Dimzon named OWWA chief

Malacañang announced yesterday the appointment of Philippine Overseas Employment Administration deputy administrator Carmelita Dimzon as the new administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

The top post at the OWWA has been left vacant since March when then administrator Marianito Roque was appointed as acting Labor Secretary by President Arroyo.

Apparently giving in to the clamor of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and other sectors, Mrs. Arroyo appointed an “insider” to the OWWA.

Dimzon has taken her oath and will officially serve as the new OWWA chief starting today.

Dimzon, who once served as OWWA deputy administrator, said she was officially notified last Wednesday night of her new appointment.

Dimzon said she will immediately meet with OWWA’s executive committee to determine which of the agency’s existing programs need to be improved and intensified.

“I will just continue the programs already started by my predecessor and make necessary refinement to be able to cope with the needs of our OFWs,” Dimzon said.

The new OWWA chief also vowed to be transparent and judicious in the management of the agency’s P8 billion fund.

“We should invest the OWWA funds only for the welfare of the OFWs because it’s the mandate of the law and it’s their money, we cannot use them for other purposes,” Dimzon stressed.

With the appointment of Dimzon, OFWs expressed hope that they would be getting more welfare benefits.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita also announced the appointment of Philippine National Railways chairman Manuel Andal as the general manager of the agency.

Andal was liaison officer for Region 5 governors under the Office of the President and chief financial officer of Philcomsat Holdings Corp. as the nominee of the Presidential Commission on Good Government.

A new commissioner for the Commission on Information and Communications Technology was also announced in the person of Consuelo Perez.

In a related development, President Arroyo has appointed veteran journalist, political analyst and political media campaign strategist Ed Malay as board member of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

The appointment of Malay carried with it specific instructions from the President to support the technical training and retooling programs initiated by TESDA Director General Augusto Syjuco to ensure that these programs are cascaded down to the grassroots level.    — Marvin Sy, Mayen Jaymalin