Noy won’t evacuate Pinoys in Japan By Aytch S. de la Cruz and Michaela P. del Callar 03/17/2011

TELLS OFWS NOT TO EXPECT GOV’T TO PAY FOR AIRFARE TO RP

Noy won’t evacuate Pinoys in Japan

By Aytch S. de la Cruz and Michaela P. del Callar 03/17/2011

President Aquino bragged to reporters that his government was among the first that immediately offfered humanitarian aid of some $14 million to Japan, but he now refuses to order the evacuation of some 300,000 Filipinos in Japan, and unconscionably tells its citizens in Japan not to expect his government to pay for their airfare to the Philippines.

The government relies on the OFWs’ remittances to prop up the economy, but when it comes to aiding the OFWs in their hour of need, these workers are told they can’t rely on government to help them return to the country to get them out of harm’s way.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) funds are usually used for such emergencies. Aquino also has a huge pork barrel fund that runs into billions that could be utilized but, apparently, Aquino does not want to part with his pork barrel.

The Aquino government yesterday said it is not planning to evacuate its more than 300,000 citizens in Japan amid the deepening nuclear crisis there. Neither will the Aquino government shoulder the airfare of Filipinos in Japan who want to come home..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110317hed1.html