OFW News
New joint inter-agency
manual for OFWs launched
I
nter-agency cooperation to ensure efficient and
effective delivery of services to to the new “Joint
Manual of Operations in Providing Assistance to
Migrant Workers and Other Filipinos Overseas.”
Among the parties involved were: Department
of Labor and Employment through its agencies
such as OWWA, POEA; Department of Foreign Affairs
through its agencies such as OUMWA; Department of
Health thru Philhealth, SSS; and such other agencies
involved in overseas workers’ affairs and concerns.
The manual also seeks to campaign for “country
team approach” adopted by all foreign service posts in
the conduct of diplomacy overseas to protect migrant
Filipinos as provided for in Pres. Executive Order No.
74, series of 1993.
Under the new scheme, all government personnel in
overseas posts are expected regardless of their mother
agencies on a per country basis, act as one country team
with a mission under the leadership of the Foreign
Ambassador in that country.
Present during the signing included the lead
agency heads such as Foreign Secretary Albert del
Rosario, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, officials
and representatives of the Department of Health,
Department of Social Welfare, the Congressional
Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs, partylists and
NGOs.
Secretaries Del Rosario and Baldoz took turns in
encouraging concerted action for all OFWs needing
assistance in their foreign posts. They paid tribute to
the staff and officials who labored for years to make the
historic document exhaustive and really operational.
Among those who stood as witnesses were: Cong.
Nicanor M. Briones of House Committee on Overseas
Affairs, Cong. Roy Seneres of OFW Partylist, Cong.
Leah S. Paquiz of Nars Partylist, and Cong. Scott Davies
S. Lanete.
On hand as guests were: DFA Usec Jesus I. Yabes,
Senate Usec Antonio A. Gallardo, Larence L. Acierto,
Atty. Chris Lomibao, Felizardo R. Colambo, Susan
Ople, Ellene Sana, Jun Aguilar, Ricardo Casco of
IOM, Pastors Rene Bunsoy, Carlo Dino, Carlo Sampan
and Teodoro Inabayan of Global Filipino Movement
Foundation, and media people.
The manual gets its legal mandates from local and
international laws such as Vienna Convention on
Consular Relations (1963), and the International
Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all
Migrants Workers and Members
of their Families. It also has derived legal powers
from several national laws of the land including:
Philippine Foreign Service Act of 1991 (R.A. 7157);
Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of
1995 (R.A. 8042); Republic Act No. 10022 (An
Under the new scheme, all government personnel in overseas posts are
expected regardless of their mother agencies on a per country basis, act
as one country team with a mission under the leadership of the Foreign
Ambassador in that country.
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