THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is optimistic about the potential budget increase, aiming to enhance its capacity and services to better assist individuals in various localities.
Hans Leo Cacdac, officer-in-charge secretary of DMW, shared that the proposed budget augmentation could be utilized for diverse projects. These include the enhancement of migrant workers' offices and shelters, and the procurement of vehicles, particularly in remote locations such as Saudi Arabia.
“From our understanding, the intended increase is para sa pagpatindog sa (to build) regional offices as we also understand, we are also seeking to cover improvements [of our services],” Cacdac said in an interview.
“Kay diri in Region 11 [Davao Region] magpatindog na ta sa regional office, mapadaghan na nato ang atong mga personnel, and magdownload na ta ng dugang funding (Here in Region 11, we are building our regional office, which, in return, will increase our personnel, and we could download additional funding),” he added.
Reports indicate that three senators are pushing for an increase in the proposed P13.75 billion budget for DMW in 2024.
Senators Joel Villanueva, Raffy Tulfo, and DMW budget sponsor Senator JV Ejercito are advocating for additional funding to prevent the risk of compromising crucial welfare initiatives for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) if the department's realignment proposal is accepted.
Cacdac clarified that the budget primarily focuses on establishing regional offices and covering improvements abroad. He assured that the budget allocation for the regional office in Davao is already secured. This will enable the expansion of personnel and the provision of additional funding for welfare, psychosocial support, livelihood assistance, and other essential services.
The DMW aims to bridge gaps and eliminate disparities by initiating reintegration programs at the regional level, contributing to the overall success of the department's mission. ICE