Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the country’s modern-day heroes, are one of the main reasons why Sen. Grace Poe pushed for the enactment of a measure extending the validity of Philippine passports.
Poe, one of the authors of Republic Act 10928 which extends the validity of passports to 10 years from five years, said giving importance to Filipinos working abroad to earn a living for their families in the Philippines is her priority.
“Unang-una, ito ang naging dahilan kaya itinulak ko na maging 10 years ang validity ng passport dahil maraming mga OFW ang umaasa diyan at nahihirapang kailangan pang umuwi para ipaayos ang kanilang passport,” Poe said at the sidelines of Love Fest 2019 held in Lipa, Batangas on Saturday night.
“Iyan po ay batas na isinulong kong pumasa para sa kanila,” Poe said as she expressed appreciation to OFWs for their hardships and sacrifices and keeping the economy afloat through their remittances.
A total of 2.339 million OFWs were deployed in different parts of the world, according to available data from the Philippine Statistics Authority in 2017.
Among the regions, Region IV-A or CALABARZON which groups Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon provinces had the largest proportion of OFWs with 20.7 percent or some 484,000 as of 2017.
When asked about other legislation that she will push for OFWs once she gets elected again in the Senate, Poe said she wants the next Congress to pass the credit assistance program for OFWs.
“Ang pagkakaroon din ng assistance kapag kunwari nawawalan sila ng trabaho, ‘yung pagbalik dito sa atin, ‘yung pagbigay sa kanila ng paumpisang puhunan, ‘yan po ay kasama din sa ibang batas na nais nating maipasa,” said Poe.
Meanwhile, at the post-Valentine’s event, Poe shared how Batangueño Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto was very supportive of her in the Upper Chamber.
“Si Senator Ralph ay kasama kong makatrabaho at talagang napakasipag. At dahil tinutulungan niya ako, marami tayong mga batas na naipasa—mga batas na makakalikha ng maraming trabaho, mga batas para libre ang pananghalian sa public schools, at marami pang iba, dahil hindi siya madamot. Katulad ng mga taga-Batangas na matulungin, mapagbigay at matapang,” Poe said.
Poe also told the thousands gathered at the BIR compound something about Recto and his wife, Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos (6th district): their theme song was ‘Bato Sa Buhangin’ of the 1976 film with the same title which starred Santos and Poe’s father, the late “King of Philippine Movies” Fernando Poe Jr.
“Sa mga magsing-irog diyan, alam ba ninyo na ang theme song noong nagliligawan pa si Senator Ralph at saka si Congresswoman Vi ay ang kantang ‘Bato sa Buhangin?’ Sinong nakakaalala ng kantang ‘yon?” said Poe.
“Kasi ‘yan ang sa pelikula ni Vi at ni FPJ ‘di ba? At ‘yung panahon na ‘yon, ‘yun ang sikat na sikat na kanta. Hindi ko na sasabihin kung anong taon, kaya kung gusto ninyong tumagal ng 26 years katulad nila, at nagsama pa nga bilang boyfriend-girlfriend, kung pagsasamahin mo ‘yon 30 plus years. ‘Yan ang swerteng kanta,” Poe said as the crowd cheered.(30)
