Hamon ng Pinoy sa Afghanistan

Dear GMA Kwentong Kapuso, It's really unfortunate that such horrible accident happened to our countrymen and fellow workers here at Kandahar Airfield Afghanistan. We are in unison and in prayer for the repose of their souls and for the well being of their families that was left behind. However we are also one in saying that all the comments, remarks and abrupt decision by our government is all below or not at par with what is expected of them. Banning all the Pinoys who are willing to slug it out tooth and nail here in Afghanistan wouldn’t do us any good. I've been here for just 7 months and I've talked to a lot of Pinoys here and we are one in saying that it is about time for our government to rethink and do something good for the Pinoys here in Afghanistan, for the Pinoys everywhere in the world and for the Pinoys back home...?

Our government is maybe the only country in the world that ban their citizen from working in Iraq and in Afghanistan. Yes it is true that these places are not safe for a tourist Pinoy but this can't be said of the working Pinoys. It's election time again and almost every "politicos" back home have something to say about the situation here. They want us to go home and stay in the Philippines and then what? Is the government willing to give us work? Is it safe there in the streets of Manila and in the jungles of Mindanao? Is the communist party of the Philippines promising not to harass us if we go back working in the mountains we use to cultivate back home? Are those politicians willing to sacrifice not get their kickbacks and cut on government contract even for a year just to allocate funds for the needy and for us Pinoys who are risking their lives abroad just to be able to help the economy of the Philippines? If the answer to these questions are positive then we are willing to go back. If not then it is even more dangerous there than it is to live here in Afghanistan. For everybody's knowledge, we are not going out of military bases. The NATO management is making sure that no single civilian worker is going out of the camp at any given time. We have body armours and protective gears in time of serious threat. We have hard aluminum air conditioned cabin and bunkers to run to in case of emergency. We have thousands and thousands of NATO forces inside the camp to protect us and would you believe that the ratio of soldiers to civilian inside camp is nearing a 5 is to 1. Meaning there are 5 soldiers as compared to 1 civilian employee. Would you also believe that the French, the English, the Americans, the Jordanians, and many other nationalities here are sending their people to learn and volunteer to work inside the camp to help in achieving the so called "world peace"?. Many might disagree with what US real intention is but that is not the point really. The point is the Philippines who's President is an ally of the US doesn't have any volunteers not even a one man team to at least pretend to help. Nobody has the guts to do so and all they can do is to just sit in the background and watch the whole world fight and hopefully would rip the benefits in the future. We Pinoys here in Afghanistan are doing our government a huge favor. We send 80% of our salary every month and even more than that. We save the ass of our government officials who pulled the plug in support of NATO in Iraq because of Angelo de la Cruz case a few years back. They even downgraded our ID's and BADGE because of that. We are not condemning the govt for that kind of decision because there's a life that was put at risk. But how about us? Our government officials are so good in press releases but are always missing in action. If the government is really serious in helping our cause here then why don't they try to visit us here to check the real situation and see for themselves. Can somebody tell us what are they doing right now? Their statistics are even worse. They said in the news that there are at least 1500 OFWs here? Common where did you get your datas? I bet it is from the unreliable POEA? I also believe that some people connected with BID are already trembling because there is a possibility that one of those casualties in the crash might be the one they escorted to pass through immigration at NAIA for a fee ranging from 5,000.00-17,000.00. This is the reality! We are even made as milking cow of those who only see the color of money. The accident is horrible as it is. We can’t do anything about that. It is force majeure. But what the government can do is to at least visit us here and then decide what is really best for us. And I believe it is not by sending us back home but rather by providing us better alternatives, better benefits, better protection. I believe the US government is even willing to increase our existing insurance policies if the government of the Philippines will be willing to discuss with them and send workers here who all of you back home describe us as "daring Pinoy workers". But mind you, we are not as daring as an ordinary Juan dela Cruz that lives in the slum of tondo, or the Juan dela Cruz that fights in the jungle of Mindanao or those “taong grasa" that struggles to live in the streets of Manila. We have foods here that are better than most mayors in the Philippines are eating everyday. We have room that has the comfort only imaginable by middle class citizens back home. I am not only speaking for myself, majority of us here feels the same. I dare every single politician who really cares about us and the future of every Pinoys back home to MAKE THE MOVE NOW! Do us a favor please, visit us here and see for yourself if we have to go home and should we stay here in Afghanistan. - GMANews.TV Truly yours, Juan dela Cruz in Afghanistan - GMANews.TV