Four presidential aspirants have unveiled their plans to work for the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). All of them have vowed to protect themselves from abuses and corruption.
Senator Manny Pacquiao called on the implementation of the law, which he authored, to provide migrant workers with a handbook that contains information to help them address their concerns. It was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in March 2019.
“Alam niyo po ito ang pinakaunang batas na naipasa natin, ‘yung handbook for OFW, dahil importante po sila na protektahan natin at pangalagaan natin dahil malaki po ang naiambag nila sa ating bayan,” Pacquiao said.
“At higit sa lahat, ‘yung handbook po na ‘yan, kailangan lang ma-implement dahil magkakaroon po sila ng tinatawag natin na puwedeng kontakin pag magkaroon sila ng problema. Hindi lamang isa o dalawa. Kung hindi marami,” he added.
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Senator Panfilo Lacson hoped that the newly-created Department of Migrant Workers will not be plagued with corruption.
“Kapag ito ay nagkaroon na naman, nahaluan na naman ng kalokohan, wala ng mangyayari. Sayang ‘yung batas na ipinasa ng Kongreso patungkol dito,” he said.
Lacson stressed that the goal is for Filipinos to get jobs in their own country.
“Unang-una, dapat mawala ‘yung isipang kailangang mangibang bansa para kumita ng pera, dapat nandito ‘yung ating kabuhayan, dapat andito sila hangga’t maaari. Now, hanggang nandiyan ang situation na talagang helpless naman, kailangan mag-OFW, mayroon na tayong naipasa ‘di ba yung department para sa mga OFWs,” he said.
Vice President Leni Robredo, said working abroad should be a matter of choice only and not a necessity.
“Ang pinakauna, ayusin natin ‘yong ating ekonomiya para ‘yung pag lalabas para magtrabaho sa ibang bansa, hindi dahil sa necessity pero by choice,” she said emphasising that the country should enter into bilateral contracts with other nations to ensure the protection of OFWs.
“Mahirap na nandoon sila na wala tayong bilateral contracts kasi hindi natin sila napapangalagaan in the manner na kailangan natin silang pangalagaan,” she added.
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Manila Mayor Isko Moreno vowed to coordinate with other countries to prevent abuse of OFWs.
“Unang-una makikipag ugnayan ako sa mga bansa na ‘yun, ‘yung host na bansa. Bakit wala silang ginagawa doon sa mga citizen nila na nang-aabuso sa Pilipino?” Moreno said.
(I will coordinate with other nations, and I will ask them why they were not doing anything for the abused Filipinos.)
“Because the sauce for the gander is sauce for the goose. Kung sila inaalagaan natin dito bilang mga banyaga, alagaan din nila ‘yong mga kapwa natin Pilipino na nagtatrabaho at nagsisilbi sa kanila,” he added.
Former senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., who currently leads presidential surveys, declined to take part in the Jessica Soho interviews. His camp alleged award-winning journalist Jessica Soho of bias.
Marcos’ spokesperson, Vic Rodriguez stated that their camp anticipated that all of the questions will merely focus on the ‘negativity’ which the Uniteam distances themselves from.
“We believe her questions will just focus on negativity about BBM which the UniTeam dislike,” said Marcos’ spokesperson Vic Rodriguez in a statement.
GMA Network, in its statement, highlighted that the questions asked for all presidential aspirants were difficult as is required by the highest position in the country.
“In this must-see special, Ms. Soho boldly asks the presidential aspirants the questions that need to be asked – their intentions behind running for the position, the controversies thrown at them, their stand on pressing issues, and their concrete plans should they be elected. The questions are tough because the job of the presidency is tough.”
