PRESIDENTIAL Spokesperson Salvador Panelo might think he shares the same sense of humor with President Rodrigo Duterte and that he, too, can get away with rash statements.
He expects people to not use his statements against him and to be generous in their understanding of his pronouncements. He’s right about Duterte being able to get away with reckless and controversial statements with some explanation from him and the now familiar line about the President just joking.
But Panelo is not Duterte and Panelo, as presidential spokesman, has to be clear in his statements to avoid getting misquoted or being misunderstood.
One of the most commented posts on social media last week was a statement by Panelo in reply to the call of former President Benigno Aquino III for the Duterte administration to look into the influx of Chinese nationals who ended up as workers in the country. Aquino wondered if these Chinese workers were taking jobs that should have been for Filipinos. He said many of the Chinese workers in the country were in the construction industry, which did not require special skills of its workers.
Panelo must have been joking when he said in reply to Aquino that there was nothing wrong with the increasing number of Chinese migrant workers in the Philippines since there are not enough skilled Filipino workers. Skilled Filipino workers have gone abroad, he said, adding that those who remained “lack the skill” when it comes to construction work.
“That is probably the reality now. That is why maraming (there are many) Chinese workers [in the country],” he added. He said workers can seek training at the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to make them employable.
The online reaction mostly criticized Panelo for his thoughtless statement. Was he joking? One comment asked; another declared it, “Baloney!”
“Employ Filipinos first,” one said. “It’s not about lack of manpower. Big WRONG. It’s a matter of salary.”
One person recalled a campaign promise to bring Filipino workers home. “Nasa abroad mga skilled Filipino workers dahil walang trabaho makita sa Pinas. Tapos ngayon sasabihin nyo walang skilled workers sa Pinas kaya binibigay na lang sa mga Chinese? Ang labo nyo. Kung may trabaho para sa mga Pilipino sa Pinas, babalik mga Pilipino. Hindi dadayo ang mga Pilipino sa ibang bansa at malayo sa mga pamilya nila, mga mahal sa buhay. Kung may trabaho, babalik yang nga Pilipino (yan ang pangako mo, di ba? Digong?)”
(Filipino workers went abroad because there are no jobs in the Philippines. Now you say there are no skilled workers here and so you gave the work to the Chinese? Are you serious? If there is work here, Filipino workers will come home. Who wants to go far, be away from family and loved ones? If there is work here, Filipino workers will come home. Wasn’t that your promise, President Duterte?)
(ninicab@sunstar.com.ph)