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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Emotional DMW budget hearing wraps up in only 18 mins; House pays respects to Ople

Emotional DMW budget hearing wraps up in only 18 mins; House pays respects to Ople

Published Aug 24, 2023 11:21 am

At A Glance

  • The hearing on the 2024 budget of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Thursday afternoon, Aug. 24 was short, bittersweet, and emotional. 

The #MarcosCabinet: Toots Ople, DMW secretary

The late DMW Secretary Susan "Toots" Ople

The hearing on the 2024 budget of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Thursday afternoon, Aug. 24 was short, bittersweet, and emotional.

Recognizing that the DMW family of officials was still grieving following the death its secretary, Susan "Toots" Ople only last Tuesday, Aug. 22, the House Committee on Appropriations ended the agency’s budget hearing in just 18 minutes.

The hearing began at 5:09 p.m. Thursday, with committee vice chairman, Quezon 2nd district Rep. David "Jay-jay" Suarez asking the members to observe a minute of silent prayer in honor of the departed Ople.

Budget presentations in the House almost never turn emotional, but that's what happened when DMW Undersecretary for Finance and Internal Management Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones began her slide show on their budget.

"On behalf of Secretary 'Toots' Ople and her family, we would like to thank you for your prayers and consoling thoughts in this moment of great loss to us," Allones told the House panel as she tried to compose herself.

Her voice cracking, she continued: "While it is a time of grief and loss, it is also a time of celebration. We celebrate the life of Toots Ople, her service and the leadership example that she has shown us."

"A life of service that is marked by probity, compassion, transparency, and accountability. And it is in that spirit that it is with great pride that we'll walk you through the details of our proposed 2024 budget appropriations for the Department of Migrant Workers, and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)," Allones said.

But at this point, the panel chose to show courtesy by to DMW officials by cutting the budget presentation short and quickly moving on to the questions and manifestations of the solons.

Hardly any of them asked questions to the DMW contingent, with the likes of Kabayan Party-list Rep. Ron Salo, the chairman of the Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs; and OFW Party-list Rep. Marissa Magsino choosing instead to state sweet tributes to Ople for her advocacy of assisting migrant Filipinos.

The last solon to interpellate was House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Macelino Libanan. He shared to the panel that he was able to work closely with Ople during his days as Bureau of Immigration ( BI) commissioner.

"She fought for the welfare of our migrant workers and also to prevent our citizens [from] being trafficked to other countries. Kaya nakita ko po yung kasipagan at galing ni Secretary Toots Ople (With that, I saw the diligence and skill of Secretary Toot Ople)," Libanan said.

He then moved for the termination of the DMW budget hearing--a motion that was swiftly carried.

Suarez noted that the DMW was also celebrating its first year anniversary.

Related Tags

susan toots ople Department of Migrant Workers
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