KABAYAN party-list Rep. Ron Salo on Sunday said the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs will conduct public consultations and hearings to discuss measures to support President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s programs for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), especially those returning to the country.
Salo said he received instructions from Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez for his panel to continue working during the congressional break to act on pending bills that aim to benefit the OFWs.
“Upon the instruction of Speaker Romualdez, my panel will be holding a comprehensive public consultation and hearing in order to gather input and insights from various stakeholders in the development of robust plans and policies to help the Marcos administration better support returning OFWs,” he said.
“This is a testament to the genuine desire of the House of Representatives to effectively fulfil its mandate and responsibility to the Filipino people amid all the political noise. We have a job to do and we will not be distracted in our efforts of promoting the welfare of our OFWs,” he added.
Congress is on a month-long break starting Sept. 28 and will resume sessions on Nov. 6.
Romualdez gave all standing committees the authority to conduct hearings during the break.
“This directive is made more relevant in light of the repatriation of OFWs amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. As our brave OFWs return to our homeland, often after enduring various challenges abroad, we believe it is our duty to provide them with comprehensive support and assistance,” Salo said.
He said his panel would look into possible legislation to protect OFWs and ensure their better reintegration into society in consonance with the Marcos administration’s programs for the welfare of overseas Filipinos.
“We will begin by conducting a briefing with the relevant government agencies such as the DMW (Department of Migrant Workders), OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Admistration), DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs), and TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority), among others, on the existing government assistance to OFWs. From there, we will formulate additional policies and make existing ones more efficient and effective,” he cited.
One possible proposal to focus on is a pension system for OFWs to be jointly paid for by their employers and the OFWs themselves,and as well as retraining at the TESDA and other similar programs of the government.
“As heroes of modern times, our OFWs deserve more from their government. As such, we will also be looking at legislation that will extend financial aid and scholarship programs for their dependents, for their families,” he said.