Philippine Presidential platform of government which the country watches over once elected

Tony Velasquez (Moderator) New hero, old problem.   Over 10 million Filipinos are competing outside the country, miss their families, sacrifice to provide their family a good life. And Nanay (Christy) said, can it be probable for the OFWs to go home without leaving the country any longer?   No one beside me here.  But some of our countrymen in Dubai are with us right now.  They’re waiting for your replies.  They’re watching via Skype. Let’s start with Senator Poe.

	SENATOR GRACE POE
	RATINGS
	REALISTIC		IDEALISTIC
	ISSUE NO. 3 -  PERMANENT JOB
	7		0
FILIPINO VERSION		TRANSLATION		COMMENTARY
Truly, our OFWs are new heroes.  And I sincerely thank them because they save our country and economy for many decades. (1) Countrymen, this is what I can do for you.  We can have a portable Philhealth Card which you can use anywhere in the world. (2) Why?  Because the taxes that you’re providing to the country or revenue to the country is $26 billion.  VAT alone of this, is already P150 billion, which we can utilize for you. (3) 24-hour hotline will be privoded for our countrymen who have problems. We will sit down in bilateral talks, outside of the country to protect you including Saudi Arabia whose Kafala System is undesirable which is not helpful to you. (5) Countrymen, but what I really like to do is to prepare our economy to have jobs when you go home. (6)  We have several teachers who work as domestic helpers in other countries, but there are some sharpened with different languages are needed because we are short of teachers.  (7) Our economy will progress so you don’t need to leave anymore, and if ever you would leave it is because of your choice. Leaving the family creates several predicaments.  As a mother, as a woman, I would like for us to be together.  And thank you very much.
COMMENTARY:
With this $26 billion huge provision of revenue that the OFWs generate for the government, it’s just judicious that the government should urgently find a means to stop this planting of ammunition scam in the airport.  Leaving their loved ones just to earn a living outside of the country is already a sacrifice so do not add anymore another unbearable burden.

	SECRETARY MAR ROXAS
	RATINGS
	REALISTIC	IDEALISTIC
	ISSUE NO. 3 -  PERMANENT JOB
	4	0
You know, I’ll tell you the same story, identical with that of yours, (Christine Reyes), OFW also in the Middle East. She was maltreated by her employer, was able to return here, received assistance and training from OWWA.  In that way, she managed to start a job.  Since then, she has been saving her money and now, she’s already an owner of a Spa.  She’s from Pangasinan, she is Christine Reyes.  She has 4 spas here and still branching out. (1) This is the example that we want to happen for all our OFWs.  And this will only materialize if our economy is developed.  And our economy is   progressing, indeed.  We have the lowest unemployment rate in the last 10 years, presently. (2) A lot of jobs can be created here.  And our OFW can go home should they desire to.  In fact, the number of OFWs applying to return abroad shrinks up to 600,000.  Meaning, they can work here. (3) What is important is our economy’s advancement.  This is indispensable to have something when you go home.  We want you to return here to be with your family, so you’re not detached from them, and your livelihood will not be difficult. Togetherness is important in a family. (4) That is the heart of our society, that is the strength of the Filipinos, the Filipino family.

	VICE PRESIDENT JEJOMAR BINAY
	RATINGS
	REALISTIC	IDEALISTIC
	ISSUE NO. 4 -  PERMANENT JOB
	4	1
To the new OFW heroes, you know in my administration there will be pension plan for the OFW. (1) We will remove the OWWA membership.  The government will shoulder all initiatives of OWWA assistance. (2) We will have a road map so you can check the status of your employment as OFW, in terms of your attainment until you stop as OFW. (3) And I hope – in my administration, I’ll let you experience this.  I’ve heard on the screen someone who looks familiar.  I’ve seen you when I visited shelter houses.  Supposedely, there is already an allocated 100 million aid for legal assistance, which was disapproved, which was not release by this government. (2) And finally, I hope the OFW will no longer leave because of necessity, out of desperation, but as a matter of choice. (4) These will happen. That will be my assistance for you.  This is based on the experience that we will be together. We will address the issues that I heard from you.
COMMENTARY:
If the allocated Php100 million for legal assistance was disapproved and not released by this current administration, then there must be a shortage on the budget or it can be that it was diverted to other necessities.  So the Vice President should have clarifed how could he fund it effectively.

	SENATOR MIRIAM DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO
	RATINGS
	REALISTIC	IDEALISTIC
	ISSUE NO. 3 -  PERMANENT JOB
	2	0
The best way we can help OFWs is not to make it a necessity for them to leave.It could be an option, but it should not be a necessity. That's why we have to build up our own strong economy. Why we are in this present status? A legal assistance, one, is very important for the OFWs. This should be necessary that they should have a hotline to the DOLE or the OWWA so that they can ask for help. And our Consuls general should have special training in helping these people when they are in trouble, which is their duty in the first place. (1) To the OFWs, your best chance of a job when you come back to the Philippines is if ASEAN Economic Community begins. All the 10 ASEAN member countries will be members of an economic community. And it that way, many jobs will open for us in our neighboring countries in ASEAN. (2) So, that will be their biggest opportunity when the ASEAN Economic Community opens. When we become competitive that way, we become competitive with the rest of the world. And we do not – we’ll no longer have to pay special attention to OFWs because it is a choice, not a necessity.

	MAYOR RODRIGO DUTERTE
	RATINGS
	REALISTIC	IDEALISTIC
	ISSUE NO. 3 -  PERMANENT JOB
	4	1
It is almost an everyday spectacle to read the newspapers about the abuses of our brothers and sisters abroad working as OFW. I propose to create one government only to take care of the OFW. All of the necesseties, permit, everything, will be taken from that administration – it's going to be a department to take care of them. (1) Second is, I will create a bank for their remittances. They will no longer go to their dicer. They can go to the bank and we will have a bank in every place where they are. (2) And third, make it mandatory for the Consul General or Consul to keep track of the Filipinos abroad. And at the first sign of abuse, and if they want to go home, that’s free. We will fund it. And if they get sick, I will pay the hospital. (3) We will have the credit line in all of the hospitals. Those battered, they will be provided with ticket if hey want to come home immediately. Everything is mandatory. (4) Anyone who wants to go home, wants the contract suspended then she will have the legal aid. (1) And most Importantly, everybody is looking after the welfare of the Filipinos. That is the mandatory duty of the Consular services.
COMMENTARY:
1). Binay says that the allocated Php100 million intended for OFW’s legal assistance was disapproved, so he should have specified how he could sustain its fund given the scenario taken by the Vice President.

Tony Velasquez (Moderator) Again to our candidates.  Thirty seconds again for their additional replies.  Senator Poe.

	SENATOR GRACE POE
	RATINGS
	REALISTIC	IDEALISTIC
	ISSUE NO. 3 -  PERMANENT JOB (ADDITIONAL REPLY)
	3	0
It should not  – OFW should be included, our seaman.  Many of them need to renew their Seaman’s Book almost every year.  It should be fast.  A department is significant in taking care of their needs and healthcare of their families that are here. (1) Seamen should not be charged with terminal fees.  We’re giving them a problem on the necessity to refund.  (2) It should be red carpet treatment.  Balikbayan box should be fraud-free and don’t plant ammunition to their baggage. (3)

	SECRETARY MAR ROXAS
	RATINGS
	REALISTIC	IDEALISTIC
	ISSUE NO. 3 -  PERMANENT JOB (ADDITIONAL REPLY)
	0	0
Many solutions to the problems of the OFWs can be taken through common sense.   For example, our embassies and labor attaché in other countries are closed on weekends at the time where our OFWs are free and have time.  How could they report and ask for assistance to our representatives if the offices are closed?  That’s one of the initiatives that we will work on, our offices should be open so that our OFW can report to when they they’re in need. (1)

	VICE PRESIDENT JEJOMAR BINAY
	RATINGS
	REALISTIC	IDEALISTIC
	ISSUE NO. 3 -  PERMANENT JOB (ADDITIONAL REPLY)
	2	0
To the OFW, I will continue especially in the Middle East to follow the directive or the one appealed by ILO (International Labor Organization). And this one has already been accomplished by Saudi Arabia. (1) Everybody who works in Saudi Arabia is allowed to acquire own passport- they are already provided with weekend vacation.  I’ll make it a point that this will happen to the entire Middle East for the OFWs.  (2)

	SENATOR MIRIAM DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO
	RATINGS
	REALISTIC	IDEALISTIC
	ISSUE NO. 3 -  PERMANENT JOB (ADDITIONAL REPLY)
	1	0
I just would like to add that we’re talking about the aid for the OFWs that’s present outside of the country.  While still in the country, OFW are already exploited because of the recruitment fees that can either be fake or phony, and because there can be a demand for papers which are not really necessary, just to strengthen the bureaucratic red tape around the neck of the OFWs. That’s why all of them, are illegal recruiters. (1)

	MAYOR RODRIGO DUTERTE
	RATINGS
	REALISTIC	IDEALISTIC
	ISSUE NO. 3 -  PERMANENT JOB (ADDITIONAL REPLY)
	2	0
They should be given a shopping list by the DOLE or whatever, or office, OFW. If they have complied it, they will not be asked for more, for it not to be time consuming.  (1) That is the agony of our Filipinos including the seamen. Whatever is asked is thus corrupted. And that’s a problem. They even complain about corruption in government. (2) That’s why government stop……on corruption.

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