BAGUIO CITY – Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III cited the partnership between the labor department and the local government resulted to the operationalization of the first Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) one-stop center in the Cordillera that will be based at the Baguio Convention Center.
The labor chief claimed government embarked on the put up of OFW one-stop service centers throughout the country in recognition of the significant contributions of the OFWs in sustaining the country’s economic growth through their remittances that amount to $25 billion or over P1 trillion annually.
“We have to provide our OFWs and their families good service, sufficient security and sustainable sources of income through the establishment of more service centers that will not only cater to their needs but also to the basic needs of the Filipinos in the different parts of the archipelago,” Secretary Bello stressed.
He encouraged OFWs, their families and relatives and the public to patronize the available government services in this OFW one-stop service center in the region for easier access to government services and for completion of transactions in one setting.
Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan said the establishment of the OFW one-stop service center at the Baguio Convention Center is part of the commitment of the local government of Baguio to provide OFWs and the transacting public with easier access to government services and to support the Duterte administration’s bid to cascade to the grassroots level the services they need to have sustainable sources of livelihood, better employment opportunities, among others.
Domogan expressed his gratitude to President Rodrigo Duterte and Secretary Bello for conceptualizing the operation of the OFW one-stop service center in the different localities so that the public will have better access to government services.
Earlier, Secretary Bello issued a memorandum to all regional directors of the labor department instructing them to spearhead the establishment of one-stop shop service for OFWs in the different regions.
Included in the Baguio OFW one-stop shop service center are representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Home Development Mutual Fund, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, Social Security System, Philippine Statistics Authority, Bureau of Immigration, National Bureau of Investigation, Commission on Higher Education and Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.
Upon receipt of the memorandum, Domogan directed the City General Services Office to clear the executive lounge of the Baguio Convention Center from the stored units of equipment and materials for the use of the OFW one-stop shop service center.
By Dexter A. See
