'What to do now, Pinoy?'

DIE HARD III
Herman Tiu Laurel
11/7/2011



I translated this letter from a Nigeria-based OFW, with some parts retaining the original.

“Pinoy, paano ka na ngayon?, by Lito Nucum: ‘NOW, THEREFORE, the POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration) governing board resolves… to stop the deployment of OFWs to the above-mentioned countries for non-compliance with the guarantees required under RA 10022.” The POEA issued GB Resolution No. 7, Series 2011, which named 41 countries that have not complied with Rule III of RA 10022. Is this the appropriate response to help Filipinos who take their chances to work in other countries? Be it Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, Kuwait, or Saudi Arabia, why do Pinoys still persist in leaving their homeland and face the perils awaiting them in these and/or other countries that are non-compliant still with Rule III of RA 10022?

“What I do know is that it is the right of every Filipino to seek a means of livelihood wherever in the world. When the state fails to provide its own people with sustainable employment, tutunganga na lang ba si Itay at Inay at titignang nakangiti ang isang katerbang mga anak habang tirik ang mata at nakanganga ang bibig sa gutom? ‘Survival,’ the life of the entire Filipino family, is at stake and we want to stir up the conscience of our government ‘not to impose’ a ‘deployment ban’ on whatever country. I know our government realizes the lack of opportunities in our country. That is why, despite violation of Section 5 of RA 10022 which ‘shall allow the deployment only of skilled Filipino workers,’ thousands upon thousands of inengs, ates, nanays, titas and lolas still force themselves into countries abounding with abuses. Ano sa palagay ng gobyerno natin, makiki-chismis sila doon, makikipag-karaoke lang? Gising… kailangan nilang mabuhay nang marangal.

“Many of those in government ride around in luxurious cars, have nice homes in Forbes, Dasma, or maybe Alabang, and send their children to Ateneo, UP, La Salle, sporting signature clothes, smartphones, and pa-Belo-Belo pa. Well, after all, madali lang naman sabihing, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to receive you but (I) only (need) to say the word and I shall be healed. Until next kumpisal ulit.’ Anyway, here are some parts of the report as seen on GMA News: ‘DoLE (Department of Labor and Employment) Secretary Baldoz said the ban will affect a little over 200 OFWs, who she said can avail of the government’s integration program if they wish to return home. Earlier Wednesday the POEA ordered a deployment ban on 41 countries for the lack of guarantees ensuring the welfare of overseas Filipino workers. She said many of the OFWs deployed to the 41 countries are employed by globally operated companies and are not covered by the deployment ban.’

“Nagtatanong lang ako kung saan nakuha ng kagalang-galang na DoLE secretary yung ‘a little over 200.’ Maybe, I thought, this was just a typo error and two zeros got lost. According to my research on POEA data, there are 21,948 land-based OFWs that are legally working in the countries cited. First is Libya where there are 11,000 heroic fellow Filipinos who, despite the war, choose not to return home yet. I would be grateful if only a little over 200 are affected by the ban in 41 countries, which means 21,700 of our countrymen working in globally operated companies are not covered by the deployment ban. But will this be the view of the BI (Bureau of Immigration)? E, walang hinihintay ang mga kapatid diyan sa BI kung hindi ang mga ganitong Resolution at iba pang government orders na siyang nagiging sanhi ng lalong pasakit sa Pinoy na gustong mag-hanap-buhay sa abroad. For the BI, those countries affected by the ban will become gold when GB R#7 comes into effect.

“I am certain that many of our countrymen working in countries affected by the ban will hesitate to take their vacations to the homeland, fearing they will not be able to return to the foreign countries giving them livelihood. What do they say to their families? ‘Inday, sorry Ma, i-explain mo na lang sa mga bata kung bakit hindi tayo magkakasama sa Paskong ito. Merry Christmas. I love you all very much at God bless; ingat.’ Like us here in Nigeria… many have fallen victim to that deployment ban; and I am one of them. That is why I took the nerve to express my innermost feelings, and cry out loud, ‘remove the deployment ban,’ or else another huge question shall face us all: ‘Pinoy paano ka na ngayon?’…

“About the partial deployment ban here in Nigeria, it should not be so. It is clearly stated in Section 6 RA 10022, ‘termination or ban on deployment,’ which states ‘notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 1 and 5 of this Rule, in pursuit of the national interest or when public welfare so requires, the POEA governing board, after consultation with the Department of Foreign Affairs, at any time, (may) terminate or impose a ban on the deployment of migrant workers.’ But what national interest and public welfare is affected for a certain country that is already compliant but still faces the ban, like Nigeria, that has given life to our hopes that our own country has not been able to give? Then they will impose the ban? Is this what the country that took us in gets in return — shamed before the whole world? Our government in the Philippines is ungrateful and treacherous.”

The letter speaks volumes about the plight of our OFWs under the present government of incompetence and naiveté that was brought in by the “civil socialites” of the Yellow and Akbayan charlatans. With P-Noy, they have all done huge damage, instead of good, to “the people” whose name they woefully invoke to claw to politics and plunder.

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