Giving modern-day heroes a helping hand
We need to provide them with concrete support and ensure that when they return home, there is a clear path forward, with the government standing by their side.
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We need to provide them with concrete support and ensure that when they return home, there is a clear path forward, with the government standing by their side.
As we commemorate National Heroes Day, we remember the courage and sacrifices of Filipinos who dedicated themselves to the service of our nation. Even today, we see everyday heroes among our fellow Filipinos — those who bravely face calamities, rebuild their lives after disasters, and help one another during difficult times, including the recent flooding and devastation brought about by the southwest monsoon, or habagat.
We also recognize our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as our modern-day heroes whose sacrifices and hard work continue to contribute to the welfare of their families and the development of our country. It is only fitting that we strengthen our efforts to support them, especially when they return home.
During the Senate plenary session on 25 August we expressed our desire to improve and enhance the welfare of our OFWs who opt to return to the Philippines for various reasons.
According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), personal remittances from OFWs represent their immense contribution to our nation’s development, and their deployment overseas has become a cornerstone of our economy.
The sacrifices of our beloved kababayans can never be denied. They have endured being away from their loved ones and working in foreign lands to provide their families with a better life.
However, when the time comes for them to return home, many of them face another challenge — the difficult process of readjusting to life in the Philippines. Some struggle to find local employment that matches their skills and experience, while others find themselves uncertain about how to start their own businesses.
We saw this clearly during the pandemic, when many OFWs were suddenly forced to return home. Our OFWs went through extremely difficult times as they struggled to rebuild their lives and find new opportunities here in the country.
That is why I am one of the authors and a co-sponsor of the Bagong Balikbayan Act, a bill establishing a Comprehensive, Integrated, and Sustainable Reintegration Program for OFWs.
This program will serve as a guide and support system for our OFWs as they transition back to life in the Philippines, ensuring that returning OFWs have equitable access to employment opportunities and that the skills, qualifications and experience they gained abroad are properly recognized and utilized in our local labor market.
Accordingly, this measure is in line with the efforts of the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte to further enhance the government’s reintegration efforts for OFWs. We envisioned a hospital that would provide comprehensive health care services for all OFWs and their families. This vision was put into fruition with Executive Order 154 of former President Duterte, establishing the OFW Hospital in Pampanga, the first of its kind.
As vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, we also consistently reaffirmed our commitment to OFWs, highlighting my role as one of the authors and a co-sponsor of Republic Act 11641, which created the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to provide better protection and streamlined services for migrant workers. This law consolidated government efforts to deliver more efficient and responsive assistance to Filipinos working abroad.
It is not enough to call them our modern-day heroes. We need to provide them with concrete support and ensure that when they return home, there is a clear path forward, with the government standing by their side.
Meanwhile, last week, we continuously aimed to reach our fellow kababayans in need as we personally visited the 221 fire victims in Pasay City on 24 August.
On 27 August, after two hours on the road submerged in floodwaters, we passed by the municipalities of Macabebe, Apalit and San Simon, where we experienced firsthand how deep the floodwaters were. There, we also gave assistance to the residents we saw who were trying to make ends meet despite their situation. We then managed to reach the 750 victims in Masantol, Pampanga, in coordination with Mayor Dan Guintu to assist them.
Simultaneously, our Malasakit Team also delivered aid to other victims in Barangay Malauili in Masantol.
On 28 August, we also went to Muntinlupa City to assist 103 fire victims despite the bad weather due to the southwest monsoon. Afterwards, as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, we attended the Talionis Golf Tour Supremo Cup Awarding and Fellowship at Dasmariñas City, Cavite, in coordination with Atty. Fred Lim.
We also personally joined youth leaders and advocates at the Gawad Bayani Kabataan National Leadership Summit & Awards on Saturday, 29 August, where I encouraged young Filipinos to view leadership as a responsibility rooted in service, competence, courage and compassion.
