DMW pushes extra budget for establishing 16 regional offices
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) wants more budget for next year to fund the establishment of their 16 regional offices.
In a statement, DMW Secretary Susan Ople said they do not have the capital outlay to fund their aligned projects for 2023, especially the proposal of building extra offices that will house the services for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families.
"We don't have the capital outlay to ensure that every regional office will have a service vehicle, computers, printers, and other equipment to serve our OFWs and their families per region," said Ople.
The DMW proposed a P15.2-billion budget for 2023, including the appropriation of its attached agencies such as the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
Ople thanked the Senate Finance Committee for swiftly passing the DMW budget.
"We welcome the offer of our senators to find ways and means to support and augment our 2023 budget taking into consideration the sustainability of our programs and services including the full operations of the country's only OFW Hospital," Ople added.
When asked about the deployment cap involving health workers, Ople said the DMW, Department of Health (DoH), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Commission of Higher Education (CHED) will meet on Monday, October 10, to agree on how best to address this concern.
"In our bilateral labor talks with countries that wish to avail of the services of Filipino health workers, we can perhaps also seek their support by way of scholarship grants through the DoH," Ople said.