The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has urged Malacanang to grant its officer-in-charge the authority to approve pending appointments left unsigned after the passing of former Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople.
According to a GMA News report, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva highlighted that over 60 percent of positions remain unfilled for 2023, with 1,279 vacancies out of 1,785 authorized positions in the Office of the Secretary.
“I know first year pa lang ng DMW. TInitingnan ko po yung unfilled positions, medyo malaki pa rin kasi 60.9 percent of your manpower, this is more than half of your manpower remains unfilled for 2023,” Villanueva said during the Senate Finance Committee hearing on the DMW’s proposed P15.542 billion budget for 2024.
“Still the same, I think, as last year, and we wanted to find out if our recruitment procedures are working,” he added.
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration also has 89 unfilled positions out of 490 authorized positions.
Migrant Workers Undersecretary Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones confirmed the slow recruitment process and mentioned that some appointments await approval but were not signed by Ople before her passing.
Allones noted that the DMW eyes to complete the recruitment process by November, adhering to civil service rules.
“Actually sir, marami na kaming natapos katunayan po na-submit naming kay Secretary Toots ‘yung mga appointments hindi lang po niya napirmahan nu’ng July. Dahil OIC po si Usec. Hans, nire-request din po sana namin ang Malacañang na magbigay po ng specific power to sign appointments dahil kahit po ‘yung movements ng aming mga attaché ay naapektuhan sa ngayon,” Allones said.
“But the good news, sir, is that it’s moving. We are targeting to complete, barring any disapproval from Comelec of the ban on appointments, which will begin by Thursday this week. We hope to complete the processes, deliberations by end of November,” she added.
Meanwhile, Villanueva advised DMW officials to formalize their request for special signing authority through a letter, which they can present to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin in the upcoming days. This step would facilitate timely appointments and address the current backlog.
