Following his appointment as the officer-in-charge of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac has made a steadfast commitment to continue the legacy of the late Secretary Susan Ople by pursuing the programs and projects she championed for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
These initiatives include the bolstering of the One Repatriation Command Center, ramping up efforts against illegal recruitment and human trafficking, extending legal, medical, and humanitarian aid through the P1.2B AKSYON Fund, and the ongoing development of the DMW through the establishment of 17 proposed regional centers and four additional Migrant Workers Offices overseas.
In a statement released on Friday, Cacdac affirmed that there is much to be accomplished in a limited time.
“As we remain in grief and mourning over the loss of our dearest Secretary Toots, we adhere to her constant reminder that there is so much to be done, with so little time. Indeed, our dear OFWs expect no less from each and every one of us here at the DMW, their home in government,” Cacdac said.
He also expressed admiration for Ople’s tireless dedication, recounting her personal overseas visits to oversee the repatriation of OFWs and assess the condition of distressed workers.
Moreover, Cacdac has committed to emulating Ople’s work ethic, emphasizing that it guided the DMW in assisting distressed and trafficked OFWs.
He noted his focus on completing the recruitment for nearly 1,000 positions within the department and enhancing the DMW’s full-cycle reintegration program for OFWs, providing a fitting conclusion to their overseas labor journey.
Cacdac bared that the DMW will “continue the engagements with host countries and entering into new, more equitable bilateral arrangements that assure the rights and provide for the protection and welfare of our modern-day heroes.”
