DoLE chief doubts OFW ‘Zero Remittance Day’ will succeed

MANILA, Philippines - The head of the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) on Monday expressed doubt that the campaign declaring October 29 as “Zero Remittance Day" for overseas Filipino workers (OFW) would become successful. “Remittance is really low on that day even without them announcing it," said DOLE Secretary Marianito Roque. “The payday will only be given the next day (Oct. 30) so there will really be no remittance from OFWs." “There has never been a day that there was zero remittance. They're only doing it for publicity," he added. OFW remittances — the lifeblood of the Philippine economy — remained high in August, reaching US$1.3 billion. This is 10.4 percent higher from the same period in 2007. In July, remittances grew 24.6 percent, the fourth consecutive month of double-digit growth. An alliance of OFWs from 112 organizations worldwide earlier declared October 29 as a global no remittance day to protest Manila's hosting of the 2nd Global Migration Forum on Migration and Development. The International Migrants Alliance said its campaign would focus on discrediting migration as an effective tool for development, and unmask it as a “result of continuous unemployment, landlessness, and lack of basic services in sending countries." In Malacañang, deputy presidential spokesperson Anthony Golez urged OFWs to think twice in joining the campaign because the Philippines depends a lot on remittances from overseas Filipinos. "Pero malaya sila sa aktibidad nila. It's up to the OFWS whether to heed or reject the call. Ang panawagan natin ay isipin ang epekto nito sa taumbayan at sa bayan," Golez said. (But they are free in participating in the activity. It’s up to the OFWs whether to heed or reject the call. Our appeal is for them to think of its effect on the public and the country.) - Mark Joseph H. Ubalde, GMANews.TV