Pichay out in OWWA search panel's shortlist
KIMBERLY JANE TAN, GMANews.TV
MANILA, Philippines - The top post at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is still vacant after all, and that nomination is still open, according to an association of overseas Filipino organizations.
The Global Filipino Nation (GFN) said it learned from Patricia Sto. Tomas, head of the executive search for OWWA administrator, on Wednesday that the committee has already ranked and rated a number of people and submitted seven names to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo about two or three weeks ago.
GFN convenor Victor Barrios would not divulge any of the seven top nominees, but hinted that former Surigao del Sur congressman Prospero Pichay Jr. is not one of them. Pichay’s nomination to the post elicited criticisms from overseas Filipinos, who expressed concern about Malacańang’s intentiopns.
“It was comforting to hear her confirm that the name that the global Filipino community was fearful might be appointed is out of the running," he said.
Barrios begged off from divulging the names of the seven included in committee’s shortlist, saying that Sto. Tomas shared the names with them in confidence.
Rumors that Pichay has cornered the position flew when a Palace official wrote a letter to the OWWA addressed to “Administrator Pichay" on August 6. The Palace later claimed that the letter was a case of a wrong addressee.
Efforts to contact Sto. Tomas on Thursday proved futile.
Susan Solo, member of the search committee and an official of the Presidential Management Staff, told GMANews.TV on Thursday that they couldn’t release the list publicly because it would create many “implications." She refused to elaborate.
“Just wait for the appointment," she said.
Solo added that the search committee can submit a list to the President but that it is still up to her who to choose. “We cannot say if she’ll like the people we recommend."
During her meeting with the GFN, Sto, Tomas reportedly urged those who want to make nominations to do so urgently because the President may make her choice at any moment.
“If the President chooses to cast a wider net, that is within her prerogative," she said.
Sto. Tomas, who chaired the OWWA Board of Trustees during her stint as labor and employment secretary from 2001 to 2006, also said that the search committee is looking for an OWWA administrator who has “clear operational skills" for running national and international groups of people meant to help Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and their families in the Philippines.
She said the administrator mush also have "fund management ability" to safeguard OWWA’s almost P10-billion fund, and must have “networking skills" since addressing the needs of OFWs means working with other government agencies and non-government and international organizations.
Meanwhile, GFN recommended that an assessment be conducted on OWWA by an international consulting team. Sto. Tomas commented that it was a sound idea and already suggested a meeting with Labor Secretary Marianito Roque about it.
The overseas organization also proposed that OWWA conducts a regular report and consultative meeting with its constituents at least twice a year. Sto. Tomas said that she was in favor of this and suggested it also be applied to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). - GMANews.TV
MANILA, Philippines - The top post at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is still vacant after all, and that nomination is still open, according to an association of overseas Filipino organizations.
The Global Filipino Nation (GFN) said it learned from Patricia Sto. Tomas, head of the executive search for OWWA administrator, on Wednesday that the committee has already ranked and rated a number of people and submitted seven names to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo about two or three weeks ago.
GFN convenor Victor Barrios would not divulge any of the seven top nominees, but hinted that former Surigao del Sur congressman Prospero Pichay Jr. is not one of them. Pichay’s nomination to the post elicited criticisms from overseas Filipinos, who expressed concern about Malacańang’s intentiopns.
“It was comforting to hear her confirm that the name that the global Filipino community was fearful might be appointed is out of the running," he said.
Barrios begged off from divulging the names of the seven included in committee’s shortlist, saying that Sto. Tomas shared the names with them in confidence.
Rumors that Pichay has cornered the position flew when a Palace official wrote a letter to the OWWA addressed to “Administrator Pichay" on August 6. The Palace later claimed that the letter was a case of a wrong addressee.
Efforts to contact Sto. Tomas on Thursday proved futile.
Susan Solo, member of the search committee and an official of the Presidential Management Staff, told GMANews.TV on Thursday that they couldn’t release the list publicly because it would create many “implications." She refused to elaborate.
“Just wait for the appointment," she said.
Solo added that the search committee can submit a list to the President but that it is still up to her who to choose. “We cannot say if she’ll like the people we recommend."
During her meeting with the GFN, Sto, Tomas reportedly urged those who want to make nominations to do so urgently because the President may make her choice at any moment.
“If the President chooses to cast a wider net, that is within her prerogative," she said.
Sto. Tomas, who chaired the OWWA Board of Trustees during her stint as labor and employment secretary from 2001 to 2006, also said that the search committee is looking for an OWWA administrator who has “clear operational skills" for running national and international groups of people meant to help Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and their families in the Philippines.
She said the administrator mush also have "fund management ability" to safeguard OWWA’s almost P10-billion fund, and must have “networking skills" since addressing the needs of OFWs means working with other government agencies and non-government and international organizations.
Meanwhile, GFN recommended that an assessment be conducted on OWWA by an international consulting team. Sto. Tomas commented that it was a sound idea and already suggested a meeting with Labor Secretary Marianito Roque about it.
The overseas organization also proposed that OWWA conducts a regular report and consultative meeting with its constituents at least twice a year. Sto. Tomas said that she was in favor of this and suggested it also be applied to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). - GMANews.TV
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