TOLENTINO
Safety advocate Francis Tolentino urged the government to prioritize the safety of Overseas Filipino Workers caught in the snowballing geopolitical tension in the area.
Tolentino said the two million OFWs in the Middle East could be adversely affected if the tension continues to escalate.
“First, we have to prioritize their repatriation. Milyun ang mga kababayan natin na nandyan. The government should prepare for this. It’s a question of logistics and resources,” he said.
The senatorial candidate also said the government should draw up a massive “job employment plan” for the millions who might be jobless once they choose to be repatriated.
“We have to consider the economic implication. There is an urgent need to study the impact of the situation in the event it worsens,” he said.
The tension stemmed from the decision of Saudi Arabia cut to its air traffic and trade agreement ties with Iran.
Tolentino said the conflict in the Islamic countries will definitely impact the economy and labor market of the Philippines.
What is worrisome, Tolentino said, is that the small oil estates like the United Arab Emirates is joining in the fray.
“Our economy is party buoyed by the huge remittance of our OFWs. They are fuelling our economy so you can just imagine the economic and labor impact of the conflict,” Tolentino explained.
“Our officials at the POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration), Owwa (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration), and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) should come up with a strategic contingency measures in the event of a full-blown conflict,” he said.