Section 9Sec./Art. 9

Structure of the Department. The Secretary shall be assisted by no more than four (4) Undersecretaries and by the Assistant Secretaries provided under this Act. The Secretary shall have the authority to assess and evaluate, and on the basis of which, transfer, delineate, reassign, or reorganize the functional areas or responsibilities of each office as he or she may deem necessary.

The following offices are hereby created, each to be headed by an Undersecretary and assisted by other officers and staff:

(a) Office of the Undersecretary for Internal Management and Administration, which shall take over the functions of the POEA Deputy Administrator for Management Services. The Office of the Undersecretary for Internal Management and Administration shall have the following additional functions:

(1) Provide the Department with efficient, effective, and economical services relating to records management, supplies, equipment, collections, disbursements, building administration and maintenance, security, and custodial work;

(2) Administer personnel programs including selection and placement, development, performance evaluation, employee relations, and welfare;

(3) Supervise and control the operational activities of one (1) Assistant Secretary; and

(4) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law or assigned by the Secretary.

(b) Office of the Undersecretary for Foreign Employment and Welfare Services. The Office of the Undersecretary for Foreign Employment and Welfare Services shall take over the functions of the POEA Deputy Administrator for Employment and Welfare. It shall also subsume all the functions of the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) under the DFA. It shall have the following additional functions:

(1) Advise and assist the Secretary in the formulation of the Departments overall long-term and short-term plans and programs an overseas employment;

(2) Undertake program and policy coordination with the OWWA;

(3) Provide prompt and appropriate response to global emergencies or crisis situations affecting OFWs, and members of their families, including, but not limited to, assistance to nationals (ATN), and other services, without prejudice to reimbursement by the responsible principal employer or recruitment or manning agency, in accordance with the law;

(4) Administer the AKSYON Fund provided under Section 14 hereof and authorize disbursements therefrom in accordance with this Act;

(5) Ensure effective coordination and cooperation with other government agencies and the Philippine Foreign Service Posts in the provision of legal assistance and other ATN services utilizing the AKSYON Fund;

(6) Tap the assistance of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, other bar associations, legal experts on labor, migration, and human rights laws, reputable law firms, civil society organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector, as appropriate, to complement government services and resources to provide legal and other forms of assistance to OFWs in distress;

(7) Manage and supervise the Migrant Workers Office as created under Section 15 of this Act;

(8) Develop and monitor the implementation of a full-cycle national reintegration program under Section 17 of this Act;

(9) Exercise control and supervision over the Assistant Secretary heading each of the following: (i) Welfare and Employment Office; (ii) Pre-Employment Service Office; and (iii) the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO) as provided under Section 17 of this Act; and

(10) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law or assigned by the Secretary.

(c) Office of the Undersecretary for Licensing and Adjudication, which shall take over the functions of the POEA Deputy Administrator for Licensing and Adjudication. It shall exercise control and supervision over one (1) Assistant Secretary and of the regional operations of the Department;

(d) Office of the Undersecretary for Policy and International Cooperation shall subsume the substantive functions of the International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB) under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) with regard to labor migration. It shall exercise the following additional functions:

(1) Monitor the observance and implementation of the Philippines obligations and commitments to migration-related international organizations and treaties;

(2) Coordinate and cooperate with the DPA regarding the negotiations of treaties, agreements, compacts, and other instruments that are related to labor migration;

(3) Act as the Departments advocacy arm and shall execute programs and services to raise public awareness on the dangers and indicators of illegal recruitment, human trafficking, mail-order-spouse schemes, among others, and the different government policies and programs in place that aim to address these concerns and how to access them;

(4) Exercise control and supervision over one (1) Assistant Secretary; and

(5) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law or assigned by the Secretary.

There shall be an Office for Land-based OFW Concerns and an Office for Sea-based OFW Concerns under the Office of the Secretary, which will cater to the needs and concerns of land-based and sea-based Filipino workers, respectively. Each office shall be headed by an Assistant Secretary. The National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) shall be under the control and supervision of the Office for Sea-based OFW Concerns.

There shall also be an Office for Internal Audit which shall conduct objective evaluation of the Departments extent of compliance with its mandate, functions, programs, projects, activities, and outputs.