Ched Rick Gatchalian

DMW probing P1.4-B land deal not authorized by OWWA board — official

Article (news)

DMW probing P1.4-B land acquisition deal unauthorized by OWWA board – official

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1747467826493EMBED 20250204-department of migrant workers-facade-MT-01.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The Department of Migrant Workers headquarters in Mandaluyong City. Photo taken on Februray 4, 2025.   Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Department of Migrant Workers headquarters in Mandaluyong City. Photo taken on Februray 4, 2025.   <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) -- The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is investigating a P1.4-billion land acquisition deal that allegedly went ahead without authorization from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) board, an official said on Saturday.</p><p>OWWA Administrator Patricia Caunan confirmed the probe includes her predecessor Arnell Ignacio and the acquired land was supposedly for a &quot;halfway house&quot; or dormitory-type accommodation for overseas Filipino workers (OFW).</p><p>The deal apparently happened late last year, she said.</p><p>&quot;Secretary Hans Cacdac made a statement already, allow me to say this and as a lawyer I would also say this, there&#x27;s an investigation, allow due process to take its course,&quot; said Caunan in a Saturday news forum. </p><p>&quot;As the new administrator of OWWA, we will perform the necessary audit, we will seek the required legal opinion from the Department of Justice… and we will engage with the Commission on Audit,&quot; she added.</p><p>Caunan said the power to purchase a real property under the OWWA law should be approved by the board of trustees first – which is headed by the DMW secretary.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/16/yvonne-caunan-named-as-new-owwa-administrator-1741">READ: Yvonne Caunan named as new OWWA administrator</a></div><p>&quot;The vice chair is the OWWA administrator. So the regular process or what is expected is that purchases should go through the board of trustees. (JC: 59:30-mark) May batas kasi ang OWWA, meron doon mandato ang board of trustees pero sa kahit ano pong alegasyon kailangan ito dumaan sa tamang imbestigasyon,&quot; the official said. </p><p>The deal, she said, has been suspended. She vowed that those accountable would undergo due process. </p><p>Caunan described the public and OFW&#x27;s funds as &quot;sacred&quot; which was why they were serious with the probe.</p><p>&quot;Marami tayong iniimbestigahan doon and si Sec. Hans has been on top of it as board chairman since last year. Medyo malungkot din na may ganito but to be honest we have to treat this seriously. Pondo ito ng taumbayan so we have to look into it,&quot; she said. </p><p>She emphasized that the migrant workers&#x27; trust fund was &quot;intact&quot; and the funds may have been sourced from the agency&#x27;s budget. </p><p>To allay migrant workers&#x27; concerns on their funds, the OWWA chief vowed to make any purchases and any deals transparent from now on by posting these developments to OWWA&#x27;s social media pages.</p><p>ABS-CBN News reached out to Arnell Ignacio but he declined to comment on the matter. </p><p>He said though in a phone call he was &quot;shocked&quot; with the allegations and would answer this in a proper forum.</p><p>Caunan took oath as OWWA&#x27;s administrator on Friday amid the controversy. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is investigating a P1.4-billion worth of land acquisition deal that was supposedly not authorized by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) board, an official said on Saturday.</p>

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is investigating a P1.4-billion worth of land acquisition deal that was supposedly not authorized by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) board, an official said on Saturday.