House panel chair wants to clarify DFA, Dole mandates

Angkla party-list Rep. Jesulito Manalo, chair of the House of Representatives’ overseas workers affairs, has filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the mandates of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) in the protection of Filipino workers.

Manalo’s filing of House Resolution No. 1829 followed Kuwait’s diplomatic protest and expulsion of Ambassador Renato Pedro Villa in April over the DFA’s release of videos of its rescue of distressed Filipino housemaids.

Manalo said the resolution sought to “look into our diplomatic protocols, as well as the factors which contributed to the diplomatic issue” in order to avoid a similar situation in the future. —Vince F. Nonato