Phil Gov't response to Global Financial Crisis: Keep the OFWs abroad

I don't know what hit me but when I came across several news articles from the Inquirer entitled "RP assumes 'worst case scenario' " (Oct 14, 2008), I was really disappointed that the goverment's response to the financial crisis was simply for PGMA's to order the formulation of a contingency plan "to cushion the impact of the global financial crisis on the overseas Filipino workers". In the first place, is the country really affected by the global financial crisis? Some would say that the country is doing well financially.

Of course the country has more things to worry about and although OFW's jobs abroad is a genuine concern in the short term, I would really like to hear what this "contingency plan" is about. If OFWs are to be layed off, would this plan simply find new "markets" for the so called 'Global Filipino' to work? Government rhetoric has consistently discussed reintegration programs for our returning migrant workers but it does not go beyond the creation various government agencies, such as the National Reintegration center for OFWs, and assigning VP De Castro as Presidential Adviser on OFW affairs (I wonder what skills made him into a capable adviser?).

Filipino migration and government policy are indeed complex issues that more people should be concerned about. Hopefully we can have more interesing and informed discussions in the future.