By Junex Doronio

MANILA — “Some guys have all the luck,” so goes the song of rock star Rod Stewart that seemingly applied to three Filipino seafarers who were saved following the recent attack by Houthis against the MSC Orion container ship in the Indian Ocean.

This was revealed on Wednesday (01 May 2024) by newly-appointed Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Cacdac who said there was a drone attack in the Indian Ocean suspected to be carried out by Yemen’s Houthis, an ally of Iran, who have been launching long-range missiles and drone salvoes at Israel in solidarity with the Hamas militants fighting in the Gaza Strip.

“Drone attack in the Indian Ocean. No damage to the ship. Natamaan (it was hit) but very minor damage to the ship ng drone. This was on April 29… and the three Philippine crew in the second ship are saved,” Cacdac revealed.

On the other hand, 21 Filipino crew members were also rescued following an attack against the bulk carrier Cyclades.

“Drone attack in the Red Sea. Natamaan (it was hit) but again minor damage to the ship. April 29th… so two days ago… 21 Filipino crew are saved,” Cacdac further said.

The newly-appointed DMW chief reiterated that seafarers now have the right to refuse to sail through the Gulf of Aden and be repatriated instead.

On Wednesday, the DMW also admitted that there is no timeline yet for the release of the 17 Filipino seafarers who were among the foreigners held hostage in the southern Red Sea in November 2023.

“We’re praying hard that soon they would come home,” Cacdac said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay held in Cafe Adriatico in Malate.

Cacdac said the agency is closely coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) regarding their efforts with other governments.

“In the meantime, ang directive ng Presidente is to handhold, and take care of the families, so we have been in constant communication with the families,” the DMW chief assured.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Liezelle Soriano

MANILA — Hans Leo Cacdac assumed office as the ad interim Secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Friday, April 26, 2024. The ceremony was presided over by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.

Cacdac has been serving as the officer-in-charge of the department since September 2023.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. appointed Cacdac as the OIC following the passing of former Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople in August of the previous year.

Before his ad interim appointment in the Cabinet, Cacdac held various roles, including Undersecretary of the DMW, Executive Director V of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Executive Director V of the Philippine Employment Administration (POEA), and Undersecretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

(el Amigo/MNM)

MANILA — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has officially designated Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac as the Secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

The appointment of Cacdac was formalized by Marcos on Thursday (25 April 2024), with the details disseminated to the media.

Cacdac previously assumed the role of officer in charge of the DMW following the passing of former Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople in August of last year.

Prior to his interim appointment to the Cabinet, Cacdac held key positions such as Executive Director V of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Executive Director V of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, and Undersecretary of the Department of Labor and Employment.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

FOLLOWING THE STATEMENT of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia assured him that the settlement of the unpaid salaries of some 10,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) was already being processed, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac on Wednesday said they will continue following up its release.

To recall, in November last year, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman committed to allocate some 2 billion riyals for the unpaid salaries of some 10,000 overseas Filipinos employed by construction companies that declared bankruptcy in 2015 and 2016.

“From our talks with our own counterparts there…we were also informed that the Ministry of Finance is on board to take care of the financial matters because this would involve disbursement of funds,” Cacdac disclosed when interviewed on CNN Philippines.

Migrante Philippines chair Arman Hernando had proposed  that the government advance the unpaid salaries while awaiting the money transfer from the Saudi government.

“Kung talagang seryoso sila na ibigay na ‘yung unpaid salaries ng mga Saudi OFWs – matagal na nga po naming panawagan diyan eh – abonohan muna nila…. Sinasabi ni Pangulong Marcos na pinahahalagahan niya ang sakripisyo ng ating mga OFWs. Eh di unahin na nilang bayaran, at i-reimburse na lang nila kapag nagbayad ang Saudi Arabia sa kanila,” Hernando said earlier.

Last March, the DMW said it would provide P10,000 in aid to each worker waiting for the Saudi government to fulfill its promise.

Maharlika NuMedia learned that the promised funding to the OFWs would come from the DMW which has a budget of P15.8 billion for 2023 and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“It’s just hard to pin down a timeline at this point because the Saudi processes still continue. In principle, we respect the Saudi processes, and at the same time we’ll continue to persist in terms of coordination and follow-ups with the Saudi government,” Cacdac explained.

(ai/mnm)