Diplomatic and consular ranks for labor officials
SINCE we are signatories to the diplomatic and consular conventions, we have to conform to the protocols and agreements of those two conventions. Otherwise, it would seem that we are behaving like rouge countries in an international community of responsible nations.
Right now, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has Labor Attachés assigned to offices in cities away from our embassies in those host countries.
Since it is very clear that “attaché” is a diplomatic rank, it is technically wrong to assign that rank to a person who is not physically working in an embassy.
It is definitely
a misnomer, and perhaps other people in the diplomatic corps would find that amusing.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) also has Philippine Overseas Labor Offices ( POLOs) in cities where we do not have embassies and consulates. Their posted people there are called POLO officers, an invented title that is not recognized by the other foreign missions in those countries.
Technically, the host countries could give “Consular Commissions” to the representatives of foreign countries provided that they are physically assigned to a Consulate or to a Consulate General. Since we do not have these offices in places where there are big Filipino populations, the solution could be to put up “Consular Agencies” in those places, like what the United States has done in Cebu City. That way, we could assign real consular ranks to the representatives of both DOLE and DMW, and they could function properly.
LET’S APPOINT A WATER CZAR
We know for a fact that the Secretary of Agriculture is our de facto food czar, but do we know who our water czar is?
If we really do not have one, is it not time to appoint one before it is too late?
While some might say that it is too early for that, I say that it is the right time to do it now, because we are already seeing some symptoms of shortages that could come sooner or later. God forbid, let us not wait for the time when we have to import fresh water, just like what we are doing with rice now.
Perhaps about 20 years ago, it probably sounded like a crazy idea to import rice, being an agricultural country with plenty of land and water. Fast forward to today, who is crazy now?
I hate to play a blame game later on, that is why we should act now while we can. No, I am not proposing the creation of a “Department of Water”, because that would create another layer of the bureaucracy that could even slow down things further.
What I am suggesting is a water czar with cabinet rank, who will be reporting directly to the President, and who could work closely with the dozens of departments and agencies that are either producers or users of water.
To begin with, t he water czar should base his plans and recommendations on real supply and demand data, not just guesswork and rough estimates.
If he needs help, I can activate my think tank group to assist him./PN
Since it is very clear that “attaché” is a diplomatic rank, it is technically wrong to assign that rank to a person who is not physically working in an embassy.