MANILA — Overseas Filipino workers’ (OFWs) groups on Wednesday trooped to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Intramuros, Manila to express their support for Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.
“(Bello) is driven with traits of integrity, honesty and transparency, contrary to the allegations of his detractors,” the members of the groups said in a manifesto distributed during the rally in front of the DOLE main office.
The OFW organizations came from the Calabarzon, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, and Davao regions, as well as the provinces of Maguindanao, Cebu, and Nueva Ecija.
They said they believe in Bello’s policies, particularly those pertaining to stopping contractualization in the labor sector.
“Secretary Bello has been ensuring that DOLE is committed to strictly and equitably implement the law on security of tenure and use the full extent of its regulatory and enforcement power to stop or prevent practices that circumvent it, especially practices like labor-only contracting,” the groups said in the manifesto.
They also thanked the labor secretary for the assistance extended to them by the department.
“He has been focused on his policy agenda of ensuring inclusive growth for us and our families. He has been of great help to President Rodrigo Duterte in attaining his vision for the Filipino workers,” the groups said.
“He has been continuously strengthening the protection and security of our OFWs and provide our OFWs with greater accessibility to welfare programs.”
Bello has been accused of extorting PHP6.8 million from the owner of a recruitment agency. The complaint against Bello and former labor undersecretary Dominador Say was made before the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission. (Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
