MIGRANTE-MIDDLE EAST joins other sectors criticizing the Arroyo administration?s engaging in massive advertising of its ?accomplishments.?
The intensified campaign is just a pure waste of public funds. It reveals her administration?s growing desperation to boost her image in the face of her plunging popularity. There is no need for this campaign; the Arroyo administration has accomplished nothing worthwhile to alleviate the socio-economic plight of the majority of the Filipino people.
Most Filipinos would know better their situation?that during Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo?s nine years in the presidency, they have been living in misery and deep poverty.
The more than 10 million overseas Filipino workers abroad and their families have been witness to Ms Arroyo?s continued neglect of runaway and distressed OFWs.
Many of our fellow OFWs are from families of workers and farmers in the provinces who have been forced to accept ?demeaning, dirty, and dangerous? jobs abroad amid the scarcity of available jobs in the homeland, only to end up victims of employer abuse, maltreatment and labor malpractices.
For instance there are numerous requests to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and Department of Foreign Affairs for airfare tickets from the stranded OFWs, but under Ms Arroyo?s regime, OFW needs and concerns have not been properly attended to.
The Arroyo administration is only paying lip service to OFWs and their families for whom the government has no welfare programs that provide meaningful benefits. This despite the huge amount of OFWs funds?estimated to have reached P14 billion?held in trust by the government through the OWWA, the OFWs and their families.
The huge amount of money spent by the Arroyo administration for its ?legacy ads? could have been better spent for more valuable social services and welfare programs to alleviate the condition of the majority of the poor Filipinos?workers, farmers, urban poor and OFWs.
?JOHN LEONARD MONTERONA,
regional coordinator,
Migrante-Middle East,
migranteme@gmail.com
