PHILIPPINES, September 24 - Press Release
September 24, 2024

Opening Statement: FY 2025 DMW Budget Hearing
Senator Joel Villanueva
September 24, 2024

Mga kapwa ko senador, Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac, OWWA Administrator Arnel Ignacio, at sa lahat ng kapwa natin kawani ng gobyerno na nandito ngayong araw sa ating pagdinig, isang mapagpalang hapon po sa ating lahat.

Natatangi po ang kontribusyon ng ating mga OFWs, lalo na sa ekonomiya ng ating bansa. In 2023, their cash remittances reached USD33.49 billion, representing 8.5% of our GDP. In the past five years alone, their remittances have consistently accounted for 9% of our GDP.

Kaya naman noong ini-sponsoran po natin ang Republic Act No. 11641 na nagtatag sa Department of Migrant Workers noong 2021, nilayon po nating magkaroon ng isang bahay na magsisilbing tahanan ng ating mga bagong bayani -- isang bahay na ang pundasyon ay dugo, pawis, at sakripisyo ng ating mga kababayang deka-dekada na ang pagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa.

For this reason, we are extremely honored and grateful that we will sponsor the 2025 proposed budget of the DMW -- perhaps our favorite Department, along with TESDA.

For next year, the DMW has a proposed budget of P8.5 billion, which is 16.04% lower than its 2024 budget of P10.13 billion. Of the proposed budget, approximately P5.1 billion is allocated to the Office of the Secretary, while P3.4 billion will go to the OWWA.

Ngayong hapong ito, nais nating malaman ang estado ng iba't-ibang programa ng Departamento at kung paano inaaksyonan ng ahensya ang mga isyung kinakaharap ng mga OFWs para masigurong sila ay may sapat na suporta. Kung kinakailangan ding dagdagan pa ang budget ng DMW upang mas lalong mapaigting ang mga programa at plano nito, tayo po ay handang makipagtulungan sa ahensya para makahanap ng sapat na pondo para sa pagpapatupad ng mga ito.

Having said that, we look forward to a fruitful discussion on the 2025 proposed budget of the DMW.

Thank you and may God bless us all.

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