THE HONORABLE RON P. SALO
KABAYAN Party-list
Assistant Majority Leader
REP. RON SALO: ONE DEPARTMENT ON MIGRANT WORKERS WILL IMPROVE DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO OFWs
In an interview with CNN Philippines (On The Record with Pia Hontiveros) Thursday evening, KABAYAN Party-list Rep. Ron P. Salo, the House Committee on Government Reorganization is hammering out the working draft of a consolidated bill seeking to create a separate department that will focus on Filipino migrant workers’ welfare and development.
Salo said having all the various agencies dealing with migrant workers all in one department “under the baton of one conductor, the Secretary for Migrant Workers,” will improve the way government delivers its services and “address many of the issues and problems OFWs and other migrant Pinoy workers face.”
https://www.facebook.com/CNNPhilippines/videos/2134756733430881/The KABAYAN congressman said the situation now is that several agencies are spread across various departments which not only hampers coordination and response, but also creates unnecessary burdens for OFWs hopping from one agency to another.
He chairs the Technical Working Group of the House Committee on Government Reorganization that hears the creation of the proposed department. The TWG is working hard to come up with its report before the month ends.
Salo said the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration would be part of the new department of migrant workers being proposed.
At least five bills on overseas Filipinos are pending at the House of Representatives: HB00227, HB02187, HB02334, HB02813, and HB06519.
Citing Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas latest figures, the KABAYAN solon notes that cash remittances from OFWs reached $25.3 billion from January to November 2017. From Saudi Arabia, $2.28 billion from January to November 2017. From Kuwait, $ 735,236.00 from January to November 2017. The latest official BSP data available as of now is as of November 2017.
Salo is of the view that the Philippines should have more bilateral labor protection agreements, especially with the countries where we have many abused OFWs.
He also sees the need for better screening methods at our airports and seaports to stop human trafficking victims before they leave the country.
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