An Open Letter for President Arroyo

Her Excellency
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Malacanang, Manila

Subject: OWWA Diagnostic and Consultative Process on Administrator Appointment

Your Excellency:

There has been considerable public interest, in general, and utmost concern of the global Filipino community, in particular, on the governance and appointment of the Administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

We appreciate Your Excellency's support of the objective of ensuring the efficient and sound operations of OWWA, cognizant of the impact on the well-being of contract workers and their families. To that end, the global Filipino community submits for your consideration its twin proposal for:

1. an institutional diagnostic of OWWA to be carried out by a team of qualified international consultants; and

2. the adoption of a consultative process, which includes the global Filipino community, the stakeholders of OWWA, of developing a short list and choosing a qualified candidate for the OWWA Administrator.

The Diagnostic

It is timely to undertake an OWWA diagnostic in light of the departure of top management. A fresh diagnostic will provide an objective assessment of the past and perspectives for the future. It will serve as the performance benchmark for a new management team.

We respectfully suggest that the appointment of a new management team should await the completion of the diagnostic.

The diagnostic will cover:

a. a SWOT analysis (covering OWWA's strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities);
b. an assessment of:
i. OWWA's legal framework and operating environment;
ii. institutional strategy, programs, policies, and organizational structure, in the context of
meeting OWWA's mandated goals;
iii. financial performance, financial condition (including, in particular, the quality of the
portfolio) and audit; and
c. assessment-based recommendations, including, among others:
i. greater and real representation of the global Filipino community in the Board and
management;
ii. independence of the Board;
iii. professionalization and autonomy of management;
iv. safeguards to protect portfolio quality and enhance financial performance;
v. content and format for quarterly report on operations, financial performance and financial
condition; and
vi. a capacity-building program.

The diagnostic will take one month to complete. It would initially build on the past assessments, audits and capacity building initiatives on OWWA. The entire process will involve consultations with relevant authorities and OWWA's stakeholders.

The global Filipino community will fund the cost of the international consulting team. The Leader and members of the international consulting team should be registered with multilateral or bilateral financial institutions.

Consultative Process for Search for OWWA Administrator

The global Filipino community proposes to develop a methodology, in close collaboration with the Office of the President, the Dept. of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Civil Service Commission, for the consultative process of finally choosing the new OWWA Administrator. The methodology will involve the following elements:

a. the job content and description;
b. the required qualifications;
d. a weighted Candidate Rating System (CDS) that would include:

i. the appropriateness and depth of experience;
ii. track record of professional performance;
iii. familiarity with issues relative to the position concerned;
iv. extent of interaction with the global Filipino community;
v. adequacy of exposure to and knowledge of the relevant bureaucratic environment;
vi. personality fit of the candidate in relation to the position concerned; and
vii. the vision defined by the candidate.

Thank you.


VICTOR S. BARRIOS
GFN Convenor