SOCIAL SERVICES and SPONSORSHIPS

Balikbayan Program: Committee Report No. 38

"Ginoong Pangulo, mga kagalang-galang na kapwa ko mga Senador, malugod na ini-sponsor ng inyong Komite ng Turismo, na pinamumunuan ng inyong lingkod, ang Committee Report No. 38 na naglalayong dagdagan ang mga benipisyo at pribilehiyo na ibinibigay sa ating mga Balikbayan ayon sa kasalukuyang batas na Republic Act No. 6768.

Ang Committee Report No. 38 ay produkto ng pag-aaral ng Senate Bill Numbers 640, 1007, and 1156 na isinumiti nina Senador Loren Legarda-Leviste, Senador Manuel Villar, at Senador Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. Nakatulong ko rin sa mga pagdinig ang Senate Committee on Ways and Means na pinamumunuan ni Senador Ralph Recto.

Bago ang anupaman Ginoong Pangulo, hayaan ninyong pasalamatan ko ang lahat ng tumulong sa inyong lingkod sa pagsuri at pag-dinig ng panukalang ito sa ilang mga committee hearings, lalo na kina Sen. Juan Flavier na aking kapit-bahay at Sen. Ramon Magsaysay. Lubos din ang aking pasasalamat sa lahat ng mga Resource Persons na nagbigay ng kanilang oras at sumoporta sa panukalang ito. At tulad nila, marami tayong mga kababayan sa loob at labas ng bansa ang naghihintay na maisa-batas ang panukalang ito, upang sila at ang kanilang mga pamilya ay makatamasa ng mga karagdagang benepisyo.

Ginoong Pangulo, ang ating mga kababayan na nasa ibang bansa sa kasalukuyan, lalo na ang ating mga Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) na tinaguriang mga Buhay na Bayani, ay isa sa mga pinakamalaking mamumuhunan ng ating bansa. Ang kanilang kontribusyon sa ating ekonomiya ay hindi matatawaran. Makailang beses nang isinalba ng ating Overseas Filipinos ang ating bansa sa tuluyang pagkasadlak sa depisit sa tulong ng kanilang remittances. Ito ay kapalit ng kanilang mga sakripisyo habang malayo sa kanilang mga minamahal na pamilya.

Indeed, overseas employment, despite the promise of big salary, has its costs. Working in a foreign society affects social and family structures, and the individual worker’s value system. This is the painful price they have to endure to earn a decent living.

Bilang pagkilala sa kanilang kabayanihan, karapat-dapat lamang na madagdagan ang mga benepisyo na ibinibigay ng kasalukuyang batas.

Ayon sa datos ng Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), mayroong humigit-kumulang na seven million three hundred thousand (7.3 million) na mga Filipino sa ibang bansa. Sa kabuuang bilang na ito, six million two hundred thousand ay mga Overseas Filipino Workers. This would translate to roughly about several million families in the country being supported, one way or the other, by the Overseas Filipino Workers. A comparative study of the figures corresponding to the number of Overseas Filipinos in 1989 when RA 6768 was enacted into law and the most recent figures reveals a surprising increase of Filipinos working abroad. Since 1989, an estimated four million transferred to foreign lands in the hope of finding greener pastures. That amounts to at least 350,000 deployments each year for the past decade. In 2001, for example, a total of 866,590 Filipinos were deployed for overseas employment.

One benefit of overseas employment to our country is that it is a source of foreign exchange. Dollar remittances increased from $4.9 billion in 1998 to $6.2 billion in 2001. As a percentage of gross national product (GNP), this increased to 8.2 percent in 2001 from 7.2 percent in 1998. During the Asian crisis in 1997-1998, the Philippine economy escaped a negative growth in 1998 as dollar inflows from overseas workers propped up domestic economy. This translates to about $6.05 billion remittances in 2000 and $6.2 billion in 2001. Or about 8.2% of our Gross National Product (GNP).

Patuloy ang paglaki ng bilang ng mga lumilipad palabas ng bansa upang makapagtrabaho. Marami sa ating mga skilled workers at propesyonal ay walang trabaho o kung meron man, ito ay di sapat na panustos ng kanilang pamilya. Sa kadahilanang ito kinakailangan pa nilang mangibang-bansa. Hence, the generation of domestic employment should remain a major priority. Kung kaya’t isinusulong ng kasalukuyang panukala ang pagbibigay ng additional privilege sa ating mga Balikbayan upang makapamili ng mga tax and duty-free na kagamitang pangkabuhayan at makapagsimula ng pagkakakitaan pagbalik sa ating bansa.

Makailang beses na nating narinig na marami sa ating mga OFWs ang umalis na mahirap at bumalik na mahirap pa rin. Kumbaga, napupunta lamang sa wala ang ilang taon nilang pinaghirapan sa ibang bansa na malayo sa pamilya. Ang ilan ay nagwawaldas ng pinag-ipunan o nalulugi sa mga negosyong matatawag na “highly risky”.

Kung kaya’t isang magandang balita para sa ating mga OFWs ang Kabuhayan Program kung saan sila ay malayang makakabili ng mura at de-kalidad na kagamitang pang-kabuhayan. This will pave the way for the development of small scale business industry.

In this regard, we the members of this august body should provide an atmosphere of hope and a climate of opportunity for our Balikbayan, especially the OFWs who are our living heroes, by providing them the domestic sources of livelihood. This is also expected to facilitate generation of foreign exchange and government revenues. This will also empower our Balikbayan and their families to be active participants in the effort of the government to develop the tourism industry.

Mr. President, under Republic Act No. 6768, the shopping privilege granted to our Balikbayan, including our Overseas Filipino Workers, is pegged at $1,000.00. Subsequently, Executive Order No. 250 provided an additional $1,000.00 shopping privilege for frequent travelers. And for both enactments, the shopping privilege must be availed of within 48 hours from date of arrival. This proposed bill seeks to provide reasonable adjustments or the availment of these privileges taking into account the additional thrust of providing Kabuhayan shopping privileges to OFWs. There are two other consequential benefits from the amendment proposed under this bill. One is the expected increase foreign exchange earnings and other revenues that can fund the tourism program of the government. The other relates to domestic employment which expectedly will be generated by the livelihood projects under the proposed Kabuhayan program.

At this point Mr. President, may I be allowed to present to you specifically the proposed amendments of Committee Report No. 38 to Republic Act 6768:

First, the Balikbayan program seeks to include a Kabuhayan Shopping Privilege which allows a tax-exempt purchase of livelihood tools and provides an opportunity for the Balikbayan to avail of the necessary livelihood and entrepreneurial training. Thus, a Balikbayan, including an OFW, shall be entitled to an additional $1,000.00, or its equivalent in Philippine Peso and other acceptable foreign currencies, for the purchase of livelihood tools at Government-Owned and Controlled Duty Free Shops. Marami sa ating mga kababayan abroad ang matagal ng humihiling ng ganitong insentibo. This will also provide them with alternative sources of income in the event that they decide to permanently settle in the Philippines.

Second, the period to avail of the shopping privilege is proposed to be extended from Forty-Eight (48) hours to seven (7) calendar days upon date of arrival, except during Christmas season, or from November 15 to January 15, when the period shall be extended to fifteen (15) days. Sa kasalukuyang sitwasyon, maliit na pursyento lamang ng mga Balikbayan ang nagpupunta sa Duty Free Shops. For 2001, for example, out of 1.77 million Balikbayan arrivals, only 241,285, or a meager 13.6%, visited the duty free shops. The small number of Balikbayan-shopper-turnout is primarily due to the very limited period given to avail of the duty free shopping privilege. Marami ho sa ating mga Balikbayan ay nakararanas pa ng pagod at jetlag pagdating sa Pilipinas. Kinakailangan ng pahinga upang maka-adjust ang kanilang pangangatawan sa bagong oras at panahon sa Pilipinas. Thus, more often than not, a Balikbayan will waive the privilege rather than suffer the stress of shopping immediately within 48 hours from date of arrival. In addition, para sa ating mga Kababayang matagal nang nawala sa ating bansa, nangingibabaw ang pananabik na makita at mayakap ang kanilang mga mahal sa buhay na karamihan ay nasa malayong probinsya. Naturally, the last thing on their minds is to go shopping. Lastly, because of the new Kabuhayan Program, our Balikbayan will need time to consult with their loved ones as to which business to enter into and what livelihood tools to buy. Thus, extension of the period to avail of the Duty-Free shopping privilege is imperative.

Third, the privilege can only be availed of in government owned and controlled Duty-Free Shops. This amendment is intended to assure us that the increase in revenue, generated by the increased privilege, shall inure to the coffers of government.

Finally, ang panukalang ito ay nagbibigay ng karapatan sa immediate family ng ating mga OFWs na makinabang sa Kabuhayan Program at makapamili ng mga mura at de-kalidad na livelihood tools sa mga government duty-free shops kahit wala pa sa Pilipinas ang kapamilyang OFW sa pamamagitan ng tinatawag nating “absentee-buying privilege”. Under this scheme, the OFW may endorse to any of his immediate family members his privilege to avail of the Kabuhayan Program. The endorsee may then buy livelihood tools from any of the government Duty-Free Shops even while the OFW is abroad. Mr. President, the absentee-buying privilege is expected to benefit the families of our OFWs by allowing them to enter into worthwhile livelihood pursuits. These business ventures will also generate employment in the countryside and help many of our poor constituents who do not enjoy the privilege of having a family member working abroad.

Dahil sa mga nabanggit na probisyon ng panukalang batas na ito, hinihikayat ko kayo na ating lalong pagbutihin ang kalagayan ng ating mga Balikbayan, lalo na ang mga OFWs, sa bawat pagbalik nila sa ating bansa, sa paraan ng pagsuporta sa panukalang ito.

Ginoong Pangulo, ang panukalang batas na ito, ay magbibigay ng karagdagan benepisyo sa ating mga kababayan sa labas ng bansa. Kung inyong mamarapatin at maging batas ang mga ito, marami sa ating mga kababayan ang dadagsa sa ating bansa. Malaking tulong and maidudulot nito sa lokal na turismo at sa ekonomiya ng ating bansa.

MARAMING SALAMAT PO!"

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