Pangan: Sau-ditched

Sunday, July 17, 2011

THEY are part of our modern hero bunch, the workers presently in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. So the proud and arrogant Saudi Arabian authorities have come to the realization that jobs in the kingdom should be held and performed by their own countrymen.

It is about time the traditionally indolent but able-bodied Saudi men took over jobs that belonged to them in the first place but were instead offered to foreign workers and consultants.

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It is bruited about that the once overflowing oil reserves are fast drying up and soon will trickle to a halt. That is not improbable as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been enjoying lavishly and extravagantly the awesome benefits that sales from their oil wells have given, first and foremost, the Saudi royals. Most of the countries of the world have been beholden to oil producers, topped by Saudi Arabia, of course, but everything must come to an end, including a perceived bottomless oil reservoir.

Times have really changed. Protests to pressure kings and monarchs to relax their autocratic, if not despotic rule are regular and growing more violent, activities, which were taboo some decades ago. Their subjects have grown restless and cognizant of their basic human rights and privileges, hence, the uprisings.

And now come the unofficial apologist of, and for, foreign employers the inept Department of Foreign Affairs or DFA with the issuance that Filipino migrant workers returning to their work in Saudi after a vacation are not banned by the said Arabian monarchy. This is a typical consuelo de bobo, with emphasis on the bobo, by an ineffective department in Philippine bureaucracy. This is one issue, which is not debatable.

After the ban on the hiring of domestic helpers or DH for Saudi Arabia, more categories will be chopped off the priority list of services in the kingdom. Definitely, there will come a time, in short time, I presume, that all the jobs therein will be handled by Saudis, including the sophisticated, complicated and sensitive ones. So, what to do? The DFA should help assiduously in finding new work sites for our soon-to-be displaced and replaced OFWs who have perhaps considered Saudi Arabia as their second country due to incomes earned there from through the years. Otherwise, the ranks of the dislocated and unemployed will swell further.

On the other side of the Saudization program highlighted by the ambitious if not ambiguous Nitaqat, it could be a blessing in disguise for our OFWs presently based in Saudi Arabia. Why? We can explore other more friendly and civilized countries where our skills and expertise are welcome and may be put to good use. Enough of Saudi already. Anyway, we have taught the erstwhile lazy Saudi citizens something they can use to fend for themselves now.

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Aside from abiding by its commitment to be involved in community projects, SM has helped launch a film literacy program, known as Center for New Cinema, which will allow the use of select SM theaters as alternative classrooms for review centers, seminars, workshops, stage lays and film reviews for the public.

A good undertaking, the film literacy program, held in cooperation with noted artists and the Department of Education will tap the expertise of known and talented film and movie directors, artists and movie craftsmen.

I'd say SM is so into doing its corporate social responsibility functions well and deep, a commitment worth emulating and implementing by similar big establishments.

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After the Senate investigations, prosecution in the courts should ensue so that the perpetrators of grand scams may be taught hard, bitter and redeeming lessons in propriety, prudence and true love of country.

The people presently being grilled by the senators have reportedly raided government coffers and so, they should pay for the grand theft and outrageous larceny.

The previous boards of PCSO and Pagcor should be held accountable for their massive misuse, misappropriation and misalignment of funds that should have been utilized for more useful and extensive projects. Why, they thought they owned public funds and it was just right for them to pocket every cent of the loot. Such gall, such shame, such temerity!

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Ooops! Have you read and heard about the preposterous recommendation of a certain jail doctor to subject former Armm governor Zaldy Ampatuan to house arrest only, this after his bid to turn state witness has been soundly rejected and rebuffed? This is another devious plan of the notorious Ampatuan clan to get Zaldy, the orchestrator of the crimes in Maguindanao, slightly off the hook and let him recoup the family resources and rise again to sow fear and terror particularly on the accusers. The government of PNoy should take all steps to preempt, preclude and altogether stop all plans of the accused Ampatuans to have even provisional freedom. No way, Jose.