'Zero remittance week' legal; OFWs have right to protest — Chiz

Senate President Francis Escudero expressed his opposition to retaliating against Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who support the proposed “zero remittance week” in protest of the detention of former president Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

In a news forum on Wednesday, Escudero acknowledged that the OFWs' plan was only an execution of their legal rights to protest. 

“Para sa akin, karapatan nila ‘yon pero makakasakit ‘yon hindi lamang sa ating ekonomiya pero sa maraming pamilyang Pilipino na umaasa sa kanilang mga kamag-anak at mahal sa buhay para sa kanilang pang araw-araw, linggohan, at buwanang gastusin,” he said.

(For me, it's their right, but it will hurt not only our economy but also many Filipino families who rely on their relatives and loved ones for their daily, weekly, and monthly expenses.)

Escudero however lamented the plan’s significant impact on the country’s economy. 

“But that is a peaceful mode of protest na hindi ipinagbabawal ng batas. Kaya nga lang, siyempre makakaapekto ‘yon sa ekonomiya at personal na pangangailangan ng marami sa ating mga kababayan,” Escudero said.

(But that is a peaceful mode of protest that is not prohibited by law. However, of course, it will affect the economy and the personal needs of many of our fellow countrymen.)

Escudero’s remarks came after Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile reminded those personalities who are urging OFWs for a “zero remittance week” to think about its possible “adverse effects.”

“This is a humble unsolicited reminder to our social and political leaders.  Whoever advised Filipino OFWs to suspend the remittance of their earnings abroad to the country should think many many times about the adverse consequences of that advice to our OFWs,” Enrile wrote in his Facebook post on Wednesday. 

He raised that the Congress can retaliate against OFWs who support the plan to protest by revoking their privileges. 

“As I said before. for every action there is always a possible counteraction. If such an advice is followed by some OFWs, what will happen should Congress, for instance,  retaliates and cancel or also suspend  the tax privileges of the OFWs that follow the advice? The OFWs are income tax — free on their earnings abroad; they do not pay travel taxes; they do not pay airport fees; they are exempt from the documentary stamp taxes on their remittances; and they are also exempt from filing income tax returns,” he said.

“In addition, they have to have passports to be able to work as OFWs. Congress granted these privileges to them by laws enacted by it,” he added. 

Enrile urged the OFWs to “study carefully that advice to them before they get burned by it.”

Meanwhile, Escudero lamented that Enrile’s remarks on retaliation require the involvement of the entire Congress and cannot be carried out during recess.

“I don’t think the Senate can do that on its own. It should be Congress. Number two, it can not be done during recess. Number three, I will not advise it,” he said. 

The Senate President said the government should exhaust its understanding of the eventualities instead of reacting out of anger. 

“Hindi ito isyu ng gantihan kung gusto nating pahupain, pababain yung emosyon at tensyon hindi siguro tamang reaksyon na gumanti at pumatol. Siguro ang tamang reaksyon ay lawakan ang pang-unawa o intindihin at tanggapin ang sitwasyon at hikayatin sila na maghanap marahil ng iba pang pwedeng gamiting paraan ilahad ang kanilang nasa sa loob at damdamin,” he said.

(This is not an issue of retaliation. If we want to calm down and lower emotions and tension, retaliating or engaging in conflict may not be the right reaction. Perhaps the proper response is to expand our understanding, to comprehend and accept the situation, and encourage them to find other ways to express their thoughts and feelings.)

Earlier, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro urged OFWs, particularly Duterte supporters, to stay calm regarding their plan to observe a “zero remittance week.”