Lawmaker urges Senate to pass bill for OFW department amid falling oil prices

A party-list lawmaker is urging the Senate to pass a bill creating a new department for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), citing falling oil prices due to the coronavirus pandemic.

With crude oil prices dropping to $23.75 per barrel, demand for OFWs in oil-rich countries and sea-based deployment is expected to decline.

This could result in more OFWs returning home and fewer job opportunities abroad, necessitating preparation from government agencies like DOLE, DFA, and NEDA.