Photo Release

Clarifying DMWOF's mandate: Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon introduces his amendments to Senate Bill No. 2234, which seeks to create a new department that would cater to overseas Filipino workers. During the hybrid plenary session Monday, December 13, 2021, Drilon proposed changing the name of the agency from the Department of Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos (DMWOF) to Department of Migrant Workers, to limit its jurisdiction to overseas employment and labor migration, while the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) would continue to have authority over other Filipinos overseas. Also among his amendments is to require the department to secure a written authorization from the President of the Philippines, through the DFA, before going to any international meetings or negotiations on treaties or executive agreements on matters within its mandate. Sen. Joel Villanueva, sponsor of SBN 2234, accepted Drilon's proposed amendments, with Sen. Francis Tolentino also saying that the provision would stress the DFA's "primordial role" in treaty negotiations. The minority leader likewise sought to ensure that the DFA would retain its assistance to national (ATN) and legal assistance funds for the benefit of other Filipinos abroad and for consular services. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)