Latest news with #OWWA
Filipino Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Filipino Times
DMW chief confirms removal of former OWWA administrator over unauthorized ₱1.4B land deal
Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac confirmed the removal of former Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Arnell Ignacio, citing loss of trust and confidence over an alleged unauthorized ₱1.4 billion land acquisition deal. In an official statement, Secretary Cacdac clarified that Ignacio did not resign, but was removed from office due to serious procedural and substantive lapses related to the purchase of real property without the required approval of the OWWA Board of Trustees. Among the issues raised was the proposal to construct a halfway house for returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), which the Board could have advised against for being impractical and cost-inefficient, given that the private sector could offer more suitable accommodations. The conversion of ₱2.6 billion in emergency repatriation funds into capital outlay was also flagged, as such a move required Board approval under the OWWA Charter. Secretary Cacdac also cited the unauthorized signing of the Deed of Absolute Sale and a Deed of Donation involving the real property, both of which should have been approved by the Board. He questioned the execution of an addendum to the Deed of Absolute Sale to reimburse the seller for taxes, even though OWWA is exempt from such payments. The assumption of undisclosed lease contracts on the property, along with the collection of rental payments by a third party unaffiliated with OWWA, further complicated the transaction. Cacdac also revealed that a building covered by 52 condominium titles—previously included in the property's valuation—had been demolished without Board consent. Further compounding the irregularities, Cacdac said, was the failure of OWWA to gain full possession of the property despite full payment. He noted that the seller's attorney-in-fact had continued collecting lease payments after the sale, and had been entrusted with ₱36 million allegedly reimbursed for transfer taxes, and around ₱1.4 million in rental income—both highly questionable actions considering the property already belonged to the Republic of the Philippines. Cacdac assured the public that appropriate administrative and criminal cases will be filed against OWWA officers responsible for the anomalous transactions. The revelation comes as the agency, under new leadership, has pledged to strengthen public service with transparency, unity, and integrity.
Filipino Times
26-05-2025
- General
- Filipino Times
Four Filipino quake victims repatriated from Myanmar
The remains of four Filipinos who died in the recent earthquake in Myanmar were repatriated to the Philippines, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). The Filipinos died after the Sky Villa building in Mandalay collapsed due to a magnitude 7.7 earthquake on March 28, 2025. DMW Assistant Secretary Regina Galias and OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan joined the bereaved families during the arrival of the remains in Pasay City. 'Rest assured that, upon instructions of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac, we will provide all the necessary assistance and support to the bereaved families during this time of grief and their utmost need,' Caunan said. The Philippine Embassy in Yangon and the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Bangkok coordinated the return of the victims' bodies to the Philippines. DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac earlier met with the families to extend condolences and financial aid under the DMW AKSYON Fund. The families will also receive reintegration support and other assistance.
Filipino Times
25-05-2025
- Business
- Filipino Times
DMW disputes Arnell Ignacio's claim OWWA land deal was aboveboard
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has challenged former OWWA administrator Arnell Ignacio's claim that a P1.4-billion land deal followed legal procedures, calling the transaction 'anomalous.' DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said any property-related decisions involving the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration must first be presented to the OWWA Board of Trustees, where the DMW sits as a member. But the land purchase and key changes to the deed of sale were made without board approval, he said. 'We flagged it as irregular and demanded the return of the funds. Only then was the money refunded,' Cacdac told GMA Integrated News. Cacdac pointed out that in September 2024, Ignacio altered the deed of absolute sale to shift the local transfer tax obligation, amounting to P36 million, without consulting the board. The original version of the deed made OWWA responsible for the tax. The DMW also revealed that the presence of a tenant on the property was never disclosed. As a result, OWWA unknowingly became a 'landlord' and was not receiving rent until the matter was investigated. 'I asked him, 'Where's the rent?' He said, 'We're asking the rent collector.' I asked, 'Who?' He said, 'The former landowner.' Why was the former landowner authorized to collect rent on OWWA's behalf, without board approval?' Cacdac said. He added that the same person who received the P36 million was also given P1.4 million in rent collections. 'And if we hadn't demanded it, the money wouldn't have been returned,' he said. The DMW emphasized that these actions violated financial protocols and transparency standards. In his defense, Ignacio earlier said that the board was informed and that the Land Bank of the Philippines had appraised the property. 'The price OWWA paid reflects LandBank's assessment,' Ignacio said.
Filipino Times
25-05-2025
- Business
- Filipino Times
Arnell Ignacio defends P1.4-B OWWA land deal: ‘Legacy project' for OFWs, not anomalous
Former OWWA Administrator Arnell Ignacio defended the agency's P1.4-billion land acquisition project, saying talks about the deal started as early as 2018 when he was still deputy administrator. Ignacio said the proposal had been brought up in the Senate, where he appealed for flexibility in using the agency's funds. He also claimed they coordinated with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), which provided legal guidance on modifying fund usage. 'All requirements were followed, and the project passed the necessary processes, including the issuance of a Special Allotment Release Order,' he said during a press conference in Quezon City. He added that the OWWA board was informed, and a technical working group reviewed the project under then-Chairman Secretary Hans Cacdac. Ignacio denied any irregularities in the transaction, asserting compliance with Republic Act 10752 and saying the deal should not be called 'anomalous.' 'This is a legacy project for OFWs,' Ignacio said, referring to the 6,499-square-meter property near NAIA Terminal 1. The site, he said, is intended for a halfway house for returning OFWs. He added that Landbank conducted the valuation and CAAP issued the necessary permits. Responding to corruption allegations, Ignacio insisted he did not earn anything from the transaction. 'To the OFWs I have been serving, I did not betray you. I did this out of love and did not profit from it,' he said. Earlier, Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said Ignacio was removed for proceeding with the land purchase without the board's approval. Malacañang said investigations are ongoing, but initial findings showed that the OWWA trust fund was not used for the property purchase.
GMA Network
24-05-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
DMW insists OWWA land deal 'anomalous'
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has refuted former Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) chief Arnell Ignacio's claim that the P1.4-billion land acquisition deal went through proper legal channels. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac, along with other DMW officials, said that critical steps—most notably, obtaining approval from the OWWA Board of Trustees—were entirely bypassed. According to Cacdac, under established law, any transaction and subsequent modifications involving OWWA properties must be presented to and approved by the Board of Trustees—which includes DMW representatives. However, the decision to purchase the property and alter key provisions in the Deed of Absolute Sale was never disclosed to the board. 'What we observed was an anomalous process. The money, which was refunded following our intervention, should have been produced as proof immediately,' Cacdac stated during an interview with GMA Integrated News. DMW officials detailed that in September 2024, Ignacio amended the deed to shift the responsibility for the local transfer tax. The original document clearly held OWWA accountable for the tax, but a later version redirected this obligation to involve a P36 million payment—a significant change that was made without notifying the board. The investigation uncovered that Ignacio failed to disclose the presence of a leasing tenant occupying the property. The board later discovered that OWWA had, in effect, assumed the role of 'landlord' without formal approval. In a pointed exchange, Cacdac questioned Ignacio's account of the transaction. 'I asked, 'Where is the rent?' and learned that it was still being collected by the previous landowner—someone who, without board approval, was authorized to act as a private rent collector for an amount reportedly around P1.4 million,' Cacdac explained. He added that such practices run counter to standard procedures and exacerbate concerns over financial transparency. Ignacio had earlier defended his actions by insisting that all transactions were reported to the board and that the property's valuation was properly assessed by the Land Bank of the Philippines—the designated government financial institution. 'It is the LandBank that determined the value, and the amount paid by OWWA reflects that assessment,' Ignacio said. However, Cacdac argued that the LandBank's reliance on the Right of Way Law was misplaced. 'That law is not applicable to this purchase, especially when there's no approved national infrastructure project and no board sanction to invoke it,' he said. DMW officials have already expanded their inquiry to the tax aspects of the deal. They are currently consulting with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to determine whether the proper tax—possibly value-added tax rather than capital gains tax—was applied, given that the seller is a realty corporation. As the investigation continues, DMW remains committed to demanding full transparency and adherence to protocol in all transactions involving public funds. — VBL, GMA Integrated News
