By Belarmino Dabalos
Saguing, Rome Italy, 22.07.2013v 1820 ICT.
To the OFWs of
Italy, the SONA of Pres. Aquino is just another pack of lies and half truths.
From the beginning of his regime, his only interest is the foreign echange
gains rerived from their sacrifice and fatigues, he never had anything to do
with OFWs . WE MEET THIS LIES WITH PROTESTS AND CONDEMNATION!!!
This year, Pres.
Aquino cannot even utter a word for OFWs because he has nothing to tell them.
He cannot tell the people about the ‘reverse
migration’ caused by his accomplishments in Philippine economy. He cannot speak
of protection for the ‘modern day heroes’ because there is none. He cannot brag
abount the diminishing numbers of migrant workers because he made no genuine
projects that could generate jobs with decent salary in the country because it is
a very visible lie.
No, he cannot even
mention the word OFW in public. It is his big black eye. While he has been
trumpeting about his economic genius, the OFWs who have made sacrifices to keep
the country afloat has been relegated to oblivion. To neglect. We can only
listen with anguish and outrage to his unabashed lies and distorted truths.
He made the OFWs invisible, unprotected from
maltreatments, abuse, imprisonment, dangers in wartorn lands, raped and sold as
prostitutes by his own men in the foreign service and labor offices in foreign
lands. This is the true state of the OFWs.
His much talked
about economic progress has not solved the poverty and unemployment problems.
The progress made the rich richer and the poor poorer. It is inclusive to the
ruling class. It cannot reach the people because the economic progress is not
programmed to reach the people. Whatever jobs generated are mostly or mainly precarious,
with low wages, and without security. It only leads to more poverty. Havinb a
job does not necessarily means better life. And poverty leads to migration. A
worker is driven awauy from the country to scape poverty and try to find a
better alternative in foreign land. For the government, more migrant workers
mean more remittance earnings for the country. More foreign exchange to bolster
the economy.
Since Aquino took office,
the number of OFWs leaving the country daily rose from 2,500 to 4,900.
Gary Martinez of Migrante International said and I quote: “Because
of the Aquino administration’s desperation to further seek job markets abroad
due to the country’s worsening economic situation brought about by its
unreformed policies, its only recourse has been to intensify its labor export
program at the expense of the rights and welfare of OFWs. It has become clearer
that the labor export policy is nothing but a bug business venture from which
the government, big businesses and foreign corporations profit, with OFWs as
milking cows.”
”Without
doubt, Aquino is cut out of the same mold as a modern-day slave trader, siya
ang #1 bugaw at human trafficker ng ating mga OFW,” Martinez said.
In Middle East, our brothers and sisters are beinbg trated
like slaves. Beaten by their bosses, raped, salaries unpaid, and many worse
others. The government are silent about this. Many are forced to scape from
their employers and come to the embassy for safety. In the shelters of some
embassy, the women OFWs are raped and sold as prostitutes by the very persons
who are supposed to help and protect them. This is the kinbd of service OFWs
received from the men of Pres. Aquino.
In embassies and consulates around the world, fees for
services has increased notwithstanding the crisis the OFWs has to suffer. Every
money-making schemes are made to milk
more money from us. But there are no improvements in their services.
For us OFWs, the president’s SONA is no more thatn just a ‘papogi’
to make himself handsome in the eyes of the voters, to make his name shine whe
he go down to history.
To quote again Gary Martinez “OFWs
around the world are outraged by Aquino’s failure to curb forced migration and
its implementation of a more aggressive and unapologetic labor export policy.
In the past three years, the situation of OFWs has deteriorated despite
Aquino’s declarations of an improved economy, a so-called ‘reverse migration’
phenomenon and an alleged more systematic approach to provide welfare and
services for OFWs in distress.”
CFONDEMN AQUINO'S LIES!
CREATE JOBS AT HOME, NOT LABOR EXPORT PROGRAMS!!!
PROTECTION NOT COLLECTIONS!!!
STOP HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS!!!
JUNK VFA! NO TO US BASES IN THE PHILIPPINES!!!
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