PAG-AARALANG mabuti ng komite sa paggawa ng Senado kung wasto ba na magkaroon ng Department of Overseas Filipino Workers (DOFWs) kung ang direksyon ng administrasyong Duterte ay “rightsizing” ng burukrasya.

Ipinahayag ito ni Senador Joel Villanueva, chairman ng Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, Human Resources and Development dahil kailangang “balansehin” ang pagkakaroon ng panibagong kagawaran habang mayroong nakasalang na Senate Bill 244 (S.B. 244) na ang layunin ay bawasan ang ahensiya ng pamahalaan.

Ayon sa senador, sinimulan na nilang talakayin at busisiin ang mungkahing DOFWs matapos na ipadala ng Kamara de Representantes ang inaprubahan nitong panukalang tungkol sa naturang kagawaran.

Ngunit mayroong ilang senador ang nagdadalawang isip na unahin ang DOFWs, ayon sa mambabatas.

Bukod sa DOFWs, nakapila rin sa Senado ang panukalang batas hinggil sa pagtatayo ng Department of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DDRRMC) dahil masyadong palyado ang National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DRRMC).

Noong Pebrero 2019, itinatag ang Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) na siyang magtitiyak sa programang pabahay ng pamahalaan para sa mahihirap na pamilya.

Inihayag ni Villanueva, “During the deliberations on the 2021 budget, there are members of the Senate who shared their reservations on the creation of new departments, including the Department of Overseas Filipinos. On the record, the Rightsizing bill was also identified as part of the legislative agenda in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) for 2017 to 2020 and was also included in the President’s SONA last year”.

Sa kabilang banda, napakahalaga rin ng DOFWs dahil “[there is a] need for better services for OFWs has been clearer with the pandemic triggering massive layoffs around the world”, paglilinaw ng senador.

“The lawmaker emphasized the need to address the plight of Filipino migrant workers who have suffered due to illegal recruitment, exploitative work conditions, and encountered issues with reintegration and repatriation”, pahabol na argumento ng mambabatas. (NELSON S. BADILLA)