa lang ang tao, isa lang ang tigas dito, sundin ninyo ang gusto ko. ‘Yan better do the things that I want to improve the service of the government or else mayroon tayong away. I’m sure I don’t want to quarrel masama pa naman yung bunganga ko,” he warned.
Earlier, Duterte signed Republic Act 11641, a law that would create the Department of Migrant Workers.
Under the law, the work and mandate of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) will be transferred to the Department of Migrant Workers. It is also the leading organization that will manage the welfare of OFWs and other Filipinos abroad.
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