During a forum with the Filipino Community Leaders at Bulwagang Rizal Philippine Consulate Office in Sydney, Australia, Sen. Riza Hontiveros did not expect that she would receive some criticisms from an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) during the session’s question-and-answer portion.
A lady from the audience who introduced herself as Lualhati criticized Sen. Hontiveros and other politicians for allegedly giving a tainted image of the Philippines in the international community.
Lualhati claimed that while OFWs like her are doing their best to honor the country by giving it a respectful image, Sen. Hontiveros and her political party are destroying it by giving false and inaccurate information. She accused the Senator of bringing the country down.
“We are trying our best here to international community to show how Filipinos are like and how hardworking we are and how excellent we are.. but no matter how hard we do that there are people especially from your party in fact yourself”, Lualhati said.
The OFW criticized Hontiveros’ call for the United Nations to investigate the country on the issue of the war on drugs. She strongly believes that such demand is dishonorable as it suggests the existence of extrajudicial crimes in the country.
“How can we be honorable when we malign our own community, our own people, in suggesting that there are crimes going on done by the government, against its own people. Parang hindi fair na kami nagpapakahirap na baguhin ang imahe ng mga Pilipino at ng Pilipinas sa international community and yet paulit-ulit na naririnig namin sa inyong mga politicians na dina-down niyo ang sarili niyong bansa.,” Lualhati added.
Lualhat went on her criticisms, saying that OFWs are on the frontier as they are the ones who represent Filipinos in the foreign land. She said that as an OFW, they had to redeem the tainted honor of the country due to politicians like Hontiveros.
“Naapektuhan kami, naapektuhan ang mga OFWs. We are around the world and we all have to put up with that and we all have to, we’re at the forefront in other words, nasa frontier kami, nasa harapan kami, kami yung nasa trenches na humaharap sa mga foreigners na nakikita ang sinasabi ng mga katulad ninyo na senators. You hold office okay? So people will listen to you whether we like it or not,” the OFW added.
Lualhati then asked Hontiveros for her suggestions on how OFWs like her can redeem what has been destroyed by the Senator and her political affiliates.
“So, paano naming mababago ang imahe, kung paulit ulit na sinisira ng kapwa naming Pilipino?” Lualhati strongly asked.
The Senator then was given the opportunity to answer the question. Sen. Hontiveros clarified that she did not demand an investigation from the UN but rather urged them as she sees some loopholes in the administration’s war on drugs. She presented the PNP statistics claiming more than half of the 7,000 recorded deaths due to war on drugs were killed during the police operation. The OFW then claimed that Hontiveros’ statistics are factually incorrect.
The Senator then claimed that the investigation is urged not to give the country a bad image but rather to secure the loopholes of the operations. Hontiveros claimed that there is a possibility that certain vigilante groups are abusing the administration’s war on drugs.
“I try to study the issue further and propose an alternative. That’s why there are also, as I was discussing with Sir Rado earlier, some proposals I’m making in terms of how to more effectively and cost-efficiently address our problem with illegal drugs, how to support the PNP in its security centre reforms process. So that’s what I can say, that uh, I’m trying to do my job as a legislator, and as a Filipino,” the Senator said.
The Consulate General then decided to end the discussion.
Watch the discussion here:
What can you say about Lualhati’s questions? Are you satisfied with how the senator answered them? Let us know your answers in the comment section below.
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