MANILA, 7 February 2003 — Migrant related non-government organizations (NGOs) in the Philippines cannot make sense of the appointment of former Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Heherson Alvarez as President Gloria Arroyo’s new adviser on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
“What is his mandate anyway?” Rachelle Garcia, managing chairman of OFWNet asked Arab News.
According to her, Alvarez did not even have an experience being a real OFW since he was “born to power and privilege” and was just forced into exile.
“I would rather have somebody from the ranks, somebody who had to go abroad because he was leading a hand to mouth existence,” she said.
The heads of other NGOs said it is not hard to become an adviser on OFW affairs since “it is easy to learn all there is to know about OFWs.”
Another said Alvarez could be credible in terms of proposing to OFWs what they should invest in.
“But that’s all about it,” an unnamed NGO head said.
Others said Alvarez’ appointment had something to do with the approval of the absentee voting bill, with the coming 2004 national elections and with the fact that he is one of the head honchos in the ruling administration party Lakas.
