The formation of the Department of Overseas Filipinos (DOFIL) will not require huge funds, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said this Monday.
At the Senate hearing, Nograles explained that all government agencies related to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will be consolidated into one department.
He said the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration will be its attached agencies.
It is said that it will have regional offices and will build overseas Filipino concern centers.
There will also be an ‘assistance to nationals’ fund, and there will be a congressional oversight committee comprising 6 senators and 6 congressmen.
Nograles asserted that DOFIL will be a dedicated agency for the needs and protection of OFWs.
“Wala po tayong single agency kung saan ina-adress po ang lahat ng concerns ng ating mga kababayang overseas Filipinos,” said Nograles.
“This COVID-19 pandemic opened up our eyes na kailangan ma-meet up natin ang challenges na ito. So this new department seeks to streamline and directly manage all concerns of Filipinos overseas plus their families, plus their dependents,” he added.
But according to Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, DOFIL seems to be encouraging Filipinos to work abroad, contrary to the government’s statement that they want Filipinos to work in the country.
Establishing DOFIL does not need huge funds: Nograles
According to Nograles, the proposal has a 5-year mandatory review and the government’s long-term agenda is for OFWs to return to the country.
Sen. Imee Marcos said that instead of establishing a new department, it would be better to just issue an executive order that will expand the power of POEA.
But according to Nograles, it is different when the Cabinet-level is in charge because it can report directly to the president.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri wants the hearing on the DOFIL proposal to be expedited to pass the measure.
He said millions of OFWs will benefit from the establishment of the department.
Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, who was one of the proponents of the proposal, agreed.
“Kung ang ating mga ahensiay ay hiwa-hiwalay at may kaniya-kaniyang mandate, ang nahihirapan po ay overseas Filipinos. Kadalasan hindi nila alam saan sila pupunta, pinagpapasa-pasahan sila,” said Go.