Sto. Tomas downplays ouster move

She won’t budge.

Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas said yesterday she is confident she will retain her post despite moves by disgruntled employees of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to oust her.

"I am not disturbed because my conscience is clear and I have never done anything that is against the interest of the labor sector or against the interest of overseas Filipino workers for that matter," she said, reacting to reports that OWWA employees have launched a signature campaign for her ouster.

Contrary to reports, Sto. Tomas said she never ordered the closure of OWWA nor was it her sole decision to stop the welfare agency from disbursing funds starting July 1.

She said it was the collective decision of the OWWA board of trustees to restrain the agency from disbursing funds until it has submitted a viable budget proposal for 2002.

OWWA chief Wilhelm Soriano, however, insisted that the welfare agency is authorized to operate even without an approved budget.

He dismissed reports of alleged overspending of OWWA funds as "unfair" and an "irrational attempt to cast doubt on (my) integrity." — Mayen Jaymalin