SENATOR Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva on Monday questioned the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) over the high percentage of non-permanent employees in its workforce.
Mr. Villanueva, who presided the hearing for the agency’s 2027 budget, said additional funding worth P247 million was requested for personnel, but without an equivalent item, or permanent position.
However, Patricia Yvonne “PY” M. Caunan, administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, replied that the residual items in the DMW are empty because those workers had been promoted.
He noted that over half of employees in the department are under job orders or contracts of service.
“[It is] an alarming figure: 72% of your workforce as part of [job orders] or contract of service. This is a bad precedent. It is a black-eye on the government,” he added.
Mr. Villanueva raised his concerns because the P247-million budget the DMW is requesting can be transferred to another department. — Francessca S. Abalos