Tag: overseas foreign worker

Balancing the duty of the Bureau of Customs and the sacredness of the Balikbayan Box

August 23, 2015August 23, 2015 Vincent 25 Comments

Recently, I heard news about the Bureau of Customs (BOC) intending to open Balikbayan Boxes for inspection. The Manila Times reported in an August 17, 2015 article: “The items [inside the boxes] may as well be considered as smuggled goods for non-compliance with the Philippine Tariff and Customs Code,” Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina said on…

Crime, Culture, Government, Society

Filipinos need to rethink how they value their overseas contract workers

July 20, 2015July 22, 2015 FallenAngel 14 Comments

Overseas Filipinos, whether they be migrants or overseas contract workers (OCW’s), are a valuable resource to their home country. Obviously, they pump money to the homeland and to their families, which props up the economy, to the tune of about 10-14% of its GDP. Second, the skills they learned from their jobs overseas could and…

Culture, Development, Economy, Lifestyle

A Culture of Exploitation

May 5, 2015 Grimwald 10 Comments

Greed has always been a big problem here in the Philippines, from the criminal syndicates that now run the country to the media moguls that dumb down the people. Almost always, it is the Filipino people who suffer and, at the end of the day, it’s almost like no one even cares anymore. However, upon…

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Civics, Crime, Culture, Development, Economy, Education, Environment, Government, Lifestyle, Media, Politics, Society

The Philippines’ shame: Bickering over the Mary Jane Veloso case

May 2, 2015May 4, 2015 benign0 17 Comments

What was otherwise a joyful event was turned into another Philippine circus. Filipinos rejoiced this week after Mary Jane Veloso who languished in an Indonesian prison for five years on charges of drug trafficking and was scheduled for execution last Tuesday was granted a reprieve. However, this show of rare unity in joy was short-lived….

Civics, Crime, Government, Politics, Society

Mary Jane Veloso and Manny Pacquiao provide Filipinos with emotional highs

April 30, 2015May 1, 2015 FallenAngel 13 Comments

Filipinos like emotional highs. They need them as a distraction from their wretched existences. Pinoy Pride, which a victory by Manny Pacquiao, or Gilas Pilipinas, or any other sports team or celebrity with Filipino blood competing overseas provides, is an example of such a source of them. They also got such a high from Mary…

Crime, Culture, Society

OFW Mary Jane Veloso jailed in Indonesia for 5 years without Philippine government assistance

April 30, 2015January 4, 2023 Ilda 40 Comments

Supporters of convicted drug smuggler Mary Jane Veloso heaved a sigh of relief after Indonesia suspended the execution of the Filipina in death row by firing squad on the 29th April 2015. The decision to postpone her execution came not necessarily after Philippine President Benigno Simeon (BS) Aquino spoke to Indonesian President Joko Widodo as…

Crime, Government, Society

Temporary Solutions for Long-Term Problems: The Pinoy’s Most Common Response

April 29, 2015 Grimwald 74 Comments

My heart goes out to all those who helped Mary Jane Veloso escape her predicament. From those who prayed for her (I’m one of those who believe that prayer does indeed hold some power), those who pleaded for her case to those who chose to spare her from execution, you have my sincerest gratitude. But…

Crime, Culture, Development, Economy, Education, Government, Lifestyle, Media, Religion, Society, The South

Philippines’ who’s-who of credit-grabbers queue up for a spot in the Mary Jane Veloso limelight!

April 29, 2015April 29, 2015 benign0 11 Comments

And so the frantic scramble for credit begins. Elections 2016 is just around the corner. Gentlemen, start your engines! First in the queue of credit-grabbers’ list is God. According to hipster “social news network” Rappler, this is the Philippines’ official position on the matter of the suspension of the execution convicted drug smuggler Mary Jane…

Civics, Crime, Culture, Government, Media, Society