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AUGUST 2019 NEWS
LTFRB: No more old jeepneys by 2020 Duterte wants Dept. of OFWs up by December

are really those who just refuse to accept and separate Department the International Labor Affairs Bureau Philippines for good.
understand. And that is really one of the main of Overseas Filipino will be transferred to this department. Go added that the bill also mandates the
challenges in implementing this program,” A Workers (OFWs) urrently, OFWs need to go to different creation of “OFW Malasakit Centers” in all
Corpuz said. should be established within government agencies to secure provinces and major cities to ensure prompt
Corpuz also criticized groups saying that six months to address the needed documents and present other and efficient provision of services to OFWs
they should be allowed to adjust and adopt persistent woes of OFWs with concerns such as employment and and their families such as acquisition of
gradually to the shift. “This started in 2017. regard to illegal recruiters technical education. Go emphasized government permits, validation of overseas
Isn’t that considered gradual? Three years and other labor malpractices, the need to streamline services for job offers, grievance and complaints desks
already and it is not still gradual?” he said. according to President Duterte. migrant workers. “They shouldn’t be and reintegration services.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade The proposed department passed around from one agency to the Duterte instructed Labor Secretary
earlier said there is no stopping the PUV will ban recruitment of OFWs next. They don’t have to go through Silvestre Bello III to coordinate with
modernization program despite a few who abroad and will put Philippine- confusing government processes. One lawmakers and immediately work on the
are opposing it. based recruitment agencies department will answer all of their requirements for the establishment of the
Tugade earlier instructed the Office of under strict government needs.” said OFW department, which he wants done
Transportation Cooperatives to fasttrack regulation. “Kaya apurahin President Duterte greets guests during the ‘Araw ng Pasasalamat’ Balanga, Bataan Bishop Ruperto Santos by December. The President also mulled
approvals of transport groups intending ko ‘yang Department of OFW. for overseas Filipino workers held at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the creation of a separate department for
to modernize their fleet and consolidate Bawal na ang recruitment sa City the other day. the Philippines-Episcopal Commission maritime workers as they have also been
into cooperatives to further strengthen the abroad... sa labas. So, under on Migrants and Itinerant People abused by their recruiters and managements.
Senator Bong Go supported Duterte’s
country’s shift towards the utilization of the supervision of government at walang (CBCP-ECMI), echoed Go, saying the proposal Duterte revealed other plans towards
modern public utility vehicles. —Philstar horrendous charges. By December… buong proposal by filing Senate Bill 202, or the of the President to set up a Department of OFW welfare, including deploying more police
Department of Overseas Filipinos Act of 2019.
Pilipinas ‘to (I will fasttrack that Department OFWs intends to create a “one-stop shop” that attachés to countries with a huge number of
“The President wants OFWs to avoid
of OFWs. Outside recruitment will be banned. illegal recruiters. Many of their victims have would spare those planning to work abroad Filipino workers. He said OFWs can approach
DOH declares national dengue alert So, under the supervision of the government approached us. This has to stop,” Go said in from going to several government offices at the police attachés if they encounter abuses
and with no horrendous charges. This will
Filipino. The senator’s measure proposes the different locations. or security concerns abroad.
be in the entire Philippines by December),” “We at CBCP-ECMI support and The President further added he would
establishment of a Department of Overseas
Duterte said during the Araw ng Pasasalamat encourage the creation of an OFW provide a budget to equip a hospital intended
Filipinos to serve as the umbrella agency to
for OFWs ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo. Department,” said Bishop Santos. for OFWs, located in Nueva Ecija, with state-
address all the issues and concerns of Filipinos
The President further warned illegal The measure further creates an Overseas of-the-art medical equipment such as MRI
abroad. Once passed into law, the functions of
and abusive recruiters that their days are Filipinos Assistance Fund to provide financial and CT Scan machines.
the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency,
numbered, as they could no longer operate support to Filipino migrants in distress, When asked about the likelihood of
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration,
without direct government supervision. He inclusive of repatriation and provisions for the proposed measure passing, Go had high
Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of the
urged those who want to work abroad to life-saving funds in times of great emergency hopes that the President will certify the OFW
Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs,
engage the services of legal recruiters. or distress, and provides training and Department Bill as urgent to get it passed into
the Commission on Filipinos Overseas and
Former presidential aide and current livelihood loans to OFWs returning to the law before the year ends. — Philstar
Health Secretary
Francisco Duque III
said that Code Blue
Alert has also been raised for the National
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Council (NDRRMC) health cluster.
Mindanao and Cordillera Administrative
Region. Western Visayas had the most
number of reported dengue cases so far this
year with 13,164, followed by Calabarzon
(11,474 cases), Central Visayas (9,199 cases),
Soccsksargen (9,107 cases) and Northern
Mindanao (8,739 cases). “Dengue is a viral
disease with no known vaccine or specific
antivirals,” Duque explained. “Effective
surveillance can also help in reducing cases
and deaths if areas with clustering of cases
are identified early.” —Inquirer
Pag-IBIG grants 12K socialized
housing loans to low-wage earners

This is the essence of the BALAI
(Building Adequate, Livable, Affordable
and Inclusive) Filipino Communities
Program of the government’s housing sector
towards providing decent shelter for every
Filipino family,” said Secretary Eduardo del
Rosario, Chairperson of the Housing and
Urban Development Coordinating Council
(HUDCC) and Pag-IBIG Fund Board of
Trustees. Socialized housing loans are up to
PHP580,000 for a 32 square-meter residential
unit in a horizontal housing project. Under its
Affordable Housing Loan Program, Pag-IBIG
Fund maintains the lowest interest rate in the
market of 3 percent per annum – a special rate
it has provided for minimum and low-wage
workers since May of 2017.
EARNERS
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