Doubts cast on new OWWA board appointee
abs-cbnNEWS.com
MANILA - An advocacy group called for transparency after the appointment of a person allegedly in close association with President Arroyo to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Board of Trustees.
“Our question on the lack of standard in handing out appointments has not been addressed,“ said Daphne Ceniza of the Center for Migrant Advocacy.
Ceniza was referring to the appointment of Jose Jouelito Sapio to the OWWA Board of Trustees representing the Land-based sector.
OWWA chief Carmelita Dimzon said Sapio was appointed by President Arroyo.
A portion of Dimzon’s letter to CMA Executive Director Ellene Sana read: “We cannot question the authority and prerogative of Her Excellency in the appointment of Mr. Sapio. Having been appointed, he needs all your support and cooperation so that he can perform his duties and responsibilities as the trustee for the land-based sector. Let us give him a chance to represent you and be your voice in the Board.“
However, Ceniza pointed out that appointing an OWWA land-based representative to the OWWA Board will affect millions of migrant workers abroad.
“It should not be handed as a Presidential prerogative especially from a government that has consistently been tainted by corruption and abuse of power in handing a position,“ Ceniza said in her letter-response to Dimzon.
The CMA earlier wrote to OWWA and the labor department verifying the appointment of Sapio who is from Hong Kong. In the letter, Sana said they were informed that Sapio “headed the presidential campaign of Pres. Arroyo in 2004 in his capacity as founder of GMA Ikaw Pa Rin Movement in Hong kong. Subsequently, in the 2007, Mr. Sapio was lead campaigner for Pres. Arroyo's Team Unity.“
“The lack of transparency on the selection process and the cavalier attitude of the President in handing out appointments as payment for services rendered reflects the government's low regard for migrant workers. Please note that Mr. Sapio heads the Gloria Pa Rin Movement in Hong Kong,“ Ceniza said.
Ceniza added “The management and allocation of OWWA funds has already been questioned by migrant workers in the past. The manner in which Mr. Sapio was appointed gives us further reason to doubt that OWWA funds wil be used judiciously for the welfare of migrant workers.“
Meanwhile, Migrante International Middle East chapter also raised the issue of transparency by stressing that the appointment was “devoid of democratic consultations from OFWs and their organizations.“
“OFWs and their families could not forget that Mrs. Arroyo and her administration has a long list of alleged OWWA fund misuses and fund diversion devoid of consultations from OFWs stakeholders; thus we can’t simply give a nod to the appointment made by her to the OWWA-BoT without giving OFWs the chance to be heard and consulted,” Migrante-ME regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona said.
MANILA - An advocacy group called for transparency after the appointment of a person allegedly in close association with President Arroyo to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Board of Trustees.
“Our question on the lack of standard in handing out appointments has not been addressed,“ said Daphne Ceniza of the Center for Migrant Advocacy.
Ceniza was referring to the appointment of Jose Jouelito Sapio to the OWWA Board of Trustees representing the Land-based sector.
OWWA chief Carmelita Dimzon said Sapio was appointed by President Arroyo.
A portion of Dimzon’s letter to CMA Executive Director Ellene Sana read: “We cannot question the authority and prerogative of Her Excellency in the appointment of Mr. Sapio. Having been appointed, he needs all your support and cooperation so that he can perform his duties and responsibilities as the trustee for the land-based sector. Let us give him a chance to represent you and be your voice in the Board.“
However, Ceniza pointed out that appointing an OWWA land-based representative to the OWWA Board will affect millions of migrant workers abroad.
“It should not be handed as a Presidential prerogative especially from a government that has consistently been tainted by corruption and abuse of power in handing a position,“ Ceniza said in her letter-response to Dimzon.
The CMA earlier wrote to OWWA and the labor department verifying the appointment of Sapio who is from Hong Kong. In the letter, Sana said they were informed that Sapio “headed the presidential campaign of Pres. Arroyo in 2004 in his capacity as founder of GMA Ikaw Pa Rin Movement in Hong kong. Subsequently, in the 2007, Mr. Sapio was lead campaigner for Pres. Arroyo's Team Unity.“
“The lack of transparency on the selection process and the cavalier attitude of the President in handing out appointments as payment for services rendered reflects the government's low regard for migrant workers. Please note that Mr. Sapio heads the Gloria Pa Rin Movement in Hong Kong,“ Ceniza said.
Ceniza added “The management and allocation of OWWA funds has already been questioned by migrant workers in the past. The manner in which Mr. Sapio was appointed gives us further reason to doubt that OWWA funds wil be used judiciously for the welfare of migrant workers.“
Meanwhile, Migrante International Middle East chapter also raised the issue of transparency by stressing that the appointment was “devoid of democratic consultations from OFWs and their organizations.“
“OFWs and their families could not forget that Mrs. Arroyo and her administration has a long list of alleged OWWA fund misuses and fund diversion devoid of consultations from OFWs stakeholders; thus we can’t simply give a nod to the appointment made by her to the OWWA-BoT without giving OFWs the chance to be heard and consulted,” Migrante-ME regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona said.
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