ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo
MANILA – A party-list lawmaker on Wednesday called on the Senate to pass its version of the bill creating a new department for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as the falling oil prices could mean fewer jobs for OFWs in the Middle East.
ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo warned that demand for OFWs in the oil-rich countries and for sea-deployment would decline in the coming months with world crude oil prices falling to only USD23.75 per barrel as an aftershock of the coronavirus pandemic.
“This means more OFWs will be coming home and outgoing OFWs would have to find work elsewhere,” Tulfo said.
She said the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Foreign Affairs, and the National Economic and Development Authority should prepare for the return and reintegration of OFWs, as well as its consequent economic impact.
“DOLE should look for other countries where OFWs can be deployed. The Build-Build-Build program should have jobs for the technically-skilled OFWs – Pinoy engineers, architects, plumbers, electricians,” she said.
“It has now become even more urgent for the Senate to approve its version of the OFW Department bill when Congress reconvenes,” she added.
On March 11, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill 5832, which seeks to create a new department that shall be the primary agency tasked to protect the rights and promote the welfare of OFWs.
The measure is among the priority pieces of legislation that President Rodrigo Duterte has asked Congress to pass during his fourth State of the Nation Address.
Under the bill, the Department of Filipinos Overseas and Foreign Employment shall be mandated to formulate, plan, coordinate, promote, administer, implement policies, and undertake systematic national development programs for managing and monitoring the overseas or foreign employment of Filipino workers.
The department shall ensure that policies and programs are in place, particularly at the pre-deployment stage to adequately protect and prepare prospective Filipinos overseas, including OFWs. (PNA)
