Over 350 overseas Filipino workers representing several groups of overseas Filipinos in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America attended an online forum, organized by United Filipino Global and held recently to raise awareness on how to better protect the rights and welfare of Filipinos abroad and to show their support for Senate Bill No. 1949, which aims to establish the Department of Overseas Filipinos.
In a speech as the event’s main guest, Senator Bong Go spoke of the need for a department dedicated to protect the rights and advance the interests of overseas Filipinos who now compose ten percent of the country’s population.
“Ito po ang gusto naming maibigay sa inyo sa pamamagitan ng pagtatayo ng DOFIL. Around 10% na kayo ng populasyon natin kung kaya’t dapat lang na mayroong iisang departamento na tututok sa inyong interes at mga pangangailangan,” Go explained.
“Ito po ang ating ipinaglalaban — ang kapakanan ng mga Pilipino kahit saan man sila sa mundo. Napaka-unfair naman para sa atin — na 10 percent nga kayo ng population wala kayong sariling departamento,” the legislator added.
“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the repatriation of thousands of OFWs.”
The lawmaker also highlighted the adverse impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in the repatriation of thousands of OFWs, many of whom are in urgent need of government assistance.
“Mga nakaraang buwan tinamaan tayo ng pandemya na hindi natin inaasahan. Napakarami pong OFWs natin na talagang naghirap kahit saan na lang sila nananawagan sa radyo, sa Facebook, at … sa TV. Minsan ang dami pong tumatawag sa akin,” the senator continued.
“Kapag usapang overseas Filipino, iisang boses ang dapat nating pakinggan at magpapagitna ng lahat. Napakahirap ng nangyayari na ipapasa pa natin… Dapat mayroon tayong department na isang Cabinet-level secretary who will lead an organization structured to work together as one team to protect the rights… and welfare of our fellow Filipinos abroad,” he explained.
On December 14, 2020, Go filed SBN 1949. The measure seeks to streamline the organization and functions of all government agencies related to overseas employment and migration so the government can perform its functions and mandates more efficiently.
The “Department of Overseas Filipinos Act of 2020” is the third iteration of a bill introduced by Go in 2019. It represents the unified position of the Executive branch of the government on how the proposed department can best address crucial problems, deliver important services, and achieve its goals with regard to Filipinos overseas.
The bill was certified as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte and is now one of the top twenty priority bills identified by both houses of Congress for 2021.
“This is unprecedented … Alam ko po ito ang isang bagay kung bakit natutuwa at minamahal ng bawat migrante Pilipino ang Pangulo. Wala pong Pangulo ang gumawa niyan na every time magko-conduct ng State of the Nation Address hindi po nakakalimutan ang pagsulong sa isang departamento o sariling bahay para sa amin,” said Jun Aguilar of the Filipino Migrant Workers group.
“Kami ay isa sa inyo na sumusuporta sa bill ng mahal na Senador. Hangad namin ang magkaroon ng sariling department ang overseas Filipinos upang mabigyan ng prayoridad at importansya ang issues at concerns ng ating OFWs,” added Lucy Sermonia who heads a recruitment agency.
The DOFil will initially comprise the Office of the Secretary and four Offices of the Undersecretaries, namely Administration and Finance, Foreign Employment, Assistance to Overseas Filipinos in Distress, and Policy and International Cooperation and Special Overseas Filipino Concerns.
The department shall subsume the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs of the DFA, Social Welfare Attaches Office under the Department of Social Welfare and Development, International Labor Affairs Bureau under the Department of Labor and Employment, and Commission on Overseas Filipinos. Additionally, OWWA and the POEA will serve as attached agencies.
Enhancing previous versions of the bill, SBN 1949 directs the implementation of a one country-team which shall require all officials in Philippine diplomatic posts to act together as one team, per country of assignment.
Furthermore, the bill also directs the establishment of Overseas Filipinos Malasakit Centers throughout the country to ensure the swift delivery of services to OFWs and their families here, including the acquisition of clearances and permits, validation of overseas job offers, reintegration services, and pertinent seminars and workshops.
The Migrant Workers and other Overseas Filipinos Resource Center, in turn, will provide other relevant services, such as temporary shelter to distressed OFWs, counseling and legal services, welfare assistance (e.g. medical needs), registration of irregular and undocumented workers, and conciliation of employer-employee disputes etc.
“Tinuturing natin silang mga bagong bayani. Hindi mapapalitan ang hirap at sakripisyo na mawalay sa pamilya para lang mabigyan ng mas magandang kinabukasan ang kanilang mga mahal sa buhay. Gawin natin ang lahat para maalagaan sila,” Go said.
“Marami akong pinakiusapan — si Executive Secretary [Salvador] Medialdea, si [Cabinet] Secretary Karlo Nograles — para pakiusapan ang iba’t ibang ahensya ng gobyerno na magkasundo at magkaroon tayo ng isang bill na talagang katangga-tanggap sa lahat,” he recounted.
“Kinausap ko rin ang kapwa ko mga senador. Sabi ko, nakikiusap ako na tulungan niyo kami, kung paano ma-craft ‘yung law na katanggap-tanggap po sa lahat,” Go added.
He vowed that he would continue to push for the passage of the measure in order to further protect and ensure their welfare, especially in these trying times.
“Rest assured I will fight for kayo.”
“Rest assured na ipaglalaban ko kayo. Alam niyo, malapit sa puso namin ni Pangulong Duterte ang lahat po ng mga OFWs … Alam kong mas nanaisin niyo pang manatili dito sa ating bansa rather than mapalayo sa inyong pamilya. Pero kailangan niyo magtrabaho sa ibang bansa kaya siguraduhin natin na mayroon kayong isang departamentong maasahan at malalapitan niyo,” Go stressed.
“Layunin namin na maramdaman ninyo ang malasakit ng inyong gobyerno nasaan man kayo sa mundo. Ulitin ko, bukas ang aming tanggapan sa abot ng aming makakaya. Makikinig kami, tutulong kami sa mga OFWs natin,” he concluded.