Eleven million Filipino migrants, in more than 200 countries all over the world, as well as their concerned relatives and friends, were expecting one line or two, in P.Noy's State of the Nation Address. There was none.
More than forty million Filipinos, in the labor force, both the employed, under-employed and unemployed we likewise excited to hear about the issues of employment, wages, social welfare, unions and labor relations issues. There was none, save the rather extended discourse on Philhealth.
There was no mention of DOLE, POEA, OWWA or the Secretary of Labor, while there were many references to DSWD, DepEd, and other agencies. There were discussions on national security, education, infrastructures, health and social servise but none on labor. There was no reference to the OFWs and the policy on labor migration and export of human capital.
The question in the minds of the OFWs now is "Why?" Many may be tempted, in their disappointment, to rush into conclusion that labor concerns are not among the top of mind of this Administration. Some labor leaders have expressed dismay and others, exasperation, at the explicit omission.
I do not wish to arrogate upon myself the task of justifying the Presidential speech. That is the job of Sonny Coloma, Manolo Quezon and Ricky Carandang, and they are eminently in a bettter position to explain. Mine would just be to add my two cents worth of analysis and, perhaps, conjectres, on the matter under consideration.
First, I humbly submit that the millions of labor constituencies do not deserve to be ignored. They are not just mere factors of production. They are our human capital, and, as of today, referring to the OFWS alone, the only seemingly inexhaustible export who infuse our economy with billions of much-needed foreign currencies. Secondly, I don't believe that the speech writer, much less the President himself, intended the omission to signify a snub on the labor sector.
Thirdly, it is our humble view that, the President, having already given the SECLAB (Secretary of Labor) his marching orders, entitled Labor Agenda, there was no more need to burden the SONA speech with such details. Of course, this line of reasoning begs the question of why were more specific details actually mentioned about other sectors. To which, we retort that it just happened that those other details were more compelling to the President's own sense of priorities.
But then again, this will open the next line of attack, which is, how high really in the priority of the President, are issues about labor? What is his vision, or strategy, if you wish, on employment, especially overseas employment?
Is the President inclined to allow the continuation of the export of women workers to countries with despicable records of human rights abuses? Is there no rethinking on the overall policy on labor migration? Is it business, as usual for the recruiters, brokers, usurers, traffickers and profiteers in the recruitment industry. And if so, where is the promised change? Papaano tayo muling mangarap?