Ople vows full transparency of DMW's P16.3-B budget for 2023
Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople vowed to make transparent the disbursement of the approved P16.3 billion budget of the department for 2023.
"This is a historic day for all overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and OFW advocates around the world. We thank the Senate for recognizing the need to augment, and approve the DMW's 2023 budget, the department’s first-ever requirement for its full constitution,” said Ople during the approval of the DMW budget.
“We commit to full transparency, accountability, and judicious use of public funds,” she added.
Ople said the budget will support the programs of the Office of the Secretary, which include setting up 16 DMW Regional Offices and Centers across the country.
She said it will also help fund the Overseas Employment Adjudication Offices in the National Capital Region (NCR) and in regions 3, 4-A, 7, and 11; expand the Migrant Workers Offices (MWOs), formerly known as Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs), in selected overseas locations.
Meanwhile, the Senate provided an additional appropriation of P500 million for the operationalization of the OFW hospital in Mabalacat, Pampanga, and additional P100 million extra funding for the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) for the establishment of welfare regional offices in Mindanao.
Ople said the additional funding for the DMW allows the OFW Hospital to hire personnel for its 229 regular staff positions, acquire new equipment, and fund its operating expenses.
Other key programs to be funded, according to Ople, are the digital modernization of the DMW’s information and communications technology capability, and capital outlay for the department’s head office, the 16 new regional offices, as well as for the National Maritime Polytechnic in Tacloban, Leyte.