‘Zero-Remittance Day’ to cost 3.1B

Remittance holiday 2 years ago had no effect on economy – Coloma

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero yesterday said that the government stands to lose some 3.1 billion when Filipino migrant workers hold their “Zero-Remittance Day (ZRD)” tomorrow in protest of the attempt of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to tighten its policy on balik- bayan boxes.

At least 1.6 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are expected to join the remittance holiday, a move downplayed by Malacañang.

According to Escudero, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported that during the first half of 2015, personal remittances from OFWs grew by 6.2 percent to US$12.7 billion from US$11.9 billion in the same period last year. On the average, Filipino workers

across the globe sent a combined remittance of 2.014 billion per month from January to June this year.

Escudero said a one-day remittance boycott could translate to losses of over US$67 million, or some P3.1 billion, for the Philippine economy – money which could have been spent for the basic necessities of relatives of OFWs here such as food, clothing, shelter, and utilities.

The OFWs decided to pursue the planned remittance holiday tomorrow despite the order of President Aquino to scrap random physical inspection of balikbayan boxes, Migrante Chairperson Connie Regalado said.

But Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. downplayed the migrant workers’ one-day remittance boycott, noting that when a Zero-Remittance Day was held two years ago in protest of the pork barrel scam and the increase in PhilHealth premium of OFWs, there was no report of negative repercussion on the economy.

“Kaya kung ‘yon ang pagbabatayan ay tila wala naman tayong dapat ikabahala hinggil dito [If that will be the basis, there is nothing to worry about],” he said.

“Maaaring maantala siya ng isang araw pero hindi naman siguro ito nila iniisip na huwag ipadala [It may be suspended for a day but they’re not thinking of totally stopping the remittances],” he said.

But Escudero defended the role played by OFWs in the country’s economy.

“The OFWs play a major part of the Philippine economy and its sustainability, so I don’t understand why the BOC targets the OFWs in its anti-smuggling campaign,” Escudero said.

”This is not the way to treat our modern-day heroes. I say no to physical inspection of balikbayan boxes. The BOC should run after big-time smugglers. The proposed policy is anti-migrant and will only fuel serious backlash like a boycott on the remittances sent by OFWs,” he added

Escudero, who used to head the Senate Committee on Finance, said the BOC should put to good use its budget for surveillance and prevention of smuggling amounting to 540 million under the 2015 General Appropriations Act, to enhance the agency’s intelligence gathering capabilities.

“Nakakahiya naman sa mga OFW na nagpapadala ng bilyun-bilyong piso para sa ating ekonomiya kung hindi natin magagamit ang pondo na dapat sana ay pinambibili ng mga digital X-ray scanners, K-9 dogs, CCTV cameras. Isama na rin yung wastong training ng mgacustoms personnel para lumakas ang kanilang kakayahan,” Escudero said.

‘Zero Vote for LP’ While Malacañang is downplaying the migrant workers’ campaign, OFWs are looking at its effect on the 2016 elections.

Migrante-Middle East (M-ME) regional coordination John Leonard Monterona said the “no-remittance” campaign may extend during the 2016 elections that may likely affect administration standard bearer Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas.

Monterona said the OFWs’ campaign may cost Roxas the elections as he is at risk of losing more than a million votes of migrant workers and their family members.

“The ZRD could also be comparable to a ‘Boycott Liberal Party’ or ‘Zero Vote’ for Mar Roxas and LP candidates,” Monterona warned.

1.6-M OFWs in Mideast Monterona disclosed that 1.2 million of the ZRD participants will come from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), while the remaining 400,000 are based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

He also said their members in the Asia-Pacific, America, Canada, and Australia have also expressed their support for the campaign to stop sending remittance on Aug. 28.

The ZRD was announced by Migrante last Wednesday to oppose the plans of BOC to hike clearing fees for balikbayan boxes to as much as 100,000 to 120,000 to reach its 600-million revenue target.

“The additional clearing fees will be passed on by the forwarders to OFWs by increasing the cost of sending balikbayan boxes, which will further become an additional burden for OFWs,” Monterona said.

Regalado noted that the additional cost would translate to an additional 325 cost per balikbayan box.

The BOC had earlier denied planning to raise fees for balikbayan boxes.

Apology demanded Aside from stopping the implementation of additional customs duties, Regalado disclosed they are also demanding for more transparency from BOC by making public complete report of the contraband items it ceased and holding accountable it smugglers.

She also said BOC should report the number of boxes they opened and examined recently, and the result of the random inspections.

“The BOC should also compensate and issue a public apology to all owners of wrongfully opened and ransacked balikbayan boxes,” Regalado said.

Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina owes an apology to the country’s legions of OFWs in light of his agency’s catastrophic communications blunder that jeopardized the image and reputation of Filipinos overseas.

“A public apology is necessary to correct whatever adverse impression the balikbayan controversy had made on the positive image of our workers overseas. I am sure Commissioner Lina would understand the need to correct such misimpression because the jobs and collective image of our workers may be at stake,” he said.

Lina to face OFWs

Rather than gloat about the public outcry regarding the physical inspection of balikbayan boxes, Lina is trying to pacify the people involved and affected by meeting them face-to-face.

Lina has expressed willingness to hold a dialogue with concerned groups of OFWs to discuss the latter’s questions about the regulation on balikbayan boxes.

“We would arrange the meeting with OFWs associations next week. It is a dialogue. Maybe it would be held either Tuesday or Wednesday,” he said. (With reports from PNA, Mario B. Casayuran, and Raymund F. Antonio)