Palace stops recall of POEA officials

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has stopped the newly created Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) from taking over the reins of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), at least for now.

At a press briefing yesterday, director Rolly Francia of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Information and Publication Service said the Palace rejected the recommendation of DMW Secretary Salvador Mama-O to recall POEA officials.

“Please be informed that your recommendation cannot be favorably acted upon until conditions are met for the DMW to be fully constituted,” read the letter issued by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

Francia said the POEA would continue to operate as an attached agency of the DOLE.

“It means that all officials assigned by the President to the POEA, from deputy administrator to other officials will remain in their posts until after the DMW is duly constituted,” Francia said.

To be fully constituted, Medialdea said there must be an appropriation for the DMW in the 2023 General Appropriations Act.

Government agencies enumerated under Section 19 of Republic Act 11641 will continue to exist separately and perform their respective mandates, according to Medialdea.

Section 19 of RA 11641 lists the government agencies that will be consolidated and merged into the DMW.

Mama-O had proposed to Malacañang to recall the appointments of POEA officials due to the alleged dissolution of the agency.

An inter-agency transition committee submitted to Malacañang a draft implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the operations of the DMW.

Upon approval of the proposed IRR, it will be published in a national newspaper and will serve as a guide in the smooth transition leading to the constitution of the new Department of Migrant Workers.