RIYADH, 17 March — Big things usually start small. In most cases, growth or expansion comes gradually.
The Barya Mo Buhay Ko, a fund-raising campaign of the Filipino community in Riyadh to help distressed compatriots in the Kingdom, also started small. From just a few riyals, it grew gradually to several hundred as community members passed the hat around.
Then came the unexpected. On its formal launch yesterday, contributions not just poured in but rampaged through.
The lahar of support came in the form of pledges — 5 million pesos Sen. Panfilo Lacson, another 5 million pesos from Sen. Edgardo Angara and her sister Rep. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo of Aurora province, plus 1 million pesos from Rep. Augusto Syjuco of Iloilo.
The legislators pledged part of their so-called Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) for the year. Although the release of the PDAF, better known as the “pork barrel” fund, may take some time, the pledgers are known to have a track record of making good their promises.
“I’m really touched by their display of the bayanihan spirit,” Lacson intimated to Arab News after the launching ceremonies at the Marriot Hotel in Riyadh.
“Instead of blaming government for its inadequacies, they banded together and do what they can to help their unfortunate compatriots,” added Lacson, a member of the Philippine political opposition who is considered by many to be the best so far to have headed the Philippine National Police.
Sen. Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. said he asked his wife to just give $200 to the fund because he had already pledged his pork barrel share to various community projects in Mindanao.
But in a speech, he encouraged the group to spread the Barya Mo Buhay Ko movement not only in the Kingdom but in other countries where there are distressed and stranded OFWs.
First beneficiary
What probably removed any doubt about the usefulness of the fledgling movement was when its first beneficiary came in front to accept the initial collection for his plane ticket and payment for his Iqama arrears and exit papers.
With a heavily bandaged arm and a huge scar on his right face, Antonio Barrios, an aluminum fabricator at the Arak Establishment, was really a pitiful sight.
A native of Pototan in Iloilo, Barrios was sleeping in their accommodation in Riyadh on the night of Nov. 27, last year, when his roommate — a fellow Filipino from Bacoor, Cavite, attacked him with a big, sharp kitchen knife.
Barrios sustained two stab wounds at the back and a hack wound in the head, his entire left face was deeply slit, he lost two fingers but one was re-attached through surgery, and his left arm was broken.
Despite his injuries, Barrios managed to get hold of his assailant, who then ran away with the victim’s money and Iqama.
With no one around to help him, Barrios said he struggled to find a taxicab outside to bring him to hospital.
“It was still dark outside and I tried to hail a taxi to go to a hospital but they refused to take me in because I was bleeding profusely,” he told Arab News in Tagalog.
Fortunately, he said, a kind Saudi man took him in his car and rushed him to hospital.
Filipino community leaders in Riyadh said Perez was eventually arrested and is now in jail, awaiting trial.
Barrios said he could not think of any reason for the attack, except for an incident several months before when he reprimanded Perez for always coming very late at night and making unnecessary noises.
Fund management
Is the Barya Mo Buhay Ko, or Distressed Workers Fund, just another of the many movements that may soon suffer death from ningas cogon (brushfire), which sociologists have pointed out as one of the negative traits of Filipinos?
Only time will tell but Ambassador Rafael Seguis expressed optimism that it will succeed, as he noted that not only are the people behind it sincere but are also professionals in fund management.
Said to be a brainchild of Assistant Labor Attaché Jalilo de la Torre, it is to be run by a Fund Management Committee whose chair will be rotated every three months.
First to chair the committee is Romeo Sinamban, president of the United Capampangan Association (Unicap), who was inducted into office along with the other officers yesterday by Senator Lacson.
After Sinamban, the chair will go to Rashid Fabricante, chair of the E-Lagda advocacy group in Riyadh; followed by Benny Quiambao, chair of Calabarzon; Francis Maca, chair of Madja-as Federation; Macario Escober, chair of PICO; Henry McCann, chair of Comsofil; Robert Ramos, chair of Samapil; and Danny Gonzales, chair of D’Circulo Capizeños.
The other officers are: Dr. Carlito Muhammad Astillero, vice chairman; Gina Abitona, secretary; Renato Zulueta, treasurer; Primar Asuncion, auditor; Rene Renton, Usman Navarro, and Romeo Cahucom, business managers; Edgar Cadano, media relations officer; Leomar Bandiola, Ramjun Valasote, and Ariel Gaan, consultants for website development.
Maca, who is also the chair of the Speakers’ Bureau, said the function of the chairman is to head a three-member committee that will evaluate cases of distressed OFWs brought before the Fund.
No dole-out
Explaining what the campaign is all about during the induction ceremony, Maca said there is a need for community members to come forward and help distressed or stranded OFWs because the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) could not possibly provide all the necessary assistance.
He said extra help is needed considering the need to get an exit visa for the distressed who wish to go home.
The project will try to accumulate funds through the pass-the-hat concept, and Maca said permission is now being sought from the Saudi Arabia Monetary Authority for the opening of a bank account for that purpose.
“We are going to make sure that this fund will not become a source of dole-outs. It will only be a fund of last resort,” said Fabricante, adding that the POLO should still strive to help get the benefits due the distressed from their employers.
Fabricante said they are now looking into the suggestion of Rep. Castillo to put up a foundation which will take care not only of the distressed OFWs in the Kingdom but in other countries.
But the immediate program, he said, is to come up with a system in which there will be district coordinators Kingdomwide who could easily come to the rescue of distressed OFWs.
Fabricante, a veteran in the Kasapi’s campaigns in Jeddah to assist distressed OFWs and those displaced during the Gulf War, said they have also coordinated with charitable organizations in the Kingdom to help.
“This will be a purely charitable work … not for glamor. And it should be a continuing effort for as long as there are OFWs who need help,” he added.
