Suggestion for the President’s Sona

How about expanding the Presidential Action Center or PAC (under Executive Order No. 15) in regions where there is a large concentration of overseas Filipinos (OFs) such as EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), North America, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and ANZUS (Austraila-New Zealand-United States territories)? PAC serves as the command center and liaison unit of the Office of the President with various agencies on all requests for assistance, complaints, and grievances from the general public.

Let’s face it, almost all OFs will not be reintegrating back into Philippine society as overseas opportunities are better than living and working in the Philippines. OFs have significant contributions in every country they are in. Every host country and every employer will tell the world that OFs are excellent, talented, friendly, and, most of all, caring skilled workers, artists, professionals, or entrepreneurs.

As so-called modern-day heroes because of the remittances that have helped keep the country economically afloat, OFs should also be heard where they are. The presence of embassies, consulates, and migrant workers offices in the major countries that host OFs does not guarantee that all requests for assistance, complaints, and grievances will reach the president’s ears or his inner circle at Malacañan Palace.

President Marcos can first start establishing the global PAC in the United Arab Emirates, either in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, covering the EMEA region which has over three million OFs, who are mostly migrant workers compared with the OFs in North America who are considered immigrants.

It will make a lot of sense to have the PAC in the UAE where there are two international aviation hubs. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are eight flight hours to London and Johannesburg, seven flight hours to Milan, more than five flight hours to Kenya, four flight hours to Cairo and Tel Aviv, three flight hours to Jeddah and Amman, two flight hours to Riyadh, almost two flight hours to Kuwait, and one flight hour to Doha. This would be practical in case of an emergency response to any major incident involving OFs in the region.

Art Popoy Los Banos,

artlosbanos@gmail.com