Migrants Group: Cory is Antithesis of Gloria

The biggest global alliance of OFWs paid their last respects to former President Corazon Aquino as she was laid to rest at the Manila Memorial Park at Paranaque City by calling her the opposite of President Gloria Arroyo in terms of caring for the welfare of OFWs.

“OFWs in almost 200 countries across the world mourns with the family of Cory Aquino and the Filipino people in general as we have lost not only a stalwart in fighting against tyranny but also the President who established the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration at the start of her term,” says Garry Martinez, chairperson of Migrante International.

President Corazon Aquino signed an Executive Order No. 126 on January 30, 1987 to establish the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to provide services and benefits to OFWs and their families.

“President Gloria Arroyo, however, ruined the original intent of OWWA in servicing OFWs by imposing the OWWA Omnibus Policies which immediately disenfranchised hundreds of thousands of OFW contributors of their benefits. For us, this is a clear example why Gloria is the antithesis of Cory,” Martinez explained.

The OWWA Omnibus Policies was imposed on September 19, 2003, superseding other policies that Cory has started during her term. The group asserted that it is also during the term of President Arroyo when issues of corruption involving the funds of OWWA have become rampant.

“The OFW fund intended for servicing distressed migrants has suddenly become the personal purse of President Arroyo – an attribute that we have not seen during the term of Cory Aquino. Utilizing the OWWA fund for President Arroyo’s electoral campaign during the election in 2004 along with other scams involving OFW funds makes the contradicting difference between the two presidents clearer,” Martinez added.

Migrante called on all OFWs to join the whole country in commemorating the life of Cory Aquino by opposing all that Cory has fought for since the time of Marcos dictatorship up to the present administration.

“Honoring Cory Aquino should be done by emulating her legacy in opposing despotism, corruption, cheating, plunder and all other attributes that the present dispensation represents. If such collective reverence to Cory will lead to civil disobedience of the people against the Arroyo administration then OFWs would certainly be one of the sectors that will participate in such effort,” Martinez concluded.

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