Delayed, but home at last – thanks to Villar
Distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) earlier blocked from leaving Jordan, expressed relief over their eventual repatriation to the country, following unforeseen delays in their scheduled return.
The four migrant workers, Zerina Zuela, Donaida Balagat, Zahara Bida, and Maribeth Nagal, were supposed to come home last August 26 under the repatriation effort of Nacionalista Party president, Sen. Manny Villar. Unexpectedly, they failed to board their original flight booked by the senator due to immigration troubles in the Middle East country.
“Our earlier frustration was replaced by the thrill of eventually seeing our sorely missed families and compensating for the lost time,” Zuela said, “We are grateful to Senator Villar.”
Villar, who paid for their plane fares and other fees, bared the hard work required in bringing home OFWs. “The repatriation of our distressed migrant workers does not only entail settling their fees and airfares but also working on the resolution of their cases abroad. The delay in the return of our four OFWs demonstrates the complexity involved in this effort.”
On August 26, the senator repatriated 80 OFWs and two children from the Middle East, particularly Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Syria, and welcomed them in his home on Shaw Boulevard. The return of late-arriving OFWs, including the four from Jordan, and another two earlier, brings to 86 the number of migrant workers repatriated by Villar as a batch last month.
Zuela, 23, left Mauban, Quezon on November 2007 to support her parents and siblings. In Jordan, the household aide was physically abused and not paid her salaries by her various employers. “Yung mga anak ng isa kong amo ay ni-la-lock ako sa balkonahe ng second floor habang naglilinis ng bintana. Dahil doon nagpabalik ako sa agency kung saan pinagsasampal ako. Hinanapan ako ng iba pa kung saan minamaltrato rin ako,” stated the distressed mother of one kid.
Meanwhile, Balagat, 26, was not only verbally abused, overworked, and deprived of food, but was also molested in Jordan. “Yung isang amo ko nanghihipo at sinasabihan akong gusto niya akong gamitin. Yung isa naman pinagtratrabaho ako mula 5 a.m. hanggang 2 a.m., tapos pinatutulog lang ako sa kusina. Yung isa, ‘di na nga ako pinasahod, pinagbantaan pa akong sisirain ang mukha ko,” recounted the household service worker who returned to her family in Ilagan, Isabela.
Nagal, 33, returned to Isabel, Leyte without getting her salary for more than a year. “Nagpapasalamat po ako kay Senador Villar na, kahit hindi ko nakuha ng buo ang sweldo ko, ligtas na po ako sa piling ng aking mga minamahal,” the distressed Filipina said.
For three decades, Villar has repatriated distressed OFWs from Riyadh, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Amman, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Malaysia.
Harsh conditions faced by OFWs has prompted Villar to actively press for the application of the “no-fault insurance” for OFWs, a form of indemnity plan in which anyone injured in an accident or misfortune receives direct payment from the company that has insured them, eliminating the need for victims to establish another’s liability or fault through a civil case.
Villar has set up helpline “Sagip OFW” for distressed migrant workers to give them an avenue to air their plight for timely assistance, while batting for conducive economic conditions to expand opportunities in the country as a long-term solution.
FVR says Gibo ‘very competent’
Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro’s presidential candidacy is gaining momentum after he picked up support from 23 municipal mayors and three city mayors from vote-rich Laguna, on a day former President Fidel Ramos exalted his competence to seek the country’s presidency.
At a farewell dinner for outgoing country director Klaus Preschle of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation at the Mandarin Hotel Tuesday night, Ramos shook hands with Teodoro, one of the main speakers for the night, and gave the youthful presidential aspirant a lift.
Asked by mediamen if Teodoro has what it takes to become president, Ramos, smiling, described the Defense Chief as “very, very competent.”
Ramos himself was defense chief of President Corazon Aquino before declaring for the presidency in 1992, offering a candidacy untainted by traditional politics and corruption and a leadership tested by his leadership at the defense department and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
In his remarks at the event, Ramos said building a nation requires a “generation of leaders” from the same ruling party for vital public policies to accomplish the goals they were enacted for.
Lakas and Kampi have produced two presidents—Ramos and President Arroyo—who set the direction for the country in 15 of the last 17 years. The parties have since merged into Lakas-Kampi CMD and their record is highlighted by the robust economic gains made by the country, increased stability, massive infrastructure building and anti-poverty programs for the poor and underprivileged.
Earlier Tuesday, Laguna Governor Teresita “Ningning” Lazaro presided at a provincial chapter meeting of Lakas-Kampi CMD where Teodoro—the most likely candidate of the ruling party in next year’s election—picked up the endorsement of 23 municipal mayors, three city mayors, two vice mayors, four provincial board members, two municipal councilors and 14 association of barangay councils presidents.
Lazaro said support for Teodoro is growing rapidly, and more local officials from the vote-rich province and region are expected to endorse him soon.
“We see a wave of endorsements for Secretary Teodoro coming from local officials, not only from Laguna but from the Southern Tagalog region,” Lazaro said.
“We have heard Secretary Teodoro’s message to the Filipino people. We believe he will be the right candidate for president. He could be the candidate who can create the future for our country,” she said.
Among those declaring for Teodoro were Calamba City Mayor Joaquin Chipeco Jr.; Mayors Victorino Rodillas (Majayjay); Nieva Reodica (Magdalena); Bruno Ramos (Bay); Josie Cuento (Sta. Maria); Juanita Manzana (Pangil); Ariel Magcalas (Sta. Cruz); Vipops Charles Martinez (Pakil); Gerardo Fader (Mabitac); Manuel Rondilla (Rondilla); Florcelie Esguerra (Cavinti); Caesar Perez (Los Baños); Isidro Hemedes Jr. (Cabuyao); Nelson Osuna (Nagcarlan); Cesar Sulibit (Liliw); Eladion Magampon (Alaminos); Wilfredo Paraiso; Vice Mayor Edgardo Ramos (Pila); Vice-Mayor Paul Simon Go (Siniloan); and Councilor Arlyn Lazaro-Torres (Pagsanjan). Mayors Magcalas, Paraiso and Ramos are former Liberal Party members, while Mayor Osasuna is a former Nationalist People’s Coalition member.
“I am with Lakas Kampi CMD. No ifs or buts. I will work for its presidential candidate,” said Lazaro-Torres, a former PMP member.
“Kung tayo’y magsama-sama, we can make Gibo win,” said Mayor Rodillas, summing up the upbeat mood of the gathering, just five days after Teodoro emerged as the ruling party’s consensus candidate for president following a meeting of its executive committee. The choice will be formally ratified by the Lakas-Kampi national directorate next month in a two-step process to choose its standard-bearer.
“Ang kailangan ay kaunlaran. Yan ay makakamit lamang sa pagsama-sama, lalo na sa ilalim ng liderato ni Gov. Lazaro,” said Ramos.
“Sana magkaisa tayong lahat para mapanalo natin ang ating Partido,” said Cuento.
“We are happy that the Party representatives are here and this meeting is held because we have long waited to know what our Party wants us to do and who are our candidates,” said Manzana.
“Kung sino ang kandidato ni GMA – yun ang kandidato ko, sa lahat ang Presidente, kay GMA lang ang walang bawas sa IRA ng LGU’s, bagkus buong-buo,” said Mayor Perez.
“Ako’y nagpapasalamat na nakasama sa Lakas Kampi CMD,” said Mayor Chipeco.
