“Sarap ng buhay” vs. “Mahirap”, “Parang Basura”

“Ang sarap ng buhay (life is good). Ganito na lang tayo palagi ah? (Let us keep it this way!)

Despite the pandemic, yes, certainly, life is good for those in Congress, for the privileged, the entitled.

In 2019, based on Salary Standardization Law IV, representatives and senators were paid a monthly salary of ?295,191, the senate president and house speaker ?353,470. They also receive bonus, a huge share of the national budget for “projects” and more.

Wasn’t Bato de la Rosa just being honest about how life is good and easy for him as a neophyte senator?

Reynaldo Alcala, a taxi driver, was also being honest when he said, while crying, “mahirap eh, mahirap pag mahirap.” (It is difficult, it is difficult to be poor.) Thousands of other poor share Alcala’s lament --the vendors, other drivers, the elderly and those who queued long hours only to be told they were not in the list of those to be given ayuda.

Did Bato de la Rosa even hear their cries, the indignant public asked?

If he did, why those insensitive remarks, netizens asked. If not, how can any genuine public servant not hear the loud lament of or see the millions made even more impoverished by the present pandemic?

Bato, however, seems to be not the only one in this government who seems insensitive, oblivious to the cries and existence of our poor, hungry, and the jobless. And the stranded OFWs.

Where is the Du30 appointee for Deputy Executive Director of OWWA who receives a monthly salary of at least P155,030? Why has this appointed deputy administrator not been seen attending to the needs of thousands of stranded OFWs?

Has this OWWA deputy director, who has been inconspicuous for too long, not heard or noticed about 20,000 stranded OFWs in Metro Manila? Why has OWWA not properly and promptly attended to the returning OFWs?

Why did Du30 have to be the one to set a deadline for the stranded OFWs to be immediately allowed to travel and return to their homes and families?

Couldn’t OWWA have extended better treatment to those they call heroes?

From stranded OFW Arlyn Tonquerido: "Yan ang bayani na tinatawag nila? Hindi naman bayani 'yun. Kasi mamatay kami sa gutom, hindi kami mamatay sa COVID. (Is that what they call heroes? We are not heroes because we will die of hunger, we will not die of COVID).

“Mamamatay kami sa gutom, hindi sa COVID.” (we will die of hunger, not COVID). Cannot the government officials hear this same message repeatedly echoed loudly by the non-privileged suffering Filipinos, the poor, the stranded OFWs?

Worse, OFW Tonquerido lamented -"Para kaming basura dito na tinapon lang, oo. Wala kaming kain mula pa kagabi, kahapon pa kami dito, hanggang ngayon.” (We were like garbage thrown (in a hot area near the depot of broken items at Terminal 2). We have not eaten since last night. We have been here since yesterday).

Those stranded in hotels, many since April, also complained about OWWA neglect.

Gretchen Lizada-Taganile reported “Parang pinabayaan lang, eh, kasi wala namang OWWA na naka-ano sa amin. Kung ano talaga gagawin namin, wala." (We were unattended to, no OWWA, about what we were supposed to do, nothing).

With their test results delayed and with unclear, muddled arrangements for their trip home despite Du30’s order, OFWs renewed their cries not to be further neglected or overlooked.

With no choice but to stand by until the next available trip back to their homes and families, the OFWs appealed to Du30 and his government officials --can they, and more returning OFWs, not be treated better, promptly, more systematically, and more humanely?