New POEA administrator assumes post

By Susan G. De Leon

Tuesday 3rd of January 2012

MANILA, Dec. 3 (PIA) -- The undersecretary for labor relations of the Department of Labor & Employment (DOLE), Hans Leo Cacdac formally assumed office yesterday as the new administrator of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

Administrator Cacdac last week took the oath of office as the new POEA administrator before DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz.

In a simple turnover ceremony at the Patricia Sto. Tomas Hall of the Blas F. Ople Building in Ortigas Avenue, Mandaluyong City, POEA deputy administrator Jaime Jimenez led the members of the directorate in turning over to administrator Cacdac the POEA flag, the official symbol of POEA authority.

Outgoing administrator Carlos Cao Jr. begged off from attending the turnover due to personal reasons, a news release posted on the DOLE website said.

Immediately buckling down to work, Cacdac convened a meeting of the POEA directorate and bared his priorities as POEA head.

Cacdac said he will focus on several priority areas such as: streamlining of OFW documentation and processing systems to provide more efficient services delivery to OFWs; strengthen enforcement of anti-illegal recruitment laws and licensed recruitment regulations by implementing R.A. 10022, which heightened the POEA's role in the fight against illegal recruiters; ensure transparency and accountability in the development of policies and regulations through institutionalized consultative mechanisms involving stakeholders in the sea-based and land-based sectors.

The new POEA chief also promised to give further protection to certain types of OFWs, such as domestic workers and seafarers by pushing for the ratification of the ILO Convention on Decent Work for Domestic Workers and the Maritime Labour Convention.

Also he will be pushing for the vigorous pursuit of bilateral agreements with receiving countries for the better protection and welfare of OFWs; stronger and more harmonious coordination with government agencies; and ensure measures that implement and promote anti-corruption, anti-fixer, anti-red tape rules and regulations, including the operationalization of the POEA Efficiency and Integrity Board are also included in Cacdac’s seven priority areas that he will focus on as POEA head. (DOLE/RJB/SDL-PIA NCR)