OPENING REMARKS
By Senator Joel Villanueva

Good morning.

Today is not the first time that we will tackle the proposed establishment of a separate department for our Overseas Filipino Workers.

To refresh your memory, we already conducted a series of public hearings on this matter in 2018 during the 17th Congress. We already conducted a series of public hearings on this and we tackled this during one of our hearings and even in the budget hearings here in the Senate.

We also recently raised this proposal during the plenary deliberations on the 2021 budget. We want to get the endorsement of our economic managers, and we want to hear their recommendations as well. [At kung talagang kailangan po, and I was told that it is a certified measure by the president. So we will ask that question later.

[Alam n'yo naman na po siguro kung bakit pinipiga ng husto kung ito ba ay kailangan at importante at sertipikado at yung ating ekspiryensya noon gating tinatackle young ENDO eh katakot-takot na hearings yung kinonduct natin and then at the end of the day ma-ve-veto lang pala ng ating pangulo. Sana hindi po natin maranasan iyon sa pagkakataong ito

However, the comments and the reservations of some of our colleagues on the establishment of new departments amid the pandemic reverberated more loudly. I must admit that the challenge for this proposal is much greater now. [But we also want to take note of the overwhelming support for the counterpart measure in the lower house, House Bill No. 5832, which is also under consideration in this hearing.]

As the Chair of this committee, our position remains the same. Our goal is to address the plight of our modern-day heroes and to provide them with more and better services.

Every year, 1.5 million OFWs get deployed abroad. And every year, we see on the news various cases on illlegal recruitment and other scams, exploitative work conditions, as well as problems with reintegration and repatriation.

And the policy question prevails today as in 2018. Do we need a "maestro" to orchestrate, synchronize, and harmonize policies regarding OFWs? Kailangan po ba talaga ng isang departamento o yung isinusulong si Sen. Marcos na isang Autortiy. So what would be the difference kung ganoon po?

At magmula po noong 2018 na nag-hearing tayo tungkol sa panukalang ito, may nadagdag po ba sa mga "research" natin to support the need for a separate department for OFWs? Kung meron po, gusto po nating marinig ang lahat nang iyan.

We want to look at this issue more objectively. First, how will a new department improve the delivery of services for OFWs? And second, what are the key areas that need improvement, and what interventions are necessary? If it is mainly about information dissemination and coordination regarding OFW procedures and laws, would it really require a new department?

We are here today to hear developments on this proposal. We want to understand where the clamor is coming from, especially in the present context of the changing labor market dynamics across the globe, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you recall, when this measure was filed, nagkaroon po ng paguusap ang mga executives, part of the executive dept. Cab Sec. Carlo Nograles who will be giving us a presentation of what they have talked about yung latest update because even the latest measure that we filed here in this particular committee which is supposed to be the unified measure was again revised and amended due to the ongoing collaboration and coordination with the different agencies of the government.

We are all here ready to listen and ready to help our OFWs through a policy intervention amid these uncertain and challenging times. We are open to inputs from all stakeholders.

Our dream for our OFWs is big. We must ensure full cycle upliftment, not just for assistance and service during pre-deployment and deployment, but more so on the improvement of the lives of OFWs and their families when they return to the country.

Maraming salamat po.