SET ASIDE CHARTER CHANGE AND WORK ABROAD

I am not into reading other's blog aside from those of my friends' and those who have special care and efforts in their pages. 

One of my favororite ones is Mareng Winnie Monsod' s blog. The page is really impressive so much the contents. I have read few of her entries and they made me more educated in events back home. I wish I had that ability too to encourage more readers and they would post comments also, but no fighting amongst commentarists and no direct-spelled foul words of course.

I've read her latest blog the other day, please visit the link: http://blogs.gmanews.tv/winnie-monsod/archives/5-Is-Charter-change-really-necessary.html, and the topic was really worth commenting and you could see the freedom of expression from those who posted their comments. 

I rather have my reaction be posted here so that it's kinda more personal view than being a rider of the topic regaridng the proposal to change the constitution of the Philippines. Well, nevertheless this is indeed a rider article.

For a very long time, Filipinos have been focusing on the issue of charter change (cha-cha). Everyone seems floating in limbo if the evil desires will prevail. Our Constitution is a flexible one, in the sense that it can be changed when it is no longer fit to the welfare of the sovereign. But there are certain things to meet and these are not that easy to achieve. People are either in direct or indirect involvement in playing the tune of cha-cha, whether by a plebicit or by a referendum, and somehow through their representatives in the House of Congress. Otherwise we will have consitutions identified by month and year.

One of the claims for cha-cha is the economic growth, that will ensure job oppurtunities, poverty reduction and better quality of living. But what is economy by the way? Nobody could explain this better unless one is well-schooled. Simple laundry woman may not understand economy and she doesn't care, all she wants is to rain with all mud and dusts so there will be more dirty clothes to wash. 

For my small understanding, I will apply economy as an OFW, to see if we need charter change. I used to work in Iraq in 2005 and now I am here in Afghanistan where both are banned for OFW deployment. In my experiences of dangers in both worlds, changing the constitutions is far dangerous than the streets of these countries. I listed the comparisson:

1. I am wearing a bullet proof vest and Kevlar Helmet to give me better chance of surviving in an event of an attack, while changing the constitution leaves my whole family vulnerable to abuse. Why? because there is uncertainty and we need no more further explaination to that . The only clear thing is that something bad will happen and it's gonna be soon after the cha-cha.

2. I have an AK-47 here now as a Design Engineer in addition to my basic design tools, back there I don't have weapon against an abusive goverment that will surface right after the cha-cha.

3. I have better salary here to feed more my family, but what awaits the OFWs after the charter change where we have been so abused in the present government theme, "Mga Bagong Bayani". We felt much of a milking cow than a hero, though.

4. Powerful Family and Political Sydicate are giants that eat up all aspects of life, not only on their feeding ground but also licking up dry even the tin plates of hungry Filipinos in the country. Here we could have better food away from them and sure line of supplies to our families in the Philippines.

5. I could send my children now in better school in exchange of threats in the street of Kabul and Kandahar. I had twarted bullets from bad elements in the streets of Metro Manila when I was a PNP member and my kids walked their way to a public school, nonetheless, it was better public school.

6. I could even look straight to the eyes (with my pitbull staffordshire smile) of hungry alligators in the goverment as they sense the smell of US Dollar bills in my pocket, while my peso bills before could end me thrown out in the street.  Although I used to be an as---le cop before, it's a culture.

7. Militants here are far more different from militants in the Philippines, while Muslim militants are adhering to the calling of faith, Filipino militants are paid street actors and blind activities who joined the rally for experience, so there will be more Moro-moro in the street afterwards.

We can see all the abuses happening around us, name-droppings, abused strong connnections, political killings, and worst political set up and yet most of us are so busy not to pay attention  to these, we thought we are not so close to get affected. Changing the constitution is like giving the grids the chance to wear the cloak of a magician that can and will fool every one of us in a snap.

In my view, concentration on charter change in relation to economic growth should better be circumnavigated in the dollar remittance of the OFWs. We better invest in all our skilled workers abroad, and to those who have the talent but have no finacial capability for all processings to work outside the country. This is better alternative to help the economy in lieu of foreign direct investment (putting all the Arroyos and their allies behind bars may be an option). Create more technical schools with short comprehensive courses in all municipalities, and have contengency plans for the graduates in order to send them directly to employer abroad for a "fly-now pay-later scheme", remove private placement agency in the history of the Philippines and let them be processed directly by the government. Bang hard the heads of POLO and Embassy officials against the wall to have a close on-hand monitoring of all the Filipinos under their AOR. 

We have ran out of natural resources because of too much politics and to much fooling around our much-spent laws, therefore we rather get the last resource that we have in order to earn money for our peope, that is sending more skilled workers abroad. This idea has been around for years but never gets the proper attention.

Lift all the travel bans in all dangerous countries since these stand no wall at all to the hungry Filipinos. We are not the only ones at risks in these areas, all nationalities are here for bigger money. Afterall, travel bans are becoming a source of corruption in all exits ports in the Philippines. What we need is a closed facilitation system of Filipinos by the government to ensure they will be employed by UN, US, NATO, and their affiliated international companies, and other world organizations that protect and ensure the safety of all foreign workers. Funny to think, government imposed travel bans as if they are really caring for the OWFs' safety. I doubt it.

Now, if we will go further to favor the charter change how much assurance that our lives will be better than ever? With the presence of all the elements of doom, are we going to gamble? If we're gonna check the ruling party, check the president, check the leaders of Congress, and check all those others sitting in the positions in the government, and their notorious activities, we could still get a mate by pawn at the end.

If there is a need for immediate change, that is the immediate change of administration. Let us not vote for the party that has been around for a long time and has done nothing small good but rather caused big hardship to the Filipinos around the world. The party that has put us all in the billboard of controversy and embarrassment in the history of mankind, bigger than that of the Marcoses'.

I don't like to sound pessimistic, but we have to face the reality the strong and noble men stand no chance with the lady. Cavaliers failed and other cavaliers feed on flesh of those comrades who failed and had forgotten instead their sacred creed.

Let's change the Constitution . .but NOT NOW! We rather wait until the better administration has come in order not to get betrayed again (don't forget EDSA=2). But for now . .  set aside charter change and let's work abroad, you'll have a better chance here. Think about that.