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Duterte taps Abdullah Mama-o to head new Department of Migrant Workers

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Special envoy to Kuwait, Abdullah Mama-o. file/video grab frm PTV-4" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/03/09/20180508-mamao-abdullah-ptv-3.jpg"/><figcaption>Special envoy to Kuwait, Abdullah Mama-o. file/video grab frm PTV-4</figcaption></figure></div><p><br/>MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed his adviser Abdullah Mama-o to lead the <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/30/21/duterte-approves-new-ofw-department">newly-created</a> Department of Migrant Workers, Malacañang said on Wednesday. </p><p>&quot;The Palace congratulates Mr. Abdullah Derupong Mama-o on his appointment as Secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers,&quot; Duterte&#x27;s acting spokesman Martin Andanar said in a statement. </p><p>Mama-o previously served as Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and Muslims Concerns. </p><p>In 2018, Duterte also appointed Mama-o as <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/08/18/duterte-adviser-appointed-special-envoy-to-kuwait">special envoy to Kuwait</a>, following a string of reported abuse and deaths of OFWs, including <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/04/01/18/kuwait-court-sentences-couple-to-death-for-filipinas-murder">Joanna Demafelis</a>, whose body was found in a freezer in Kuwait earlier that year. </p><p>&quot;His experience and qualifications in labor and diplomatic negotiations, among others, as the Presidential Adviser on OFW concerns will be invaluable to his new position and to our migrant workers,&quot; said Andanar. <br/> <br/>Duterte approved the <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/30/21/duterte-approves-new-ofw-department">law</a> creating the Department of Migrant Workers last December. </p><p>There were some 2.2 million overseas Filipino workers in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced about half a million OFWs to go back home, officials have said. </p><p>Despite the economic slowdown that the pandemic caused, OFWs still managed to send home $33.2 billion in 2020, equivalent to one-third of last year&#x27;s P4.506 trillion national budget, Sen. Joel Villanueva earlier said. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/30/21/dfa-welcomes-creation-of-new-ofw-department">DFA welcomes creation of new department for migrant workers</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/11/30/21/department-of-ofws-pushed">Palace adviser bats for Department of OFWs</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P1j4bRHuFQQ?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Presidential Adviser on OFW Concerns Abdullah Mama-o will lead the newly-created Department of Migrant Workers, Malacañang said. 