CA gives nod to Cacdac as DMW chief

THE Commission on Appointments yesterday approved the appointment of Hans Leo J. Cacdac as secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers despite the opposition of four private individuals.

Senate President Francis Escudero, who chairs the CA, approved the motions of the committee members who expressed their full trust and confidence in Cacdac to head the DMW.

Before the confirmation, Surigao del Sur 2nd District Rep. Johnny Pimentel said the opposition of the four individuals was “baseless and unfounded” and that there seems to be an orchestrated move to block Cacdac’s appointment.

According to the oppositors, Cacdac is not fit to be DMW secretary since he allegedly extended the quarantine period of overseas Filipino workers from 14 days to 21 days at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when he was the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration head.

They said that extending the quarantine period only added to the burden of the migrant workers.

Pimentel said: “The complaints are baseless. The longer quarantine period due to COVID could not have been made by Secretary Cacdac. It was a decision of the task force, the national government. Ano naman ang role niya sa COVID (What has he got to do with the decisions on COVID restrictions?),” Pimentel said.

Another complainant said Cacdac should be blamed after the OWWA website was hacked, to which Pimentel said that the secretary has no control over such matters, adding that even the website of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) was hacked.

They said Cacdac failed to act swiftly on the expired visas of OFWs working in Russia, and that the secretary should be accountable after 17 OFWs were taken hostage by the Houthi rebels.

“The alleged non-action sa expired visa sa Russia, eh wala na rin siya pakialam doon. That is the prerogative of the Russian government…Sa 17 seafarers hostaged by the Houti rebels, is this under the control of Secretary Cacdac? Wala na rin siya magagawa doon (One the alleged non-action on the expired OFW visas in Russia, he has nothing to do about it. That is the prerogative of the Russian government… He also has no control over the Houti rebels who took 17 Filipino