From Russia with love

Through our proposed measure, we aim to promote coordination and eliminate the practice of finger-pointing among agencies concerned with OFW affairs.

This is how I would describe our warming ties and friendship with Russia, which I had the privilege of visiting during President Rodrigo Duterte’s official visit from 2 to 5 October. I say that because, much to my surprise, there are so many things that Filipinos and Russians share.

It is, therefore, heartwarming to hear what current Russian Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Igor Anatolyevich Khovaev said about our countries: “Our two peoples deserve to know each other much, much better. We have no contradictions, no differences. I strongly believe that our countries need each other.”

Like Filipinos, Russians are also known for their talent and creativity which is why, unsurprisingly, some of the world’s most celebrated literature, artwork and music are Russian. It is impressive how amazingly vibrant Moscow and the rest of Russia is. There are many buildings that are dedicated to the promotion and proliferation of the arts such as museums, theaters and opera houses. Street artists and performers also proliferate the streets, making Moscow a very lively and entertaining city.

This is very different compared to how western media and movies often portray Russia as a cold and desolate totalitarian state devoid of life, color and humanity. Their parks, open spaces and places of leisure are a sight to behold and almost always filled with people, especially at night. In fact, Moscow is a very modern, hip and trendy place not unlike Manila, Cebu or Davao.

This vivacity appears to nurture in their national psyche a culture of tolerance and respect for other groups of people. In fact, many migrants — including Filipinos — are now contributing to the growth of its various sectors and industries. Russian people, in general, are also not aloof and dismissive of visitors and become very helpful and accommodating whenever you approach them.

It thus gives me great pride that our country is not only host to thousands of Russian expatriates; it has also been a sanctuary for many Russians during times of uncertainty, unrest and upheaval in their homeland. When the world was closing its door to these people, we, humble Filipinos opened ours for them as a safe haven. That is something all Filipinos must be proud of.

I am likewise overjoyed to see that there is also a thriving Filipino community in Russia. It is therefore our hope that the official visit of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte will provide an impetus for closer integration of our two economies and give way to a greater participation of more Filipino workers in the Russian economy.

The industry and perseverance of our overseas Filipino workers (OFW) is truly inspiring. It is not always easy to work away from your family, how much more in a faraway land. It is in recognition of the sacrifices of our migrant workers that we want to make sure that they have quick and easy access to services provided to them by the government.

Hence, I filed in July Senate Bill 202, or the “Department of Overseas Filipinos Act of 2019,” to put government agencies dealing with the OFW concerns under one executive department, streamlining the process of providing quick, accessible and reliable services to the Filipinos working or based abroad and their families back home.

Because services and information aimed at our migrant workers are scattered throughout several offices, delays in the reaction time have become the norm in the delivery of such services. Through our proposed measure, we aim to promote coordination and eliminate the practice of finger-pointing among agencies concerned with OFW affairs, streamlining service delivery to those needing them.

Aside from this concern, the proposed bill also seeks to provide immediate legal assistance to OFW in distress; address the lack of full migration cycle approach in promoting the rights of our migrant workers from preemployment, on-site and reintegration services; and resolve the lack of a shared database system that contains all information of all OFW to aid in tracking their status and to fast-track delivery of assistance to distressed workers.

OFW Malasakit Centers will also be established in provinces and major cities to ensure prompt and efficient provision of services to OFW and their families wherever they are in the country.

Services to be provided by these centers include the acquisition of government permits, validation of overseas job offers, grievance and complaints desks and reintegration services.

If there are two takeaways that I gathered from our Russia visit, it is that, first, there is so much to gain from diversifying our foreign relations; and that there is so much more we can do for Filipinos, whether those here at home or those working abroad, to promote their welfare. And these realizations will serve as inspiration for my work in the Senate.

As the great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, widely regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time, declared, “The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity.”

Mine is and will always be to serve my fellow Filipinos.