The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the newly-formed Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) are back to business even though the nomination of their respective secretaries was bypassed by the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA).
The DPWH, headed by Secretary Manuel Bonaon, plays a vital role in implementing major infrastructure projects under the new administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Meanwhile, the DMW under the leadership of Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople was in a transition of ramming the long-time predicaments of Filipino migrant workers by providing resolution to issues and policies concerning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
One of these is the swift resolution of labor disputes between the Philippines and the Saudi Ministry of Labor, which led to the implementation of an employment ban for domestic workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
Ople resolved the issue and finally opened the re-deployment of OFWs in Saudi starting November 7, this year.
The media staff of both agencies short-massaged the Manila Bulletin when asked about their comments on Bonoan and Ople’s non confirmation.
DPWH Director Randy Del Rosario refuted claims of a possible demoralization among agency personnel because of the issue.
“None, Sir. Beyond his control naman po and the reason naman is because of the time constraint kaya hindi na deliberate ng CA (It’s beyond [Sec. Bonoan’s] control and the reason is because of the time limit, so the CA was not able to deliberate,” Del Rosario told the Manila Bulletin.
Meanwhile, a DMW media staff also shared the same wisdom.
“Hindi pa naman po siya nasalang kasi wala ng time (The appointment [of Sec. Ople] was not presided because there’s no time),” media staff Abigail Calinisan said in a separate message to the Manila Bulletin
Calinisan instead told the reporter to refer the query to President Marcos.
“Mas maganda siguro if si President ang magsalita, mahirap naman po kung si Ma’am (Maybe it’s better if the President speaks, it’s quite difficult if it comes from Ma’am),” the staff further stated.
Due to time constraints, the CA bypassed the appointments of 14 presidential appointees earlier this week, including Ople and Bonoan.
