By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
On Monday (Dec. 2), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac welcomed Deputy Director General Gerald Divinagracia of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) during the latter’s visit to the DMW Central Office to work on both agencies’ collaborative efforts in streamlining their services for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families.
ARTA is a regulatory body that was established as part of the government’s goal of incorporating best practices in the delivery of government services to Filipinos by addressing potential pain points and reducing bureaucratic red tape.
“Our workers are the backbone of the Philippine economy, and we are committed to ensuring a seamless experience for them—from documentation processes to their smooth reintegration when they return home from overseas work. With the help of ARTA, we can further streamline processes and ensure our services are aligned with the needs of our workers abroad,” Secretary Cacdac explained.
Among the key points tackled in the dialog between the chiefs of DMW and ARTA is the implementation of digital solutions to ease the processing of documents, with plans to introduce more user-friendly platforms for OFWs to access necessary services.
“By introducing solutions like QR codes, kiosks, and digital feedback systems, we aim to make these services more accessible and responsive to the needs of our citizens,” Deputy Dir. Divinagracia said, noting that the introduction of Client Satisfaction Measurement (CSM) can also be used to measure the client satisfaction of DMW services.
Meanwhile, the migrant workers chief shared that 80% of the agency’s processes are now conducted electronically, with the initiative paving the way for reduced foot traffic of OFWs visiting the office.
He stressed that by implementing an online system, the department can now better allocate personnel based on the number of appointments scheduled. “We can determine the staffing needed to process OFW documents effectively while still accommodating those who arrive without appointments,” Secretary Cacdac concluded.
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