Caunan replaces Ignacio as OWWA chief
Caunan took her oath of office before Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac on Friday.
She was former undersecretary for policy and international cooperation at the Department of Migrant Workers, having held the position since August 2022.
During her tenure, she helped negotiate and finalize 15 bilateral labor migration agreements aimed at enhancing the protection and welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
'Each agreement is aimed at strengthening the protection and welfare of overseas Filipino workers in partner countries, including Canada, Austria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Finland, Denmark, Singapore, Croatia, Slovenia, and Kuwait,' the Palace said in a statement.
Malacañang did not provide an explanation for Ignacio's replacement.
Caunan previously led a law firm specializing in labor, civil, administrative, and criminal law.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Filipino Times
12 hours ago
- Filipino Times
Frankie Pangilinan rules out entering politics
Singer and online personality Frankie Pangilinan said she has no plans to enter politics, despite being vocal about national issues in the past. In an interview with Boy Abunda, Pangilinan, daughter of Senator Francis 'Kiko' Pangilinan and actress Sharon Cuneta, clarified that political engagement does not equate to political ambition. 'I understood suddenly ganun pala ang mga tao actually. Tuwing nagiging politically involved, ibig sabihin may ambition… may interes at least, and I never was that kind of person,' she pointed out. Pangilinan said her comments on political and social issues come from genuine concern as a Filipino citizen, not from any desire to follow her parents' footsteps in public service. 'It is really just tao pong Pilipino na nais pong magbago ang mga problema sa Pilipinas and I think that's just really just it, bilang mamamayang Pilipino and hindi po bilang anak ng sino man,' she added. She also shared that she had to take a step back from social media after realizing the weight of her platform. While many young people use social media freely, she said she had to reassess her role online. 'It is more of like realizing I didn't want to be the mouthpiece of movements that I shouldn't be the mouthpiece for,' Pangilinan said. Despite stepping back, Pangilinan stressed that she will continue to speak out when necessary, though more selectively.
Filipino Times
12 hours ago
- Filipino Times
DMW orders closure of visa consulting firm over illegal recruitment
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has ordered the immediate shutdown of Visa to America Manila, Inc., a private visa consulting firm operating across the Philippines, over alleged illegal recruitment activities. DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac and Undersecretary Bernard Olalia led the enforcement of the closure order at the company's main office in Ortigas, Pasig City. Simultaneous operations were also conducted in its seven other branches located in Quezon City, Iloilo City, Cebu City, Davao City, Zamboanga City, Santiago City in Isabela, and in Washington D.C., United States. According to the DMW, the firm was engaged in recruitment for overseas employment without the necessary license. It had reportedly deployed over 50 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to the United States since 2022, offering teaching and hospitality jobs through J-1 and H-1B visa programs with salary promises ranging from $40,000 to $100,000. 'If they are matching workers with employers in the U.S., that constitutes overseas recruitment, which requires a DMW license. Without it, it is clearly a case of illegal recruitment,' Cacdac said. Visa to America Manila advertises itself as having 31 years of 'immigration expertise,' offering visa processing, consultancy, IT services, legal support, and mock interviews. However, DMW stressed that such activities cannot include recruitment without proper authorization. The agency said it will also look into the status of the OFWs who used the company's services to ensure compliance with labor and immigration laws. The US Embassy in Manila has recently implemented stricter measures in visa applications, including requiring all non-immigrant visa applicants to publicly set their social media accounts for background checks.
Filipino Times
12 hours ago
- Filipino Times
Marcos to sign law moving Barangay, SK Elections to November 2026
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to sign into law a bill postponing the December 1, 2025 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) to the first Monday of November 2026, according to Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia. Garcia said Malacañang informed him that Marcos will approve the measure on August 12. 'Pipirmahan ng ating pangulo ang batas na magre-reset, postpone ng Barangay at SK Elections at magpi-fix ng termino ng Barangay at SK na mula 3-taon, papunta sa 4 na taon. So kung magkatanon, malamang – mula ngayon…malamang na sadyang hindi matutuloy ang halalan natin sa para sa December 1,' Garcia told reporters. Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed the same during a briefing, noting that the President is expected to act on the bill before the August 14 deadline. When asked whether the signing will occur before the ongoing voter registration ends, Castro replied, 'Opo, gagawin po ng Pangulo iyan.' Once signed into law, the measure will reset the BSKE to November 2026 and extend the term of barangay and SK officials from three to four years. Meanwhile, Comelec launched its Special Register Anywhere Program (SRAP) on Friday in an effort to expand voter registration. The poll body expects at least one million new registrants to join the existing 68 million registered voters nationwide. Under SRAP, services such as new voter registration, correction of entries, change of name or civil status, reactivation of records, and transfer of voter registration from overseas to local will be accommodated. However, transfer of local registration records is not yet available through the program.
