DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac (DMW)

The Commission on Appointments (CA) is set to resume consideration of the ad interim appointment of Hans Leo Cacdac as secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel said on Monday, Aug. 19. 

“Secretary Cacdac will face the CA’s Committee on Labor, Employment, Social Welfare, and Migrant Workers for the second time on Tuesday, Aug. 20,”  Pimentel said. 

Four individuals – Ferdinand Delos Reyes, Roberto Tan, Tirso Paglicawan Jr., and Jinalyn Narciso – have lodged “sworn oppositions” to Cacdac’s appointment, according to Pimentel, the CA’s assistant minority leader. 

Pimentel did not disclose the nature of the oppositions filed under oath against Cacdac. 

“In the spirit of fairness, the objections would be best ventilated at the hearing, where Secretary Cacdac can answer them directly,” said the veteran congressman. 

The particular CA panel is chaired by Negros Occidental 6th district Rep. Mercedes Alvarez. 

Cacdac, 56, was previously bypassed by the CA when the Alvarez panel first met on May 23 and deferred consideration of his original appointment due to lack of material time. 

President Marcos reappointed Cacdac as DMW head the following day. 

The Alvarez panel was supposed to take up Cacdac’s reappointment last Aug. 7, but that meeting was canceled at the last minute. 

A lawyer by profession, Cacdac was a long-time DMW undersecretary and officer-in-charge before he was tapped as department head by Malacañang. 

He also previously headed the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). 

The Constitution empowers the 25-member CA to vet the competence, fitness, and integrity of key presidential appointees – from Cabinet members to senior military officers and diplomats – and to approve or reject them. 

The CA is composed of 12 members each from the House and the Senate, with the Senate President as ex-officio presiding officer.