President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has reappointed Hans Leo Cacdac as the ad interim secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
The reappointment of Cacdac, indicated in a list of presidential appointees released by Malacañang on Friday, demonstrates President Marcos’ continued trust and confidence on the official.
The Second Regular Session of the 19th Congress adjourned sine die on Thursday, prompting the CA to defer Cacdac’s confirmation.
Before this, President Marcos appointed Cacdac as ad interim Secretary of the DMW in April this year, seven months after he was designated as officer-in-charge of the department in September 2023. He was designated DMW officer-in-charge after the passing of former Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople in August last year.
Cacdac served as Undersecretary of the DMW; Executive Director V of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA); Executive Director V of the Philippine Employment Administration (POEA); and Undersecretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
He also served as Deputy Executive Director V of the POEA; Executive Director IV of the National Conciliation Mediation Board-DOLE; Director IV of the Bureau of Labor Relations-DOLE; and Associate Lawyer and Urban Poor Unit Coordinator of the Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligal (SALIGAN) in the private sector.
The President meanwhile directed the DMW to provide support to the families of 20 Filipino mariners caught in recent attacks in the Red Sea.
“We are handholding the families as directed by the President,” Cacdac said during a news forum on Saturday.
“We have been meeting them often, either in person or virtually. And just recently, a few families went back to our office and we talked to them, continuing our conversations with the Galaxy Leader families, supporting them through these tough times,” he added.
The incidents involved two vessels: the container ship MSC Aries, which was seized by Iranian authorities, had three Filipino seafarers on board; and the Galaxy Leader, attacked by Houthi rebels.
Moreover, Cacdac said amid the incidents involving the captured Filipino seafarers, the Philippines has set a record for an all-time high deployment of Filipino mariners in 2023.
“In 2023, we hit an all-time high. We surpassed five hundred thousand, so our demand for maritime seafarers continues,” Cacdac said.
According to Cacdac, approximately 30% of Filipino seafarers are currently in the country, awaiting deployment.
He also mentioned that the significant deployment of Filipino seafarers last year remained unaffected by the challenges faced in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Last month, DMW issued an order barring Filipino seafarers from boarding foreign vessels sailing the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.