“We will perform the necessary audit. We will seek the required legal opinion from the DOJ and we will engage with the COA.” – New OWWA administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan
The Department of Migrant Workers is investigating the alleged anomalous P1.4-billion land acquisition deal of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) under its past leadership.
“There’s an investigation (and) I will allow due process to take its course,” said newly appointed OWWA administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
“As the new administrator of OWWA, we will perform the necessary audit. We will seek the required legal opinion from the Department of Justice and we will engage with the Commission on Audit,” she added.
DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac earlier told GMA News Online that former OWWA administrator Arnell Ignacio was removed from his post due to “loss of trust and confidence” over the alleged anomalous P1.4-billion land acquisition deal he entered into that was not authorized by the OWWA Board.
Caunan said the land purchase deal was supposed to be for a “half-way house” or dormitory-type accommodation of OFWs near NAIA Terminal 1.
“Let’s go back to OWWA law. It says there that the power to purchase a real property — the approval should be with the Board of Trustees of OWWA. The regular process or what is expected is that purchases should go through the Board of Trustees,” she said.
Ignacio told GMA News Online he would address the matter in a proper forum, declining to issue a statement, but expressed “shock” about what happened.
As this developed, Caunan said she would push for programs that would prioritize the health and literacy of OFWs.
“We will study how to expand the scholarship, not only for the children of OFWs but for OFWs themselves,” she said.
“There are two issues: education and health. They have sick relatives to help or they have children to educate, so that’s what we’ll focus on, but we won’t forget their welfare or repatriation,” she added.