Department of Migrant Workers on the right track
THE late Secretary Susan Ople of the Department of Migrant Workers had a vision for her department, but death cut short the fulfillment of those dreams. One of them was to streamline and digitize the processes for recruitment and protection of our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). We are lucky that the newly appointed DMW secretary, lawyer Hans Cacdac, has vowed to follow this vision.
He said he intends to “further build on the legacy left by Secretary Susan Ople,” who wanted to reduce the processing time of the OFW documents and ensure they are protected in their jobs abroad.
In July 2022, Secretary Ople said that an OFW took “a minimum of three months” to get an accreditation.
“By doing away with all those redundant procedures and unnecessary requirements, even the number of signatures, we are confident that we can cut that timeline from a minimum of three months to perhaps less than a month, or even three weeks,” the late secretary said. She envisioned that this could be done with the help of the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
OFWs who go home to the Philippines for a vacation also face a problem getting their Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC). This document is important so that the OFWs can fly back to their posts abroad. The DMW launched a mobile app that contained a digital alternative to the OEC. Moreover, it could be easily downloaded through Google Play or the Apple App Store.
Secretary Ople added that such “paperless transactions would allow the OFWs to store their documents on their cell phones.” It would also allow for a seamless exit procedure with Philippine immigration and a seamless procedure with immigration desks in other countries.
Moreover, digitizing data and documents will help our OFWs from becoming victims of cyber criminals and illegal recruiters who prey on them. The number of reports has lessened, but there are still Filipinos being victimized by illegal recruiters, especially those who promised jobs in Thailand but ended up working for Chinese cyber syndicates in Myanmar.
Some overseas-bound Filipinos have also been victims of human trafficking, investment scams and consumer fraud.
Secretary Cacdac also went to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to follow up on the back pay of overseas Filipinos who used to work in companies there that had gone bankrupt and closed shop. Secretary Ople already had initial meetings with the labor minister of Saudi Arabia, who had promised to solve the case with the money coming from the Saudi Arabian government.
Upon assuming office last April 25, Secretary Cacdac, a graduate of Ateneo de Manila University, said: “We shall continue to adhere to a rights-based approach and ensure the utmost protection of our OFWs’ human and employment rights.”
Aside from these, he also highlighted other priorities. These include promoting financial literacy, developing the OFWs’ skills and career paths, and pursuing deeper bilateral relations with OFW host countries.
Secretary Cacdac’s appointment was well-received. He had served in the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) before being plucked and appointed as a DMW undersecretary for foreign employment and welfare services in 2022.
He passed the bar exams in 1994 and then worked for the Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligal, which gave legal help to underserved and marginalized communities. He worked as a director of the DoLE’s Bureau of Labor Relations in 2001.
He then served for one year as the National Conciliation and Mediation Board administrator and was later appointed as the deputy administration of the POEA from 2006 to 2010. He became a DoLE undersecretary in 2010, the POEA administrator in 2012 and the OWWA administrator in 2016.
Lawmakers championing OFW rights hailed his appointment. Kabayan party-list Rep. Ron Salo cited his having been a “sturdy anchor” of the DMW over the past eight months and a “steadfast protector” of OFWs amid the geopolitical shifts around the world.
Marissa del Mar Magsino of the OFW party-list said: “As a veteran in public service and of migration policies, he knows the processes and nuances of labor migration. But more than his capabilities, Secretary Cacdac also has his heart in the right place — to offer genuine service to our OFWs and their families.”
Overseas employment may not be the best way to solve our unemployment problem, but those who take this path can rest assured that someone has their back.