DEPARTMENT OF Migrant Workers (DMW) will take over the assistance-to-nationals (ATN) function from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) starting July 1, 2023.
In a virtual press briefing on Thursday, DMW Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac assured overseas Filipino workers of a smooth and seamless transition that will not affect or cause any gap in its services.
Cacdac said the transfer of the ATN function from the DFA is in accordance with Republic Act (RA) No. 11641 creating the Department of Migrant Workers Act signed by former President Rodrigo Duterte in December 2021 and is being implemented by virtue of a joint circular between the DFA and the DMW.
“At the DMW, we consider the transfer of ATN OFW services as being faithful to the DMW’s nature as articulated by Secretary (Susan) Ople with respect to the DMW being a home for the OFWs -- where OFWs are safe, protected -- and there is inclusivity and a diverse multifaceted set of services for OFWs and their families,” he said.
He said this will allow DMW to further provide services to OFWs and their families.
To date, DMW has 40 Migrant Workers Offices (MWO) around the globe.
ATN services
Among the ATN services being provided to OFWs are legal assistance, which Cacdac described as the most important service; repatriation of distressed OFWs; labor-related services; welfare assistance; shelter assistance; and emergency and crisis response.
He said legal assistance, which include enforcement of the rights and legal defense of OFWs abroad, “is the bread and butter of the ATN OFW service work that the DFA carried out.”
He clarified that ongoing cases involving OFWs will continue to be handled by the DFA but those that will be filed starting July 1 will be handled by the DMW.
“With respect to the lawyers, me pag-uusap na rin kami ng (we have discussed this with) DFA, and we have an AKSYON Fund to fund the lawyers who are currently handling the cases, so basta ang bottom line dito is (the bottom line here is) seamless and smooth and effective transition,” he said.
Cacdac said DMW has allocated a budget for the transition, citing the AKSYON Fund amounts to PHP1.082 billion as of June 22, 2023.
“We’ve saved enough money, we have carefully saved our fund,” he said.
Cacdac said the fund will be initially utilized for the first batch of legal retainerships in nine posts that include Taiwan, Brunei, Singapore, Dubai, Riyadh, Jordan, Lebanon, and Prague.
He said the funds will also be used for humanitarian assistance for distressed OFWs in Sudan, Kuwait, Turkiye, and for cases involving OFWs who are gravely ill and have unpaid hospital bills, and for children of OFWs who need care and safe repatriation services
Currently, Migrant Workers Officers are undergoing training given by DFA on ATN case handling, and on the delivery of ATN services.
Meanwhile, the DMW will issue its operational guidelines with process flows and forms next week. (Marita Moaje)
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