Tulfo wants confidential funds for DMW to combat illegal recruitment

Senator Raffy Tulfo on Monday proposed the allocation of confidential and intelligence funds for the Department of Migrant Workers to help the agency combat illegal recruitment and scammers that victimize overseas Filipino workers.

During the Senate Committee on Finance's budget deliberation for the DMW's proposed P15.542 billion budget for next year, Tulfo said that he has no problem with several agencies having billions worth of CIFs. However, he pointed out that the DMW should also be equipped with secret funds.

"I am not complaining when various agencies are receiving confidential funds. If you have noticed, I am silent about it. However, for me, perhaps it's about time to also allocate confidential funds to DMW," he said.

He explained that the DMW, an agency mandated to facilitate the overseas employment and reintegration of Filipino workers, may use the secret funds to halt illegal operations of syndicates that victimize OFWs.

"There are so many illegal recruiters here. There are so many illegal recruitment agencies that should be dismantled. There are so many scammers that are preying on our OFWs," he said.

"So, we need intel information. [The] DMW needs intel information to combat these illegal recruiters, illegal recruitment agencies and scammers. That's why I believe it should have confidential funds," he added.

The lawmaker proposed P25 million to P50 million for the CIFs of the DMW.

For his part, Senate Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito, who presided over the budget deliberation, said the DMW should be strengthened instead of being given confidential funds.

"We can strengthen the bureau instead under Usec. Bernard Olalia since you are effective. So, we don't have to use confidential and intelligence funds. Let us be an example that civilian departments do not need this," Ejercito said.

He noted that it might be more fitting to leave the request for CIFs to departments or agencies concerned with national security.

Olalia, who heads the licensing and adjudication services at the DMW, said the agency was able to padlock at least four recruitment agencies in the past year.

Hans Cacdac, who is now temporarily taking the helm at the DMW, said that the agency requested P10 million worth of CIFS in their proposed budget. However, the Department of Budget and Management did not include it in the National Expenditures Program.

Prior to this, Ejercito expressed support for the DMW's crackdown on illegal recruitment agencies.

"I believe that addressing this issue will be a significant challenge for the DMW. I completely agree that many people are taking advantage of our OFWs, and it's truly unfortunate. Even before they leave the country, many of them are already victimized," Ejercito said.

The DMW originally requested P29.488 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year, but the DMW only recommended P15.542 billion in total appropriations, which is 4 percent lower than the agency's 2023 budget amounting to P16.1 billion.

Under the proposed P.768-trillion NEP for next year, a total of P9.2 billion was allocated for confidential and intelligence funds of various government agencies and offices.

The Office of the President is asking for P4.56 billion worth of secret funds, while the proposed confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President is P500 million.