BY CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod is requesting Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to activate or implement Bacolod City Ordinance No. 553, or “An Ordinance Creating the Bacolod City OFW Coordinating Council.”
The resolution authored by Councilor Cindy Rojas said that Section 2, of Republic Act No. 10801, or the “Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Act,” provides, “It is the policy of the State to afford full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and promote full employment opportunities for all. Towards this end, it shall be the State’s responsibility to protect the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)”.
Rojas said her office has been receiving concerns of families of Bacolodnon Overseas Filipino Workers.
She was able to join the OFW general assembly on July 22 and realized that City Ordinance no. 553 is not being implemented as of the moment and if implemented, this will greatly help and institutionalize the city’s efforts to assist and help our Bacolodnon OFW brothers and sisters, she said.*
