I am not really a fan of politics but I'm still a believer of change specially when choosing the right leader. Working as OFW here in Qatar required a lot of sacrifices -- living away from home is not an easy task to do. OFW remittances was one of the major economic forces driving our country but it is sad that only few leaders of the country support the needs of OFW. This is the main reason I write this blog post.
The
country's national elections may still be more than 6 months away but I
can now feel and smell the preparation of some politicians in the
community to which I belong. Even in TV ads, some Presidentiables are
now busy
making their own “papogi points”as part of
their exposure strategy to win the public's sentiment on national issues
at hand.
That’s the reason why I am advocating
Overseas Absentee Voting registration and requesting those 975,263
Overseas Absentee Voters worldwide to update your voting status,
especially to those 237,504 registered voters who failed to vote in the
previous Philippine national election.
To my fellow OFWs, talk to your families
back home. Ask them to participate in the October 2016 barangay
election. Through them, we can empower our OFW
sector in the barangay level.
Here are some reasons why OFW MUST vote:
1. We still want to retire in the Philippines.
Most
of us still dreams of coming home for good and we want to return to our
country where progress, peace and development abound and this can be
done if we choose the leader who will continue to advocate sound
economic programs.
2. We want them to hear the collective voice of OFWs
Your
vote is your voice. When we vote, we are actually telling
the elected officials and lawmakers what we think and how we feel about
the education
system, public safety, social security, health care and other important
issues that affect us and our families back home. When we participate,
we are telling them that the needs of the OFWs cannot be ignored and
they need to act to address it.
3.We have children who depend on us.
We
always want our kids to have a bright future that is why we are working
so hard abroad to provide for their needs. But because our children
(who are below 18 years old) can't vote yet, we have to do the choosing
for them. When we vote the right leaders, we are looking out for our
kids' futures.
4. We want our votes to be counted.
When
we vote, and persuade our family members to vote, we can truly make a
difference in our country. Voting is an act of patriotism. So vote for what you believe is true and just for our beloved land.
As citizens of the Philippines, it is our responsibility to vote. I believe that voting gives us OFWs the credibility to make our concerns one of the government's top priorities
5. We want positive change in our country.
Elections
will be an opportunity to vote the leader who we think will champion
civil rights, who will put the people’s interests before his own. If you
think the
current leadership failed on this then it is your chance to do
something about it. On the other hand, if
you believe the current leadership has done great things then we must
look for the
continuity of his reform and projects by choosing leaders who support
and share his goals.
6. We are Filipinos and are part of history.
There
are a lot of individuals who fight for freedom but in our generation,
voting is our way to fight and stand up for our rights. It's now our
turn to preserve the honor of those who went before
us.
"You
don't have the right to complain if you don't do your part to provide
solution to the nation’s problems by choosing the right leaders. It's
our duty as Filipinos to participate in our country’s affairs, even if
we are miles away from home. So go out and vote!
Please like the pages:
P.S. 1. Bernard
B. Anduyon, AFP is an Associate Financial Planner, an OFW based in Qatar. He is a speaker and trainor for
OFIE-M (Overseas Filipino Investors and Entrepreneur – Movement), a
small group of Filipinos that advocates and teaches fellow OFWs to be
investors and entrepreneurs. He is also a long-time member of Bo
Sanchez' Truly Rich Club http://bernard.trulyrichclub.com.
P.S. 2. If
you, your family or friends are based in Qatar, then I’m inviting you
to attend our financial literacy talk series every 1st and 3rd Mondays
of every month at Al Thumama, Doha. I give talks on diverse topics such
as abundance mindset, financial planning, investing and entrepreneurship
for Filipinos. I am also a trainor for PINOYWISE-ATIKHA, promoting
awareness on issues affecting OFWs and their families as well as
financial literacy.
If you want a financial coaching, you can send email to b_anduyon@yahoo.com
Please like the pages:
https://www.facebook.com/OverseasFilipinoInvestorsEntrepreneursMovement
