By Robert B. Roque, Jr.
The plight of abused overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in certain Middle East countries is appalling, and I commend Senator Raffy Tulfo for bringing these to the fore through his privilege speech at the Senate last week.
It comes as a timely and forceful voice from Congress, given that we have a new President who can rethink and reposition his foreign policy with countries where many OFWs are troubled.
Alas! Sen. Robinhood Padilla had to take to the podium and make an issue of the use of the words “Islam” and “Muslim” – words never uttered by Tulfo, and overreact over the mention of the word “Ramadan” – which was not used derogatorily.
It was by Padilla’s emotional and practically pointless nitpicking against the use of these words related to his religion that abuses against OFWs in Mideast countries were pointed out to have been happening in Islamic countries and even magnified the fact that the perpetrators were actually Muslims.
I advise the newbie senator to refrain from being much ado about nothing. All he has done is steal the thunder from the long-drawn problem of OFWs with his anti-climactic performance. As a great action star on the big screen, Padilla knows better than trying to win his audience by overacting.
Besides, if anyone in this Senate has somehow offended Islam as a religion, his brothers from the Marawi Grand Mosque in Mindanao would say it was Padilla himself after filing his bill on same-sex unions.
* * *
Through her press releases, Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte made us believe that all schools nationwide were prepared for the return of face-to-face classes last Monday in a pandemic setting.
So, why are there parents who claim that schools were not prepared? There has been feedback on social media about dilapidated classrooms that take in water when it rains; washrooms with no soap or even water; poorly ventilated and overcrowded spaces; clinics without medical personnel; a lack of precaution; and the absence of a system?
Well, you know what they say about first-day blues. At least our VP gets to learn an important lesson she probably missed in law school: Do not make sweeping statements.
* * *
SHORTBURSTS. For comments or reactions, email firingline@ymail.com or tweet @Side_View. Read current and past issues of this column at http://www.thephilbiznews.com