Group: Arroyo's SONA mum on OFWs' welfare

MANILA, Philippines - Militant overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) based in Hong Kong questioned President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Monday for keeping mum on measures to promote their welfare in her State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Hong Kong (Bayan-HK) said poverty has become so rampant that the economic and political crises are even felt abroad.

"(Government) keeps on exacting from the earning of OFWs through various government fees. It even takes money from what we send to our families through the documentary stamp fee in every remittance," said Norman Uy Carnay, Bayan-HK country information officer, said in a statement on the Kilusan website.

Carnay said that Filipino migrants are enraged with the refusal of the Arroyo government to heed the people's demands to remove the value-added tax on oil and the scrapping of oil deregulation.

Also, he said government remains silent on issues affecting OFWs in the host country.

In her 57-minute speech, Arroyo praised the efforts of OFWs who send money back home to ease the economic woes not only of their families in particular but also of the country in general.

"I care for our OFWs for their skills, integrity, and untiring labor, who send home their pay as the only way to touch loved ones so far away," said Mrs Arroyo in her eighth SONA on Monday.

"Nagpupugay ako ngayon sa kanilang mga pangkaraniwang Filipino (I laud them, ordinary Filipinos)," she added.

After praising the OFWs, Mrs Arroyo received the 10th applause during her speech.

The group's information officer mentioned the lack of reaction of the Philippine government to the HK$100 wage increase for foreign domestic helpers in HK that migrant groups have called "too small" as well as the suspension of the levy that migrants believed would lead to massive termination of current FDHs.

"Other consulates have already expressed disappointment over the levy decision but the Philippine Consulate General has remained silent. It just shows how the GMA government mortally fears rocking the labour migration boat that is the only one supporting the country's economy," Carnay said.

Carnay added that the rice problem, the incessant increase in prices of oil and oil-dependent commodities and the Value Added Tax are the major concerns of OFW families that impact Filipinos abroad.

"These are the everyday needs of our families that stretch our budget to the limits. These expenses are on top of what we have to shoulder on education and health that should have been basic services that this government has never delivered," he added.

"As breadwinners of our families, we cannot escape from the tragedy after tragedy that GMA's policies and inaction to burning issues bring. Every month, we are full of worries as to how we can still shoulder the increasing needs of our families," he said. - GMANews.TV

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