MANILA, Philippines – The Senate finance committee on Monday, September 18, approved the proposed P15.54-billion budget of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) for 2024.

The budget interpellations at the committee level were extended after the first hearing on September 11, since the department requested for a P5.1-billion realignment from its attached agency, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), to the Office of the Secretary.

The realignment stemmed from senators’ criticism of underutilization of the DMW budget.

Migrant Workers Undersecretary Anthonette Allones earlier explained that the utilization was brought down by the OWWA’s emergency repatriation fund, which is not used if there are no repatriations during emergency situations.

The DMW reported a 27% utilization rate as of August 31, which accounts for the utilization rates of the Office of the Secretary and the OWWA.

The panel’s approved budget is lower than the department’s 2023 allocation of P15.8 billion.

The DMW’s P15.54-billion proposed budget stands unchanged from the Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) allocation for the DMW in the 2024 National Expenditure Program, despite the DMW initially requesting for an almost-double P29.49 billion.

The Philippine government’s newest department, created in December 2021, is also still undergoing a transition period that involves the merging and transferring of functions from other departments that catered to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) before the DMW was created, such as the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

For instance, in July, the DFA transferred the jurisdiction of OFWs availing of its Assistance to Nationals program in areas with migrant workers offices (formerly Philippine overseas labor offices). DMW Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Hans Cacdac said that in effect, the DMW absorbed 16,000 cases from the DFA.

OFW Hospital

One of the items the DBM did not retain in the DMW’s 2024 budget is funding for the OFW Hospital in Pampanga, Allones said. Then-president Rodrigo Duterte established the hospital through an executive order with the intention of exclusively serving OFWs and their families. It began operations in May 2022.

Allones said that upon the DMW raising the concern, the DBM advised them to negotiate with lawmakers to add the funding back.

Senator Bong Go, chair of the Senate health committee, noted the need to clarify which department should handle the OFW Hospital’s operations.

“Dapat may kakayahan talagang magdala ng ospital ang magdala nitong…ospital ‘yan eh. So sinong may mga doktor, expertise? Sila po dapat [mamuno]. Pag-uusapan na lang po unang una, pinaka-importante rito may pondo, pangalawa suporta, manpower, personnel,” said Go.

(The administration of the hospital should have the capability to run a hospital. So who has the doctors, expertise? They should be the ones running it. More discussions will come – most importantly on funds, and second, support, manpower, and personnel.)

Go lamented the quality of the hospital’s services, and referenced Senator Raffy Tulfo’s visit to the hospital in July. Tulfo earlier reported that the hospital was like a “ghost town,” and was only servicing two in-patients during the time of his visit – one of whom was an employee of the hospital. He also discovered incomplete stocks of medicines, and how the outpatient unit was closed on weekends.

The hospital also had modern medical equipment that “appeared unused,” according to a statement from Tulfo’s office.

“We must address immediately which department should be handling the hospital. We should not let this go to waste, because this is a great project,” Go said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Seeming to contradict the “ghost town” report, OFW Hospital OIC Dr. Gerardo Legaspi said that the hospital has served over 20,000 patients since it began operations.

“The trend of increasing patients is there as in any new hospital. Unfortunately, we are in a transition period. The previous…administrator department was the Department of Labor and Employment and it transitioned to DMW. The processes also have to transfer regarding the hospital management,” explained Legaspi.

Millions needed for unique programs

Tulfo, who chairs the Senate migrant workers committee, raised the need for a comprehensive monitoring program for children left behind by their OFW parents.

He brought up the specific issue following a concern recently brought to his Wanted sa Radyo program, where five- and six-year-old daughters of an OFW were reportedly raped by their father. The OFW had to make an untimely homecoming after their neighbor reported the abuse, Tulfo said.

“Gusto kong…dagdagan pa ng budget ‘yun bang programang komprehensibo na tututok sa kapakanan at seguridad ng mga anak ng mga OFW na naiwan dito to ensure that they are safe,” he said.

(I want to increase the budget for a comprehensive program that will focus on the welfare and security of OFWs’ children left here to ensure that they are safe.)

Tulfo said that this program would require the involvement of local DMW offices, local government units, local social welfare offices, and women’s and children’s police desks to conduct regular monitoring.

Cacdac welcomed Tulfo’s suggestion. He initially estimated that some P50 million to P500 million would be needed per administrative region for this project alone.

OWWA Administrator Arnell Ignacio said the agency has an OFW Children’s Circle that conducts activities for OFWs’ children such as arts, sports, and financial literacy, but a comprehensive monitoring program has yet to be developed.

Bills looking to establish such protection and monitoring programs for OFWs’ children are pending at the committee level in both chambers of Congress. – Rappler.com