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THERE will likely be no main international coverage shift so far as the 9 presidential candidates who attended the second a part of the Fee on Elections presidential debate Sunday night time are involved. As a substitute, candidates supplied enhancements to strengthen the Philippine function within the worldwide stage, in addition to safety of undocumented Filipino staff abroad.
Survey frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. – whose late father normalized the nation’s diplomatic relations with China and the USSR and first asserted the Philippine declare over the South China Sea and Sabah – skipped the talk once more.
Veteran broadcast journalist Ces Drilon, who moderated the talk, requested three questions associated to international coverage to 9 presidential wannabes who attended the talk – how to make sure safety on undocumented migrant staff within the Affiliation of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the best way to persuade members of Asean to forge a code of conduct with China within the West Philippine Sea, and the candidates’ place on human rights violations in Myanmar.
Vice President Leni Robredo (Ind.) and Dr. Jose Montemayor Jr. (DPP) acknowledged the bilateral agreements the Philippines negotiated with sending nations in quite a lot of Asean nations, however emphasised that they don’t apply to undocumented or unlawful OFWs that are extra susceptible to bodily and financial abuses.
It can be crucial for undocumented OFWs to report wherever they’re to the Philippine embassy or consulate nearest their office to allow them to be simply tracked particularly throughout disasters or different crises, Montemayor stated. Robredo thought authorities ought to present “incentives” to undocumented Filipinos after they report on their whereabouts.
Robredo famous that many OFWs who’re already retiring or have already retired nonetheless refuse to return dwelling to the Philippines as a result of they might stand to lose their social welfare advantages or insurance coverage protection of their host nation. She stated she would work for the Philippines to have bilateral agreements with nations on “portability” of social safety and insurance coverage advantages from nations the place OFWs have labored for years. “Kasi hinulugan naman nila yun eh. Yung mga social welfare advantages, mga well being advantages dapat kahit umuwi na sila rito, they might nonetheless be entitled to it, mag-uusap na lang ang dalawang gobyerno,” she stated.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson (Ind) recalled that Congress not too long ago handed the legislation creating the Division of Migrant Staff. He urged “accelerating” the implementation of the legislation, as a substitute of ready for the two-year transition interval for the brand new division to take into full impact in order that the issues of OFWs can be instantly addressed. Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso (Aksyon) needed to transcend Asean in pursuing bilateral labor agreements that embody each documented and undocumented staff.
Many of the candidates agreed that Asean’s coverage to type a consensus was the most important stumbling block to forging a regional settlement with China for guidelines of engagement in managing the South China Sea battle.
Montemayor stated Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia are closely indebted to China and due to that, he believes, “there is no such thing as a means” there will likely be an Asean consensus on the code of conduct.
Former Nationwide Safety Adviser Norberto “Bert” Gonzales (PDSP) and former Overseas Affairs Undersecretary Ernesto Abella (Ind) stated Asean consensus-building method needs to be put aside and the “majority” ought to cleared the path on talks with China for a code of conduct within the South China Sea.
Domagaso stated he wouldn’t tolerate an identical incident in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, situated some 180 nautical miles west of Zambales, the place Filipino fishermen are being apprehended by the Chinese language Coast Guard each time they do fishing close to the rock formation. “Any international vessel coming into into our territory, I’ll ensure there will likely be ornamental gadgets beneath the ocean within the Philippine ocean. We’ve got to make sure beneath our guidelines in order that this nation – the best way that’s being performed in different nations – will respect us…. I’ll seize them. I’ll ensure they are going to be liable and I’ll ask the ambassador of that nation to clarify earlier than the Workplace of the President,” Domagoso stated.
On the Myanmar human rights challenge, labor chief Leodegario ‘Leody’ de Guzman (PLM), Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao (Promdi), Lacson and Domagoso have been all in settlement that Manila ought to take a principled stance towards junta repression of the folks of Myanmar, and take the lead in Asean in guaranteeing this will even be the stance of the complete regional bloc. De Guzman and Pacquiao careworn, although, that the Philippine authorities ought to clear its personal yard first when it comes to guaranteeing human rights are protected.
“Walang kredibilidad ang ating pamahalaan kung sya mismo ang pangunahing sumusupil sa karapatan ng kanyang mamamayan,” De Guzman stated.
[Our government will have no credibility if it leads in suppressing the rights of its own citizens].
Picture credit: VP Leni Media
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