Pay attention to Filipinos in Sabah, newly- elected told
Published on: Friday, May 24, 2019
By: Nikko Fabian
KOTA KINABALU: Both members of the Philippine House of Senate and 18th House of Congress are urged to give sufficient attention to the needs of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) in their fresh term in office starting June 30.
In the May 13 midterm elections, the Filipinos elected 12 new senators to serve alongside 12 other incumbents whose term will last until 2022.
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The newly-elected senators comprise of eight reelectionists and four neophytes will end their six-year term in 2025.
On the other hand, the newly-elected 234 congressional representatives (Lower House) will serve the public until 2022.
Echoing similar aspirations with those in other countries, OFWs in Sabah called on the House of Senate and 18th Congress to pass legislations/laws/bills for the country’s peace and order and economic stability including the political aspect.
With security, economic and political stability, several Filipino associations and groups, including individuals here, said it will encourage and pave way for many Filipinos abroad to go home for good.
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“With the majority of the elected members of the House of Senate and House of Congress succumbing to the leadership style of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, we hope and pray that the final goal of the President to get all OFWs back home by providing good jobs with pay will come to reality in the near future,” the group called Concerned Filipino Professionals Sabah (CFPS) said.
They said bringing OFWs back home means providing them jobs that would earn them enough to sustain their families’ needs, good peace and order, economic and political stability, including business-friendly investment environment among others.
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They also said the “Dutertenomics”, the heart of the Philippine Development Plan, aims to generate two million jobs per year or some 10 million jobs by the end of Duterte’s term in 2022.
CFPS added that Senator-elect Christopher ‘Bong’ Go’s campaign proposal to set up an Overseas Filipino Workers national department is a laudable idea that should be supported by the senators and congressmen.
The group also reminded neophyte Senator-elect Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa who garnered more than 19 million votes to formulate legislations that would effectively improve the security aspects of the country.
“With stable national security, Filipinos and foreigners will enjoy free movements, resulting in enhanced trust and confidence to potential investors/capitalists and subsequently creates employments... with easy availability of jobs, people will now have money to put food on the table,” CFPS stressed.
The group also urged the senators and congressmen to be sensible on the plights of the Filipinos in Malaysia, particularly Sabah, on the Sabah claim issue.
Filipinos here face strings of problems, ranging from insufficient embassy staff and paraphernalia during consular missions, undocumented Filipinos, stateless and uneducated children and parents, presence of Filipino illegal recruiters including Filipinos involved in drug abuse and other crimes.
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“Our host country is treating us well... Philippine and Malaysia continue to enjoy harmonious bilateral relationship. So, let us not spoil the present good and friendly atmosphere.
“Let us put aside politics now that the election is over... politicians should now work together to develop our respective communities and help level up the standard of living of the very Filipino.”