Villar accused of helping OFWs for his 2010 bid
MANILA, Philippines - At least two leaders of migrant advocacy groups are accusing Senate President Manuel Villar of “using" overseas Filipino workers (OFW) for his 2010 presidential bid.
But the camp of the senator dismissed the accusation, saying the senator won’t stoop down to the level of his critics.
Joseph Henry Espiritu of OFW-SOS and Patnubay.com, a site for OFWs in Saudi Arabia, questioned Villar’s sincerity in helping repatriate abused OFWs.
“Heto ang isang pulitiko na ginagamit ang OFWs para sa kanyang personal na interes (Here is a politician who is just using OFWs for his personal interest)," said Espiritu in a statement recently e-mailed to GMANews.TV.
Espiritu claimed that Villar started campaigning prematurely through his commercials and advertisements on helping OFWs in distress.
“Early this year, nag-umpisa na itong nagkakampanya sa pamagitan ng pagpapakita sa TV, newspaper na tumutulong daw sa mga distressed OFWs. Nakipag-tie up sa isang grupo na akala n’ya malakas sa OFWs (Early this year, he started campaigning through TV and newspapers showing that he was helping distressed OFWs. He tied up with a group which he thinks is influential to OFWs)," he added.
Fe Nicodemus, executive director of the Kapisanan ng mga Kamag-anak ng Migranteng Manggagawang Pilipino, Inc or Kakammpi echoed Espiritu’s view, saying that while Villar was indeed helping OFWs, the senator’s actions could also benefit him politically.
“Nakakatulong din siya, pero kapormahan din ‘yon. Ginagamit talaga ‘yan sa campaign niya, ang aga nga niyang nag-umpisa eh (He could also be helping, but it could also be part of his political stance. It is being used in his campaign, and he did it early)," said Nicodemus in an interview with GMANews.TV on Tuesday.
Nicodemus said it would be better for Villar to help groups assisting OFWs and not take sole recognition in the efforts done for Filipino migrant workers. “Tumulong sana sa mga tumatrabaho niyan, wag sana niyang solohin."
No basis
But Avic Amarillo, Villar’s media liaison officer, set aside the criticism, claiming that it had no basis.
“Sino ba ang nagsabi niyan? Ano ang karapatan niyang sabihin yan? I will not answer that, it’s not worth it. We will not go down to his level (Who said that? What right does he have to say that? I will not answer that, it’s not worth it. We will not go down his level)," said Amarillo in a separate interview with GMANews.TV on Tuesday.
Other migrant advocacy groups interviewed by GMANews.TV on the same day said that Villar should be given the chance to prove that his intentions are genuinely for abused OFWs.
Ellene Sana, executive director of the Center for Migrant Advocacy declined to say if Villar was just into politicking. “Mahirap naman outright na sabihing gano’n (It would be hard to say that outright)."
However, Sana said that even when Villar’s “packaging" of his campaigns for OFWs might not be connected to his political aims, it still appeared that way to some people.
“But you have to look at his track record. In fairness to Villar, hindi lang siya ngayon may ginagawa (But you have to look at his track record. In fairness to Villar, he did not start helping just now)."
“Take it for what it is. It is a positive thing that he is able to assist OFWs," Sana added.
For his part, Victor Fernandez, president of the Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc, said Villar should be “given benefit of the doubt."
“I don’t want to prejudge. Nakakatulong din naman ang actions niya sa mga migrant workers. (His actions help migrant workers). Kulang ang ginagawa niya (What he does in insufficient) but it’s a good start."
Philippine Migrants Rights Watch’s Carmelita Nuqui said that she was hoping that Villar was helping OFWs “because helping other people is what he really wanted."
“Sana lang ang pagtulong hindi lang dahil sa tatakbo ang isang tao (I hope that a politician is helping people not just because he will run in the elections)," said Nuqui. - GMANews.TV
But the camp of the senator dismissed the accusation, saying the senator won’t stoop down to the level of his critics.
Joseph Henry Espiritu of OFW-SOS and Patnubay.com, a site for OFWs in Saudi Arabia, questioned Villar’s sincerity in helping repatriate abused OFWs.
“Heto ang isang pulitiko na ginagamit ang OFWs para sa kanyang personal na interes (Here is a politician who is just using OFWs for his personal interest)," said Espiritu in a statement recently e-mailed to GMANews.TV.
Espiritu claimed that Villar started campaigning prematurely through his commercials and advertisements on helping OFWs in distress.
“Early this year, nag-umpisa na itong nagkakampanya sa pamagitan ng pagpapakita sa TV, newspaper na tumutulong daw sa mga distressed OFWs. Nakipag-tie up sa isang grupo na akala n’ya malakas sa OFWs (Early this year, he started campaigning through TV and newspapers showing that he was helping distressed OFWs. He tied up with a group which he thinks is influential to OFWs)," he added.
Fe Nicodemus, executive director of the Kapisanan ng mga Kamag-anak ng Migranteng Manggagawang Pilipino, Inc or Kakammpi echoed Espiritu’s view, saying that while Villar was indeed helping OFWs, the senator’s actions could also benefit him politically.
“Nakakatulong din siya, pero kapormahan din ‘yon. Ginagamit talaga ‘yan sa campaign niya, ang aga nga niyang nag-umpisa eh (He could also be helping, but it could also be part of his political stance. It is being used in his campaign, and he did it early)," said Nicodemus in an interview with GMANews.TV on Tuesday.
Nicodemus said it would be better for Villar to help groups assisting OFWs and not take sole recognition in the efforts done for Filipino migrant workers. “Tumulong sana sa mga tumatrabaho niyan, wag sana niyang solohin."
No basis
But Avic Amarillo, Villar’s media liaison officer, set aside the criticism, claiming that it had no basis.
“Sino ba ang nagsabi niyan? Ano ang karapatan niyang sabihin yan? I will not answer that, it’s not worth it. We will not go down to his level (Who said that? What right does he have to say that? I will not answer that, it’s not worth it. We will not go down his level)," said Amarillo in a separate interview with GMANews.TV on Tuesday.
Other migrant advocacy groups interviewed by GMANews.TV on the same day said that Villar should be given the chance to prove that his intentions are genuinely for abused OFWs.
Ellene Sana, executive director of the Center for Migrant Advocacy declined to say if Villar was just into politicking. “Mahirap naman outright na sabihing gano’n (It would be hard to say that outright)."
However, Sana said that even when Villar’s “packaging" of his campaigns for OFWs might not be connected to his political aims, it still appeared that way to some people.
“But you have to look at his track record. In fairness to Villar, hindi lang siya ngayon may ginagawa (But you have to look at his track record. In fairness to Villar, he did not start helping just now)."
“Take it for what it is. It is a positive thing that he is able to assist OFWs," Sana added.
For his part, Victor Fernandez, president of the Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc, said Villar should be “given benefit of the doubt."
“I don’t want to prejudge. Nakakatulong din naman ang actions niya sa mga migrant workers. (His actions help migrant workers). Kulang ang ginagawa niya (What he does in insufficient) but it’s a good start."
Philippine Migrants Rights Watch’s Carmelita Nuqui said that she was hoping that Villar was helping OFWs “because helping other people is what he really wanted."
“Sana lang ang pagtulong hindi lang dahil sa tatakbo ang isang tao (I hope that a politician is helping people not just because he will run in the elections)," said Nuqui. - GMANews.TV
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