Based on my current reading of the overseas Filipino workers (OFW) sector, a great majority of them favor a Marcos vote, thus reflecting the current national trend.
This is, of course, only my personal opinion, based on conversations with OFW advocates and OFW families, here and overseas.
There is a long history behind the OFW sector’s support for a Marcos presidency. It was, after all, during the time of the late President Ferdinand Marcos that Filipinos left for abroad as pioneers of Philippine overseas employment. Due to the oil shocks of the ’70s, which gave Gulf countries their golden years as the wealthiest nations on earth, the petrodollars of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Iran and Iraq, among other Middle East states, made it possible for them to embark on monumental infrastructure development requiring partnerships with Filipino construction firms. These firms brought in the much-appreciated Filipino contract workers, through legal processes and government institutions set in place under the Marcos administration.
Aside from the history, there is also the huge “Tatay Digong” factor. OFWs, especially in the Middle East, see the incumbent president as a member of the family, someone who genuinely cares for them. If continuity is the name of the game, Inday Sara Duterte can easily lay claim to guaranteeing that her father’s legacy will continue under the UniTeam’s watch. Add to this the consistent, overwhelming, and effective presence on social media of Bongbong Marcos and his family, in ways that are relatable to our OFWs.
Can the other presidential candidates catch up? I am sure that some of the camps are already focused on how to get as many OFW votes as possible beginning April 10. I have received inquiries as well from party-list groups and senatorial bets eager to campaign and touch base with our OFWs. It would be difficult to start campaigning for the migrant workers’ votes in an abrupt manner simply because they would be among the first to vote for our national candidates. Relationships with the OFW sector ought to have been built over time. Our overseas workers are quite discerning; they can and often do influence the votes of their families back home since many of them serve as breadwinners.
Aside from presidential aspirant Marcos and his running mate, Sara, I think the team of Senator Ping Lacson and Senate President Tito Sotto also has the respect of our OFWs because of their fight against corruption and illegal drugs. “Tito Sen,” in particular, has his own following among OFWs given his extensive exposure courtesy of the highly popular Eat Bulaga TV show, and as a prominent senior national leader. Of course, Senator Manny Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno have rags-to-riches stories that resonate with OFWs that dream of scaling up and giving their families a better, more prosperous life.
What of Vice President Leni Robredo and her running mate, Senator Kiko Pangilinan? Her domestic labor agenda is quite comprehensive and well thought out. More needs to be done on the OFW front to communicate what her plans are for our migrants, especially our women workers overseas and their families back home. Overseas Filipinos especially those in the United States and who are living the life of professionals abroad are actively campaigning for VP Leni, and it is not surprising to see millennial OFWs and dual citizens favoring the pink camp.
The best way to campaign for the OFWs’ votes is through social media that would also include online news platforms that carry stories that are relevant to their plight. Because of the pandemic, there are fewer occasions for national candidates or their surrogates to go abroad, in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The smarter way to campaign would be to use all kinds of platforms to present one’s campaign platform and agenda for OFWs. This would include radio interviews, especially in the provinces where a high number of OFW families reside.
Foremost among the issues close to the hearts of our workers are the faster and easier processing of Philippine passports especially the renewal of passports onsite, better terms and conditions for our OFWs, 24/7 assistance here and overseas especially for OFWs in distress, health insurance and medical programs, reintegration and livelihood programs to sustain the needs of their families and scholarships for their children.
Whoever they vote for, I am sure that our OFWs will look forward to this next chapter in Philippine history though there will always be that special fondness for the current President, the man they proudly call their “Tatay.”
Susan V. Ople heads the Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute, a nonprofit organization that deals with labor and migration issues. She also represents the OFW sector in the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.