MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Jan. 16, 2013) – Migrante Middle East on Wednesday appealed to President Benigno Aquino to spare government funds intended for the welfare of overseas Filipino workers.
It fears the trust fund would be used by the government for partisan election spending as Aquino started travelling the country along with his political allies running for the May polls.
“We all knew that administration’s candidates especially if the President himself commits to campaign for his bets are in an advantage position. It goes without saying that government resources will be used for partisan electoral agenda,” John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator, said in a statement to the Mindanao Examiner.
The previous Arroyo administration had been accused of spending a huge portion of the OFWs trust fund – estimated at almost P15 billion pooled from US$25 OFW membership fee in trust to Overseas Workers Welfare Administration – for partisan electoral purposes.
“We have reasons to worry about in regards to secure the OFWs trust fund from partisan electoral spending,” Monterona said.
Monterona recalled that Migrante International and former Solicitor General Frank Chavez filed a case at the Department of Justice against former President Gloria Arroyo for alleged misuse of the funds.
“We are not saying that the Aquino administration will do what Arroyo had done in depleting our OFWs Trust Fund for partisan activities, but OFWs must be vigilant to secure the P14.8-B Trust Fund,” Monterona said.
He also urged Aquino to order the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to publicly show its 2012 Financial Report.
“All OFW stakeholders should know the real financial standing of our trust fund. And we will keep an eye how OWWA will spend our funds this year,” Monterona said, noting that based on 2011 OWWA Financial report, it spent a total of P1.8 billion for so-called expenses covering Personal Services (23.34%), Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (15.26%), and for Programs and Projects (61.40%).
20