Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNo. 4406

Introduced by Reps. TEDDY A. CASINO, NERI JAVIER COLMENARES,
RAFAEL V. MARIANO, LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN, EMMI A. DE JESUS.
RAYMOND Y. PALATINO and ANTONIO L. TINIO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Thus bill seeks to immediately supplement the goverament’s national budget in light of the
unforeseen circumstances and developments that afflict our overseas Filipino workers (OHWs) and
ammigrants in countries situated in the global regions of Asia, North Africa and the Middle East.

The measure will provide adequare allocations for the Department of Forcign Affairs (DFA) — the
vead agency in providing government services to Filipinos abroad, ‘The cuzrent DPA budget for
fiscal vear 2011 of P11 billion is a far ery from the Department's original proposal of P19 billion.

{n fact, the current administration chose to bloat the budgets of other departments and executive
agencies for the controversial Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) progeani while cutting by half che
already extremely inadequate DEA allocations (from P200 million to P109.3 snillion) for programs
of assistance to nabonals that include repatttanion and legal assistance programs for the estimated 10
million overseas Filipinos, in violadon of the Amended Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act
Republic Act 10022)

The problematic situation currently faced by overseas Filipinos and our diplomatic posts abroad —
especially in countries afflicted by political upheavals, natural and man-made calamities and war —
cannot be remedied with a simple restoration of the DFA budger to its 2010) level. Government
agencics that are supposed to provide services to Filipinos once they are repatriated also need
additional funding,

tis important to note that our OFWs in the Middle Kast and Africa accounted for 16 percear of the
coral dollar remirtances m 2010 (US$3 billion} while our compatriors in Japan sent back US$883
aulbon in the same year.

Our foreign potiey will be « complete fallure if goverment cannor allocate funds for the sufery and
balout of Filipinos caught in dire situations abroad. This measure will correct the mistake of
slashing ttems in the 2011 DFA budger that were devored to servicing Filipinos toiling in various
sadons abroad



‘The proposed new allocations for the DE. are for: (1} the emergency evacuation and repatriation of

our 305,972 overseas lilipinos in Japan that was bit by a mega-carthquake and a resultant tsunami

and now facing an increasing likelihood of a major peace-time nuclear disaster; (2) assistance 10

overseas Filtpinos in the current and potential flashpoints in North Africa: Libya (23,713), Tunisia
oi, Algeria (4,937), Nigetia (6,256) and Fgspe (5,973); (3) assistance to Filipinos in the Middle

-ast: Bahrain (50,695), Tran (863), Ieuy (6,108), Jordan (28,100), Sycia (17,000), Kuwait (170,600),

Qatar (241,000), Oman (13,100), United Arab Emirates (589,461), Intael (41,000), Lebanon

(37,265), Yemen (1,400) and Saudi Arabia (1,857,794) and other African and Middle Eastern

countnes experiencing political strife that could possibly lead to war.

Addiuonal allocations are also provided for the Departments of Labor and mplosment and Trade
aad Industry and local government units ro help fund the reintegration programs, domestic business,

employment and livelihood for overseas Filipinos who were repatriated, including thoxe of their
families

‘Our overseas Filipinos have kept our economy afloat and our nation alive for the last five decades,
itis high ume we terurn the favor in their time of aced.

lu view of the foregoing, immediate approtal of this measute is sought

“pprered,

fe eh Qi.

TEDDY A. CASINO

_ Bayan Mua Party-tst
Cea

Anakpawis Pary-List

a Sop
LAS :
‘NERI JAVIER COLMENARES
Bayan Muga Party-list

LUZVIMINDA C. LAGAN EMMI A. DE JESUS
Gabricla Women’s Party Gabtiel Women’s Party

om
RAYMONB V. PALATINO ANTOMOL-RRIO

Kabataah Party-list ACT Teachers Party-list


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS:
First Regular Session
4406

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by Repe. TEDDY A. CASINO, NERI JAVIER COLMENARES,
RAFAEL V, MARIANO, LUZVIMINDA C. 1LAGAN, EMMI A. DE JESUS
RAYMOND V. PALATINO and ANTONIO L. TINIO

AN ACT
APPROPRIATING THE SUM OF NINE BILLION PESOS (P9,000,000,000.00) AS
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION FOR FY 2011 AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

bie dh emaited by the Senate and | louse of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress astembled:

SECTION 1. Approptiations. - The sum of Nine Billion Pesos (P9,000,000,000.00) is hereby
appropriated ro supplement the Fiscal Year 201 1Budger for the following purposes:

\. Department of Foreign Affairs (DEA) P5,500,000,000,00
A.L. Offfice of the Secretary

A.La. Under the Assistance to Nationals

program for the emergency evacuation

and repatriation of distressed OFW's

caught in natural and man-made disasters

abroad such as Japan, including

repatriation of OFW’s from countries

undetgomg political upheavals and

war in the Middle East, North Africa

and other parts of the globe. P4,000,000,000.00

A.1.b. Legal assistance fund for overseas

J5lipinos, both documented and

undocumented, especially those

languishing in jails abroad P500,000,000.00


A.L.c. For the establishment and the
ouaincenance. and other operating expenses
(MOOE) of OFW centers abroad,
including additional items for weliare
officers, psychologists, and Shariah or
human rights lawyers in posts of highly
problematic countries in the Middle East,
North Africa and Asia ax determined

by the DEA.

B. Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE }
B.1, Office of the Secretary

B.1.a, National Reintegration Center for
overseas Filipino workers (NRCO),

To fund the integrative trainings

and skills upgrading programs for
OFWs repatriated from strife-torn
countries and nations devastated by
natural and man-made calamities.

B.Lb. Job placement programs of

the Philippine Overseas Employment
Administration (POTA) for those repatziated
OFWs who toay opt for new work abroad.

<. Department of Trade and Industry (DTT)

C.L.a. DTI Bureau of Micro, Small and
Medium Hnterptise Development (BMSMED).
Yo further boost development of micro,

small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)
markets, and strengthen linkages

between MSMEs and large enterprises.

C.1.b. DTI Regional Operations and
Development Group (RODG)

For further enhancement and integration
of eatrepreneurship programs for
MSMI development to provide
employment/livelihood opportunities
for overseas Filipinos repatriated from
the Middle Nast, African and Asian
regions, including their famulies,

P1,000,000,000.00

P500,000,000.00

450,000,000.00

P50,000,000.00

P500,000,000.00

P150,000,000.00

P350,000,000.00


D Deparment of Laterior and Local Government (DILG) P2,500,000,000.00

D.1.a. Allocation to local government

units (ALGUs). Subsidy to LGUs for

its full participation in the reintepratiom

Midtdte East" Aitican and Astan'eégions. 2,500,000, 000.00

P9,000,000,000.00

Section 2, Use of Funds, - ‘he amount herein appropriated sball be. used for the purposes indicated
and subject t the applicable Special Provisions wader Republic Act No. 10147, the
TY 2011 General Appropriations .\ct: Provided, Thar the following conditions shalll be applicable:

A. The amount of four billion pesos (P4,000,000,000.00) appropriated under Section 1
Aula. shall be directly released to, and administered by, the Deparment of
Foreign Affairs (DKA): Prosided, That the amount of Vhree billion pesos
P°3,000,000,000.00) shall be allotted to countries in the Middle Bast and Africa
and One billion pesos (P1,000,000,000.00) shall be allotted to Asia: Provided furtben.
‘Thar the highest prionty is given to the evacuation and/or repatriation of
distressed overseas Filipinos, both documented and undocumented, including the
remains of deceased Filipinos, in the oations of Japan, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria,
Nigeria, Egypt, Baltain, tran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, United
Arab Emirates, Israel, Lebanon, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and other African and
Middle Eastera countries experiencing political strife that could possibly lead to
war,

B. The amount of five bundred million pesos (P500,000,000.00) appropriated under
Section 1.B. shall be in addition to existing programs and allocations financed by
the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and other line agencies
of the DOLE.

C. ‘The amount of three hundred fifty million (P350,000,000.00) appropriated vader
C.LLb. shall also help fund DT] programs for MSMEs that shall employ the
repatriated overseas Filipinos and their families across the country.

1). ‘The appropriations under ALGUs shall be devoted to the health services, local
einployment and livelihood start-up programs for repatriated overseas Filipinos
and their families from the nations stated in Sections { and 2 of this Act.

SECTION 3. Automatic appropriations, -- I) the amouats stated in this Act are considered
automatically appropriated.

SECTION 4. Release of Funds. - ‘Ihe amounts appropriated berein shall be released to the
departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and LGUs by the DBM in accordance with relevant


budgeting laws, zales and regulations and in light of the urgency faced by our oversea compatriots
un dire situations abroad.

Lomminee t0 oversee the utilization of the sppblemental appropriations for the aforementine
Deparments. The Oversight

chaispersons of the Senate Committee on Financ and the House Committee un Appzopriasons as
Ne chterPersons, and with five (5) members exch fan the Senate and the House of Representatives:
nided. Trat two Members shall come frogs the Minority.