FORMER SPECIAL Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go yesterday vowed to help repatriate the body of a woman who died in Saudi Arabia in October last year and whose remains are still kept in a freezer in a hospital in the kingdom.
In a radio interview, Ram Corpuz sought Go’s help for the return of the remains of her mother who died in Saudi Arabia in 27 October 2018. He said he tried asking help from other government agencies as well. “Yun lang po ang hiling namin, mabigyan lang siya ng magandang burol at makasama lang namin siya sa huling sandali,” said Corpuz.
“Sa lalong madaling panahon po, tutulungan natin. Kunin ko lang po ang mga detalye at sa abot ng aming makakaya (gagawin namin para) mapauwi natin kaagad dito,” Go said.
Go, who is running for the Senate in the 2019 elections, said the case of Corpuz’ mother further buttresses his proposal for the creation of a Department of OFW, which is included in his legislative agenda.
He noted Corpuz’ experience of trying to seek assistance from different government agencies since the time of her mother’s death, spending money in the process, and yet his efforts proved futile until now.
“Ngayon kung mayroon na tayong Department of OFW isang ahensya na lang po ang makipag-coordinate, para hindi na po sila ipapasa-pasa. Yan po ang gusto nating mangyari, mapabilis yung tulong sa kapwa,” Go explained.
Go said the proposed department, would take care of all matters relating to OFWs, including the task of sending a member of family abroad to assist OFWs who fell ill or who were hospitalized due to accidents. “Yan ang plano ko pong gawin pagdating ng panahon, isusulong ko itong Department of OFW para nakatutok lang po sa mga OFW natin,” he added.
He recalled that months ago, he also attended to the concerns of nine OFWs, who were recruited to work as masseurs in Kuwait but forced to render “extra services. “Nagkasakit yung ilan, ipinagamot natin. Yung recruiter, two months nating hinanap—nagtago—hanggang finally nahuli. So, nakakulong na po ngayon yung recruiter,” Go said.
Go said he knows the plight of the country’s OFWs from his experiences accompanying President Rodridgo Duterte in his various trips abroad. “Alam nyo po, naiintindihan ko ang trabaho ng isang OFW. Pag pumupunta kami sa ibang bansa si Pangulong Duterte nag-iiyakan sila pag nakita nila si Pangulong Duterte,” he said.
He said the OFWs love President Duterte because his campaign against illegal drugs, crime and corruption has made the streets safe for the children of OFWs, giving them peace of mind. “Kaya ganun na lang po kamahal ng OFW si Pang. Duterte. Mahal namin ang OFW, tututukan ko talaga yan, pangako ko sa inyo,” Go said.
Aside from the creation of a Department of OFW, Go’s legislative agenda includes programs for health, agriculture, anti-illegal drugs and criminality, housing, education, long-term sports development, anti-corruption, fire protection and prevention, localized peace talks, barangay welfare, and improved benefits for senior citizens. (Jun Ledesma)
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