Press Release - Sen. Robin: OFWs' Families Should Be Among Primary Beneficiaries of Investments Mentioned in SONA

Families of overseas Filipino workers should be among the primary beneficiaries of the investments mentioned by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla said.

Padilla said the government must find ways to make sure Filipinos are no longer forced to find work abroad just to provide for their children and families.

"Dapat gumawa tayo ng paraan at hanapin ng paraan na foreign investors makapasok sa bayan natin para ang ating mga kababayan na OFW na nasa ibang bansa makauwi na, makasama nila pamilya nila. Napakahalaga ng pamilya, yan ang pundasyon ng bansa (We should find ways to make sure foreign investors' money benefits our OFWs, so they can come home to their families. Families are important because they are the foundation of our country)," he said.

"Nabanggit (sa SONA) ang mga OFW, ang ating mga bayani, nabanggit yan kasi napagusapan magkano pinasok ng ating OFW na dolyares. Nabanggit po pero hindi nabanggit ang kailan dadating ang pagasa na uuwi ang ating OFW na makakabalik sa kanilang mga pamilya (The President mentioned our OFW heroes and the remittances they made, but he did not make clear when they can come home to their families for good)," he added.

Padilla lamented many Filipino families cannot live normal lives because the parents are forced to find livelihood abroad.

In many cases, he said both father and mother have to find work in separate countries.

"Masasabi nating tunay na lumalaki ang mga dumadating na pera galing sa ating OFW at dapat natin ikasaya yan. Pero hindi dapat yan ang maging mindset ng mga Pilipino, ang nasa utak natin makaalis ng Pilipinas para umasenso (We can say we received big remittances from our OFWs and we should be thankful. But we should change the mindset of Filipinos that the only hope to make ends meet is by working abroad)," stressed Padilla.

"Dapat di maghiwalay ang pamilyang Pilipino (The Filipino family must not be separated)," he added.

Dapat kasama ang mga pamilya ng mga overseas Filipino workers sa mga pangunahing makikinabang sa mga pamumuhunan na binanggit ni Pangulong Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. sa kanyang State of the