Wheels start to turn at the Department of Migrant Workers (Sabong News)
Author
Manila Bulletin
Date
MARCH 14 2022
Malacanang last week announced the appointment of Abdullah Derupong Mama-o as the new secretary of the newly created Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). A law practitioner, labor lawyer, and assemblyman, Mama-o was, most recently, the presidential adviser on overseas Filipino worker (OFW) concerns.
This appointment comes at a crucial time as OFWs face different challenges in different parts of the world, such as those who are infected with Covid in Hong Kong or those in the middle of conflict in Ukraine.
Various groups lauded the appointment of Mama-o, who noted his extensive experience and qualifications in the labor and diplomatic negotiations. In an online testimonial, groups cited Mama-o’s role as a prime mover of Republic Act 11641, an act creating the DMW, which will now gather all government agencies dealing with OFWs under one department, with the intent of simplifying the process of aiding and issuing documents for migrant workers.
“Mamao’s diplomatic skills were proven effective and successful, many times, after the President dispatched him to the Middle East and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to appease and heal strained relations caused by diplomatic squabbles. His prowess on diplomatic negotiations paved the way for the release of OFWs abducted by armed men and the lifting of the ban for deployment of household workers to Kuwait as a result of the killing of OFW Joanna Demafiles, a Filipina domestic worker in Kuwait.” The statement added that Mama-o’s expertise on Sharia Laws and Islamic Diplomacy contributed to the advancement of safety of OFWs in the Middle East.
The DMW, based on its mandate, would now absorb the functions of various agencies such as the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs under the DFA, DOLE’s three offices: Philippine Overseas Labor Office, International Labor Affairs Bureau, and National Maritime Polytechnic; and the Office of the Social Welfare Attaché under the DSWD. The OWWA, on the other hand, will continue to function but shall be attached to the DMW for policy and program coordination.
Creating a dedicated department for OFWs is one of the campaign promises of the then-candidate Duterte. Assuming the presidency, Duterte repeatedly stressed the importance of a singular department for migrant workers so they don’t have to hop from one agency to another just to have their papers signed or to submit requirements.
Aside from being the lead agency for implementing policies, plans, and programs that will ensure the protection, promotion of interests, resolution of problems, and effective reintegration of migrant workers, the DMW will also regulate private recruitment agencies.
The DMW is expected not only to serve the more than two million OFWs but also look into the concerns of their families and relatives here in the Philippines. For so long, OFWs have been considered as modern-day heroes and “backbone” of our economy in times of crises, so it is only proper and fitting to have a dedicated department just for them. With an experienced and dedicated secretary at the helm of DMW, Mama-o intends to carry out the Duterte administration’s promise to prioritize the safety, security, and welfare of OFWs.
Yes, there are big expectations ahead and promises to be fulfilled. Therefore, the first few steps of the new secretary are crucial as any decisions will impact our OFWs who are facing a world that is challenging with geopolitics, changing with technology, and emerging from a pandemic.
