Guam migrant workers office to bring PH labor services closer to CNMI

The Philippine government’s new Migrant Workers Office in Guam is expected to begin serving the CNMI soon, bringing labor-related services closer to Filipino workers whose documents are currently handled through an office thousands of miles away in Washington, D.C.

Philippine Consul General in Guam Rosario P. Lemque told Marianas Press in an interview following a Sept. 12 town hall at the Beach Garden Hotel that a labor officer and her assistant are expected to arrive in Guam this month, although the arrival of a welfare officer has yet to be determined.

“Hopefully, at least the labor officer, not attaché because Guam is not an embassy, the labor officer will be coming hopefully within this month and her assistant,” Lemque said.

She said labor documents involving Filipino workers in the CNMI are currently processed through the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., whose labor office has jurisdiction over the Commonwealth.

Once the Migrant Workers Office, or MWO, becomes operational in Guam, Lemque said it will handle labor documents for areas under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Consulate General in Guam.

“So that means from Guam, CNMI, Palau, FSM (Federated States of Micronesia), and RMI (Republic of Marshall Islands),” she said.

The change would effectively bring the processing of CNMI labor documents much closer to the Commonwealth.

During the town hall, Lemque also explained that the former Philippine Overseas Labor Office structure is now known as the Migrant Workers Office following the creation of the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers.

The MWO announcement was among several issues discussed during what Lemque described as the consulate’s first town hall on Saipan for Filipino community leaders.

Lemque said the consulate welcomed the opportunity to hear directly from community representatives, although space and time constraints prevented the gathering from being opened to the larger Filipino community.

“We hope that they're able to bring to us the important issues that the community as a whole value,” she said.

She added that the consulate also hoped community leaders would relay information from the meeting to the wider Filipino community on Saipan.

One issue that stood out during the discussions was the situation of undocumented Filipinos in the CNMI.

“I suppose I am amazed at how they care about the fellow Filipinos here, especially those who are undocumented and are really in need of help,” Lemque said.

She thanked members of the community who have contributed their own money and time over the years to assist Filipinos in need.

“I'm so thankful for many of the fellow Filipinos who have continuously over the years been helping on their own, sharing their financial resources and their time to help the fellow Filipinos who are in need of help,” she said.

Lemque said those efforts complement assistance provided by the Philippine government.

The consul general also addressed another long-running issue for the Filipino community—the absence of a permanent Philippine diplomatic post on Saipan.

Asked about efforts to appoint an honorary Philippine consul in the CNMI, Lemque said the consulate has yet to receive an application.

“It's sad to say there's no application. The consulate has not received any application,” she said.

Lemque invited anyone interested in serving as honorary consul to contact the consulate and submit credentials.

“If you would like to be willing to be the honorary consul of the Philippines here in CNMI, then please send us your credentials, or at least email us, and we'll talk to you about the requirements and everything,” she said.

As for restoring a full Philippine Consulate on Saipan, Lemque said there are no immediate plans.

“Right now, there are no plans, but of course, we can always hope,” she said.

She said other areas are also seeking Philippine foreign service posts, including places with Filipino populations larger than the CNMI’s.

“But right now, as far as I know, it will not be in the immediate future,” Lemque said.

Lemque ended by thanking Filipinos in the CNMI for their contributions to the Commonwealth.

“The Filipino worker is valued and very well respected all over the world,” she said. “So just keep on doing your best and contributing to the community here. Not just to the Filipino community, but to the general CNMI community.”