Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 17) — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday said it will fund the aid for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) until March while the newly created Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) transitions to a full-time agency.
In a public briefing, Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega said the turnover of duties in assisting OFWs, as well as funding, will be gradual.
“We are coming up with a joint agreement with DMW. Tinatanong lang namin kung gaano katagal ang transition period bago sila fully mag-takeover ng pondo,” he added.
[Translation: We are coming up with a joint agreement with DMW. We are just asking how long the transition period will take before they could take over the funding.]
The DFA official explained that the Assistances to Nationals (ATF) fund and legal assistance fund will be allocated for non-contract OFWs, while the new Action Fund for the DMW will be allotted for contract workers.
“Sini-setup pa ng DMW ang kanilang funding mechanism, so ang gagawin namin, kami muna ang magpopondo pati na sa mga contract workers for the time being,” De Vega said.
[Translation: The DMW is setting up their funding mechanism, so we will offer the funds also for contract workers for the time being.]
Citing the law, De Vega said the DFA should turn over to the DMW the responsibility to the OFWs by February 2024, but the agencies agreed to do it by July 2023. The DFA also agreed to assist with the funding until March 2023.
“Ang usapan namin kung sana, this year, within six months, siguro by July, sana natapos na iyong ating transition, at saka iyong sa pondo, ay ipopondo muna namin from January to March. Sabi nila, mga April set up na dapat iyong kanilang funding,” he added.
[Translation: Our agreement, hopefully this year, within six months, maybe by July, the transition should be finished and for the funding, we will fund from January to March. They said their funding could be set up by April.]
Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople earlier saw the newly established government agency fully operational this January.
