Dubai-based PR expert Art ‘Popoy’ Los Banos who has been contributing columns to The Global Filipino Magazine (TGFM) since June last year said the late Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan ‘Toots’ Ople was a square peg in a square hole.
“She was destined to lead the department with her track record on promoting the welfare of OFWs, as well as defending their rights,” Los Banos said. “Too bad, I did not get a chance to personally discussed with her my proposal to create a ‘Global Emergency Response and Crisis Center’ to be based in Dubai. May she rest in eternal peace.”
Los Banos has been visiting the DMW head office at corner of EDSA and Ortigas Avenue which was known before as POEA then Blas Ople Building whenever he goes home. He was there first week of January and last week of March, but the late secretary was always overseas on official business. Photo shows Los Banos in January with Assistant Secretary Felicitas Bay, Directors Charles Tabbu of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) office, and Director Toby Nebrida, who acts as department spokesperson.
In his column posted right after the first State of the Nation (SONA) address of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. last year, Los Banos said (excerpts):
“From what I noted while watching the SONA address of President Marcos Jr., he mentioned the welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) as his 13th priority area. This is good news for those in Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, where OFWs are largely concentrated. Filipinos in the US, Canada, and Australia, on the other hand, are considered as immigrants.
The president reiterated the availability of the One Repatriation Center which was launched by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) last July 20. The center will provide immediate response to repatriation, welfare, and other concerns of distressed OFWs. Anyone can call the One Repat-DMW hotline ‘1-348’ where a team of case officers, welfare officers, and medical professionals will assist them. OFWs can also email to repat@dmw.gov.ph.
I hope Secretary Susan ‘Toots’ Ople can also create a Global Emergency Response and Crisis Center based in the UAE to cover Europe, Africa, and the Middle East (EMEA). The three regions have over 3 million OFWs, which is the largest number of actual migrant workers since Filipinos in the US and Canada are considered immigrants. EMEA will always be a hotspot for the department. It will make a lot of sense and practicality to have the center in the UAE where there are two international aviaton hubs. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are 8 flight hours to London and Johannesburg, 7 flight hours to Milan, 5.5 flight hours to Kenya, 4 flight hours to Cairo and Tel Aviv, 3 flight hours to Jeddah and Amman, 2 flight hours to Riyadh, 1.5 flight hours to Kuwait, and 1 flight hour to Doha.
This proposal is related to one of the additional functions of the Office of Undersecretary for Foreign Employment and Welfare Services, which is to ‘provide prompt and appropriate response to global emergencies or crisis situations affecting OFWs, and members of their families’. This is found in Section 9 of Republic Act No. 11641 creating the DMW.”
