Philippines Travel Ban to Iraq

Is this the right time to lift the Philippines travel  ban to Iraq? Right now, the Filipinos working there in Iraq will have at most 90 days before they will be coming home to the Philippines—that is if the travel ban will not be removed. It was in 2004 when a Filipino truck driver was kidnapped when the Philippine government decided to put the ban. The Muslim  country that time was at war.  However, after more than 5 years,  the situation in Iraq right now is different compared before. Maybe it is time for the Philippine President, Pnoy, to talk with his advisers about assessing the  Philippines stand on Iraq and OFWs. These OFWs working in American bases in Iraq entered illegally the war-torn country even there was a travel ban in their passport. They are risking their lives their in order to help provide and support their family in the Philippines. Some of them are into construction and housekeeping. If they will go home, they will just be one of those who will add to the growing statistics of unemployed Filipinos. And with the government offering a meager amount of Php 10,000 as a help to them—well, it is too small compared to what they are earning there…”barya lang yan,” as what an overseas worker said.

The Philippines should send a delegate to Iraq now and assess the situation there, talk to the Filipinos and listen to them. Of course, we want them safe–but their desire to help and earn for their families is way too big that they are willing and taking the risks. Also, according to them they are well treated by their employers.
Pnoy act now! Your BOSSES needs you.

Noynoy and Binay to Rule the Philippines

I’m just glad that Noynoy and Binay won the presidential and the vice presidential race.  I’ve posted last year that I want those two guys to rule our country for the next six years and I’m happy that they were the chosen ones. Although it was a landslide for Noynoy, the former senator and the only son of a former president and a hero on the Philippines, winning by more than 5 million votes compared to Estrada, it cannot be said to Binay’s victory. It was a close  fight between Mar Roxas and Jojo Binay for the vice presidential race, with a little of 700, 000 votes to get the slot, Binay was proclaimed. But there was a question about the 2.6 million votes for the vice president that were considered as null votes. I think those votes should be reexamined because there is a possibility that Mar can win through those votes. But those votes that were considered null might be because  of the wrong shading on the ballot or the PCOS machine cannot read them. Maybe some of the voters did not follow the ways on how to properly shade those circles on the ballot. It was a waste of time for casting a vote that cannot be counted. Maybe next time the voters should make it a point to follow the instructions.

Now that we have our new President, we wish that things will change. Can we call Noynoy the Father of the Philippines for he is the president now when he is not really a family man? I don’t know if it is an advantage for a country to be ruled by a bachelor for he is a bachelor at 50 —indeed he is now the most eligible bachelor in the land to covet for the ladies out there!

President Noynoy, we know that you can’t make miracles but we wish to see the Philippines doing fine and please follow your slogan–No to Corruption! Make the Philippines like Singapore or Japan maybe… Or for the NOYBI tandem make the whole Philippines like Makati City. Hah! Wishful thinking on my part but I wish it just the same. Better Philippines for the next 6 years please…