New names and big roles
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 10) — Seasoned labor officials and fresh faces have been appointed to the newly created Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and its attached agencies, the announcement on Wednesday from Malacañang and the department showed.
The secretary said Atty. Patricia Yvonne Caunan, a government newbie who headed a law firm specializing in labor, civil, administrative, and criminal cases, will be the Undersecretary for Policy and International Cooperation.
DMW, led by Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople, has administrative control over the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
A former overseas Filipino worker in Jeddah for nearly three decades was also appointed as one of the DMW assistant secretaries.
Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has appointed television host Arnell Ignacio as OWWA chief.
Venecio “Ka Vinnie” Legaspi rose from the ranks to become the vice president of a prominent Saudi bank in Jeddah before retiring and joining the DMW as Assistant Secretary for Reintegration.
Ignacio, who previously served as OWWA deputy executive director and deputy administrator during the Duterte administration, thanked Marcos for giving him the trust to lead the agency dedicated for the protection of Filipino migrant workers.
Ople explained how Legaspi’s experiences can help him in his new role, saying she personally made the recommendation to appoint him so he can serve as an inspiration to other OFWs. She said his success story can help OFWs see that they can retire after providing a stable life for their family.
“Reading the news… Buffering ako, halos hindi ako makapaniwala (I’m buffering and I almost cannot believe it),” he said in his Facebook post.
“Bago pa umalis ang OFW, dapat may malinaw na exit strategy na sila bilang pamilya. Reintegration means having a good plan and the capacity to execute that plan upon the OFW’s return. Mahalaga yung reintegration kasi di naman puwedeng forever mag-OFW — lahat tayo tatanda at magre-retire. Gusto din namin sa DMW na hanggat maari ma-break ang inter-generational na cycle ng pagiging OFW,” the official said.
He will replace Hans Leo Cacdac as OWWA administrator.
[Translation: Before an OFW leaves, there should be a clear exit strategy discussed by and for the family. Reintegration is important because they cannot live forever as an OFW. We will all grow old and eventually would want to retire. In DMW, we want to break the inter-generational cycle of being an OFW.]
Cacdac, meanwhile, will be among the four new undersecretaries of DMW, Angeles said. He will focus on the welfare and employment of Filipino migrant workers.
POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia was also appointed as DMW’s Undersecretary for Licensing and Adjudication, Angeles added. However, he will continue to serve as the officer-in-charge of POEA until DMW is deemed fully constituted on the approval of the 2023 budget.
Former Labor Assistant Secretary Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones, who has been in government service for 31 years, will also serve as DMW Undersecretary for Finance and Internal Affairs, Ople announced.
Other appointed assistant secretaries are Jerome Pampolina, Levinson Alcantara, Jerome Alcantara, Francis Ron De Guzman, Felicitas Bay, and Violeta Illescas.
The newly appointed officials are set to start work on August 15.
CNN Philippines’ Lara Tan and Tristan Nodalo contributed to this report.
Ople believes a “dream team” has been created to help lead the department that is set to be fully operational in 2023.
“This team under my leadership will work hardest to create a DMW that will be the home and sanctuary of every OFW,” she said.
