ALKHOBAR, 29 July 2007 — The new head of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in the Eastern Province has sought cooperation from community organizations as he laid out plans to give the office a face-lift.
David Des Dicang admitted that much has to be done, not just in resolving cases of distressed Filipino workers but in improving the POLO Eastern Region office’s relations with the community.
“We have found out that the POLO here has more than 500 pending labor cases and this is going to be our focus in the next few months,” Dicang said in his speech during a dialogue with Filipino “servant-leaders” at the International Philippine School in Alkhobar.
Dicang, a native of Baguio City, replaced Labor Attaché Delmer Cruz, who has left for Seoul, South Korea, last month for a new assignment.
Cruz’s administration was accentuated by a divided community, with leaders of two of umbrella organization seeking his relief for alleged misgovernance and another group of community leaders writing a counter-petition in his favor.
Dicang refused to comment on his predecessor’s performance, but promised to do his best to get everyone’s cooperation.
“We therefore call upon you to support my office and assist me in my new assignment,” he said.
Dicang laid out his plans for his office to synchronize with the vision of Ambassador Antonio P. Villamor for the Filipinos in the region.
He said his office will give priority to human relations in dealing with community, employer and host government; introduce the single-entity or single-embassy approach; campaign for “no compromise” on the welfare of overseas Filipino workers; re-integrate and put to a higher level the programs for OFWs; and concentrate on market employment and market intelligence.
With the blessings of the ambassador, he said, the Eastern Region office will serve as a single entity to perform the functions of the embassy from welfare services and labor assistance to consular services and assistance to nationals.
During the dialogue, which was also attended by Ambassador Villamor and Riyadh Labor Attaché Resty Dela Fuente, staff members of the Eastern Region office were also introduced to the community.
The staff included Rolando U. Coquia (welfare officer); administrative officers Joselito D. Manabat, Robert C. Cudal, and Willie B. Concepcion; interpreters/case officers Bajunaid B. Andi, Najeer Oquendo, Abdulrauf M. Agao, and Abdulghafor M. Bacaraman; and administrative assistants Anna P. Avancena, Gelyn H. Alpuerto and Joe Jose A. Casicas.
Dicang asked community organizations to appoint their coordinators and representatives to work closely with POLO employees. “We will have a labor awareness seminar soon and we need you,” he said.
Dicang’s assignment to the Eastern Region office has received endorsements from some officials and community leaders.
“I vouch for his working character and personality. He works hard, he is not arrogant and he is accessible,” said Ronnie Abeto, a senior leader of the V-Team and Pusong Mamon Task Force, volunteer groups helping distressed Filipinos in the Kingdom.
Abeto had seen how Dicang worked when Dicang was assistant labor attaché in Jeddah until late 2006 and he was a the Pusong Mamon action officer in Yanbu.
In Jeddah, Consul General Pendosina Lomondot vouched for Dicang’s worth as a public servant.
“They are lucky in the Eastern Region to have Des Dicang as their labor attaché. I hope the community organizations there will give him their full support,” he told Arab News during a casual conversation.
Before his stint in the Western region, Dicang was assigned to the POLO in Korea and then to Taiwan.
