Manila liaison office shuts down for good

The CNMI government has shut down its liaison office in Manila after six years of operation, leaving the processing of Filipino workers seeking employment here at the hands of the Philippine government.

Jose I. DeLeon Guerrero, special assistant for administration, said the closure took effect on Sept. 30, the last day of FY 2000. He traveled to the RP capital last week to oversee dispensing of its assets.

He maintained the decision would not affect the agreement the CNMI has with the Philippines on documentation of workers hired for jobs on the islands.

The Manila liaison office was established in October 1994 as part of the memorandum of understanding between the two parties concerning the CNMI-bound workers.

According to Mr. Guerrero, the closure was partly prompted by the continuous financial difficulties confronting the island government which have forced the Tenorio administration to tighten its spending.

“I don’t exactly know the figure how much it is costing the government before or [at present], but the need for the closure [has to be done] now,” he told reporters yesterday in an interview.

The office had two employees just before the termination of their services and was given a budget of $65,000 based on the appropriation from the previous fiscal year set aside by the administration.

At one time, it employed as much as 10 people who were under professional service contract because it also served as liaison for medical referrals in the Philippines of CNMI residents.

Such function, however, ceased last year when the Department of Public Health entered into an agreement with private hospitals Makati Medical Center and St. Luke’s Medical Center to directly handle these needs.

“We just have figured out that the needs of the office at this point in time are not that critical,” said Mr. Guerrero.

Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes had been pressing for the closure of the liaison office since last year, noting its budget would have better use for the cash-strapped scholarship program of the government.

RP function

With the cessation of its operation, all the documentation needs of the CNMI-bound workers now will have to go through the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

“There’s not going to be verification anymore from the liaison office. It will all go through directly to POEA,” said Mr. Guerrero.

He cited also as reasons for the closure the agreement recently forged between the two governments and the fact that little processing is now required for the workers at the liaison office.

“Both POEA and the Philippine Consulate are working closely together to get the processing down to POEA alone, rather than having two offices review them,” said Mr. Guerrero.

He assured there will not be disruption in services despite the shut down the office since POEA has been informed ahead about the move.

Philippine labor officials, led by Undersecretary Felicisimo Joson, met last July with CNMI officials on Saipan in preparation for an amendment to an existing bilateral agreement aimed to better protect Filipino workers on the islands.

One of the proposed changes would be to guarantee that the issuance by the POEA of the Overseas Employment Certificate — a requirement for contract workers prior to their departure — would ensure that they are fully covered by a contract endorsed and approved by the CNMI government.