Migrant group welcomes VP Binay appointment as P-Noy adviser on OFWs concerns

A Filipino migrant rights alliance in the Middle East today said it applaud the move made by the Aquino III administration in appointing Vice President Jejomar Binay as President Aquino’s adviser on OFWs concerns saying “he could provide valuable insights and direction to the President.”

On Saturday, it was reported that Office of the Executive Secretary has already confirmed Vice President Binay’s appointment as Presidential adviser on OFWs concerns. According to the reports, the information came from Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. in a text message to media outlets.

John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator said to appoint VP Binay as P-Noy’s adviser on OFWs concerns has been OFWs clamor from the beginning since both assumed their respective offices on July.

“It is publicly acknowledge that VP Binay has accomplished fairly good in serving his constituency in Makati; the fact that he has been a local chief executive for quite sometime, he has the vast experience that would be of help to the President, who unlike Binay, has never been in any government executive position, elected or appointed,” Monterona added.

Monterona added, aside from giving valuable insights to the President on OFWs concerns, VP Binay is also expected to provide leadership and synergy in the Executive branch in attending OFWs woes and OFWs worsening conditions abroad especially in the Middle East.

“It is our long-standing demand to the Aquino administration to once and for all to attend on numerous cases of OFWs abuses, maltreatment, and rampant labor malpractices in the Middle East; now with VP Binay as his adviser, we are hoping this is the time for action, after promises have been said,” Monterona averred.

Monterona, however, wonders why it took more than 100 days in office before P-Noy appointed VP Binay as his adviser on OFWs concerns despite popular clamor from OFWs and their families.

“Amid the worsening conditions of OFWs abroad as we have been reporting to the public as a matter of serious concern, it is only now that P-Noy made his first ‘good move’ -appointing an “action man” to attend OFWs woes and concerns,” Monterona lamented.

Monterona said his group hopes that with Binay’s appointment, the President is not just simply “passing the ball on other’s court”, after all VP Binay is also working as his alter-ego.

“With VP Binay as his adviser on OFWs concerns and woes, we expect results from the President like working for bilateral agreements or arrangement with host countries in the Middle East on the protection of OFWs, work for the legalization, if not repatriation of undocumented, distress, stranded OFWs, improvement of OFWs on-site welfare services and programs, repeal of unnecessary government-imposed fees and charges, and review of the anti-OFW OWWA Omnibus codified policies, among many others,” Monterona added.

“First things first, VP Binay should open the communication line between his office and OFWs organizations and institutionalize a system of dialog and consultations among OFWs groups; this is one way of empowering the most vulnerable sector abroad and yet has been contributing much to the country’s economy,” Monterona said.