Migrant Workers Secretary Susan ‘Toots’ Ople revealed that a new office inside the Department of Migrant Workers will receive and process all the repatriation requests of OFWs.
In a GMA News interview, Ople said that she already talked with Overseas Workers Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Hans Leo Cadac regarding the matter.
“Napag-usapan na namin na isang opisina na lang within the department ang tatanggap ng request for repatriation” Ople said.
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“Ilalabas namin this week ano ‘yung mga numerong pwedeng tawagan or sa Facebook page kung paano sila maka-get in-touch sa One Repatriation Command Center,” she added.
Ople said that her office will also intensify its policies towards illegal recruiters and human traffickers. She said that she will lead the DMW-Task Force Against Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons (TF-AIRTIP).
“In fact last Friday, may mga lumapit na sa amin na ‘yung anak niya ay biktima ng human trafficking sa Cambodia. So, ‘yun ang mga kaso na tatalakayin ng task force,” Ople added.
The Migrant Workers Offices have yet to be established abroad because they have yet to get an approved budget from the 2023 Appropriations Act.
“Hindi pa nakatatag ang MWOs dahil hinihintay pa namin ‘yung approval ng staffing pattern ng DBM at hinihintay namin na maisama kami sa 2023 GAA,” she added.
