EVER-RELIABLE Senator Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara has pushed for additional funding to boost programs and services to provide overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) faster and more accessible government services.
To achieve his aim, he wants the Senate to increase significantly the budget of the Department of Labor and Employment particularly its One-Stop Service Center for OFWs and make the government's frontline services accessible to them.
He sought an additional P5 million for the One-Stop Service Centers to
make them fully equipped and operational, thus responsive and sensitive to the concerns and needs of the OFWs.
Authorities should consider Angara's request and proposal for the benefit of our modern-day heroes, the OFWs. He, therefore, rationalizes his request thus: the additional funding would provide DOLE a standby fund for the repatriation of distressed OFWs in cases of outbreaks or crises particularly in Middle East countries.
Additionally, he says, aside from safely bringing OFWs back home, the government should ensure that decent jobs and livelihood opportunities are available for them.
PESO Mabalacat City has a roster of active OFWs as well as those who opted to stay home after their contracts have expired. It keeps tabs of the whereabouts of these OFWs and keeps them apprised of current developments regarding their status. This way, they could avail themselves of the government's assistance and other privileges due them.
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Solid waste management plans. The city of Mabalacat has an approved solid waste management plan (SWMP) in compliance with the requirements of the provisions of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
Every local government unit (LGU) is required by law to comply with RA 9003 with sanctions for those which do not comply.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office headed by Jeffrey "Jinky" Santos handles the task of managing the city's solid waste management functions.
More than 1,600 cities and municipalities across the country are monitored by the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) and has expressed its seriousness over non-compliant LGUs which stand to be held administratively and criminally liable for non-implementation of their approved SWMPs.