RIYADH, 4 July 2003 — Now that opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson has delivered on his promise, the “Barya Mo, Buhay Ko” (BMBK) is expected to step up its humanitarian activities. Lacson handed over a 2-million-peso fund assistance to BMBK, care of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO), during a dinner at the residence of Ambassador Bahnarim Guinomla on Wednesday night.
“I came back to fulfill a promise,” the controversial former Philippine National Police chief told embassy officials and community representatives present during the dinner.
Lacson arrived on Wednesday from Manila with Representatives Butz Aquino of Makati and Didagen Dilanggalen of North Cotabato, who said they wanted to find out how the Filipino community in the Kingdom was doing. The two congressmen were told that not everyone’s as lucky as others and were challenged to find out how they could also help the BMBK or similar projects.
Launched early last year, the BMBK is a humanitarian program formed by Overseas Filipino Workers in Riyadh to help the Philippine Embassy in addressing some of the problems of distressed and stranded OFWs in the Kingdom.
When Lacson came to Riyadh in March 2002 for congressional public hearings on overseas absentee voting, he pledged to donate 5 million pesos from his share of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), better known as the “pork barrel” fund, when the BMBK presented its project.
“I was deeply touched by the conditions prevailing at Bahay Kalinga,” he recalled. Bahay Kalinga is the place where runaway female OFWs are sheltered under the care of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and the embassy in general.
Labor Attaché Jainal Rasul officially acknowledged the fund assistance Lacson had made in favor of BMBK through the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Rasul said in the letter that the “DOLE has remitted the amount (equivalent to $37,068) to POLO-Riyadh’s bank account on June 9.
However, upon the instruction of Undersecretary Manuel G. Imson, and in compliance with requirements of the Commission on Audit, the amount would be released to Barya Mo, Buhay Ko upon compliance of the list of accreditation documents, including certificate of registration, project proposal with list of beneficiaries, financial statements, appropriate board resolution, among others.”
A memorandum of agreement should also be signed between BMBK and POLO-Riyadh containing the guidelines and mechanics in the disbursement of said fund as well as the responsibilities of the parties concerned.
In a meeting with the community leaders in Riyadh held at Holiday Inn-Olaya organized by Calabarzon and Kiluspasabay groups yesterday, Lacson assured that he would complete his P5 million pledge for BMBK.
If not for bureaucratic problems, he said, the money would have been released sooner.
“If the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) would be cooperative enough, the balance would be released,” he said without giving a definite date.