THE Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’ s plan to create a Department of Overseas Filipino Workers to attend to the needs of Filipinos living and working abroad.
The President made the announcement during his visit to Qatar, adding he would discuss this with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III as soon as possible.
CBCP -Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People (CBCP-ECMI) chairman Bishop Ruperto Santos said the plan of Presidento Duterte to create a department for overseas Filipino workers would definitely help millions of OFWs, particularly those in distress..
“We at CBCP-ECMI appreciate kind gestures and compassion of our government towards our OFWs,” the bishop said.
Remittances from overseas Filipino workers fuel household consumption. They play a crucial role in the economy’s growth.
The prelate said it was high time and very necessary to give more importance and caring protection to our OFWs.
“We support the creation of department for OFW so that their specific needs will be properly attended to; their basic interests will solely be safeguarded and their personal rights and privileges will be promoted and preserved,” Santos said.
“The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration will be under the watch of this new Department for OFW, so that common and united efforts for the welfare and wellbeing of our OFWs will be rightly and justly addressed,” the CBCP official added.