MANILA: Migrante International, the largest global alliance of overseas Filipinos, seeks to know how President Rodrigo Duterte plans to decisively deviate from the labor export policy in the coming months.
“We expect to see his political will on ending labor export and other neoliberal policies imposed by foreign powers. It is high time for the Duterte administration to depart from past governments’ recourse to chronically seek job markets abroad in exchange for remittances despite the ongoing global crisis and to the detriment of OFWs and their families. This cycle has got to end,” Manila Bulletin quoted Mic Catuira, Migrante’s Acting Secretary General, as saying.
Still, the group gave Duterte a satisfactory grade of 82 on his 100th day in office.
“We gave him a satisfactory grade based on his administration’s accomplishments on the immediate ‘do-ables’ and on his notable actions on urgent issues and concerns of OFWs and the nation. This, by far, is the highest score that we have given to a president in their first 100 days,” Catuira reportedly said.
The group reportedly based their score on the current administration’s performance relative to the “agenda for a Better Pinas for OFWs” which they presented to high-ranking officials of the government. In their score card, Pres. Duterte was given a dismal average grade of 54 but earned significant additional points for his “other striking actions on OFW concerns” and “notable achievements on national and people’s issues.”
“Pres. Duterte made strong policy pronouncements and sweeping actions that serve the interests of the people and nation. However, these do not swiftly translate to reality because many of his Cabinet members and other government are still stuck in the old ways of previous administrations or does not necessarily share his radical views,” Catuira reportedly said.
Catuira explained that they still maintain high hopes with the Duterte administration.
“His assertion for an independent foreign policy and his continuing efforts to pursue social-economic reforms through the peace process are indicative of his sincerity to bring real change for the people,” the Migrante official was quoted as saying by Manila Bulletin.
