DMW seeks special power to approve pending appointments unsigned by Ople

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is asking Malacanang to give its officer-in-charge a specific power to sign appointments that were left pending after the death of former Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople.

“I know first year pa lang ng DMW. TInitingnan ko po yung unfilled positions, medyo malaki pa rin kasi 60.9% of your manpower--this is more than half of your manpower remains unfilled for 2023," said Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva during the Senate Finance Committee hearing on the DMW’s proposed P15.542 billion budget for 2024.

"[The unfilled positions are] still the same, I think, as last year, and we wanted to find out if our recruitment procedures are working,” Villanueva added.

According to Villanueva's data, there were 1,279 unfilled positions out of 1,785 authorized positions for 2024 in the Office of the Secretary, while there were 89 unfilled positions out of 490 authorized positions in the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

In 2023, there were 1,279 unfilled positions out of 1,739 authorized positions in the Office of the Secretary, while there were 89 unfilled positions out of the 490 authorized positions in the OWWA.

Migrant Workers Undersecretary Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones confirmed Villanueva’s observations and admitted that the recruitment process in the DMW was slow.

However, there were appointments that were subject to approval, but these were not signed by Ople, who passed away last month.

“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 (officer-in-charge) po si Usec. Hans [Cacdac], 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,” she said.

(We've completed a lot of these. In fact, we had submitted these appointments to Secretary Toots Ople. She was just unable to sign these last July. Because Undersecretary Hans Cacdac is the OIC, we asked Malacanang to provide the specific authority to sign appointments because even our attachés' movements are affected.)

Allones added that they were looking to complete the recruitment process by November.

“We concur with your observation na medyo mabagal yung proseso. We became a victim of our own advocacy announcements," she explained.

(We concur with your observation that the process is slow. We became a victim of our own advocacy announcements.)

Allones added that when they announced the recruitment vacancies last March, they received 16,000 applications.

The department, however, strove to be fair to all these applicants and complied with the civil service established recruitment rules.

“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.

Villanueva suggested the DMW officials formalize their request for the special power through a letter, so senators can raise the matter with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin whom they will meet in the next few days.

“Address po natin agad ‘yan, give us a draft. We’ll help you bring it to the Palace, and we will have a chance to speak with the Executive Secretary in a couple of days. Then we can raise it para magtuloy-tuloy na po para hindi mabinbin,” the senator said.

(Let's get this done immediately, give us a draft. We’ll help you bring it to the Palace, and we will have a chance to speak with the Executive Secretary in a couple of days. Then we can raise it, and it goes forward without delay.) — DVM, GMA Integrated News