Former Secretary of National Defense and senatorial candidate Gilbert (GIBO) Teodoro looks forward to less bureaucracy for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) with the creation of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

Gibo Teodoro, a former Tarlac lawmaker and the 1989 Bar topnotcher, said stakeholders should look into the crafting of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the DMW to ensure that the new agency will provide ease of doing business for OFWs, and not another layer of bureaucracy for them.

“This sector (OFWs) is one of the backbones of our economy. OFWs, being a major dollar earner for the country, should be provided with efficient services by the government,” the senatorial candidate under the UniTeam said.

The DMW streamlines the functions of agencies concerning migrant workers. Among these are the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Philippine Overseas Labor Office, International Labor Affairs Bureau, and the National Maritime Polytechnic.

This will also include the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs that is under the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Office of the Social Welfare Attaché under the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration will be an attached agency of DMW.