EDITORIAL - Not likely to work

Still angry at the detention of former president Rodrigo Duterte in The Hague after his arrest for alleged crimes against humanity, some of his followers have suggested doing something drastic to send a statement to the Marcos administration; they want Overseas Filipino Workers to stop remittances for a week.

But will it work? Will it hit the government where it hurts most? Unlikely, if they are looking to disrupt the economy, even for a while.

First, the only people OFWs will be hurting are their families. What happens to schooling, rent, food, utility bills, and other things that have to be paid or spent for if the money stops coming? It’s not like the bills and other financial obligations will stop if the remittances do.

It’s like when public utility drivers hold a transport protest or “tigil-pasada”. In the end, their passengers will still find ways to get to work and go home; but it’s the drivers who will not have any earnings for that day.

Second, those withheld remittances will still come anyway, albeit a little later. Anything that was not paid or spent for will still be paid or spent for the following week; so it will be more of a minor inconvenience for all of us, really. But most especially for the families of those OFWs.

For a move like this to work, remittances will have to be withheld longer; three weeks, a month, maybe two, or even indefinitely. That might work and actually have dire effects, but is any OFW willing to put his or her family through economic suffering just for a political idol? We see even the most die-hard Duterte supporters balking at this idea.

Third, again, not all OFWs feel the same way about the former president the way his most die-hard supporters do. Many want him to be accountable for the extra-judicial killings during his term. No doubt many OFWs will not support such a proposal.

There are countless ways to show one’s indignation at the events involving the former president, but withholding remittances is certainly not the best or wisest.