‘I won’t steal,’ Poe vows to OFWs

PRESIDENTIAL aspirant and Senator Grace Poe promised to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong on Saturday that she would not steal if elected president in 2016.

“Makakaasa kayo na hindi ako magnanakaw at lahat ng kita ng gobyerno, bawat sentimo ay mapupunta sa benepisyo ng ating mga kababayan. Iyan po ang palaki sa atin ng aking tatay na si FPJ,” Poe said when she spoke before some OFWs in Hong Kong.

She was referring to her late father, Fernando Poe Jr., who ran and lost in the fraud-tainted 2004 presidential election.

Poe, who was in Hong Kong with her family for Christmas, was walking around the Central district with her daughter when she chanced upon a gathering of migrants led by Migrante International. She was asked to take the stage and address the Filipinos in Hong Kong.

“Alam ko po ang sakripisyo ninyo, na bagamat masaya, marami rin kayong naiwan na mga mahal sa buhay sa Pilipinas,” she said.

“Salamat sa inyong tulong dahil kung hindi dahil sa OFWs, ang ekonomiya ng Pilipinas ay matagal nang tumiklop.”

Poe said she knows how it feels to be away from loved-ones as she, too, has worked abroad.

“Matagal din akong tumira sa ibang bansa, at naiintindihan ko ang inyong kalagayan. Kasama ng Migrante, ng iba nating mga senador na tumatakbo, itutulak namin ang mga makakabuti para sa OFWs—na bumaba ang fees nyo at yung mga kailangan nyo tulad ng health benefits ay matulungan kayo ng gobyerno,” she said, drawing cheers from those who stopped to listen to her.

Hong Kong  registered one of the highest turnouts of overseas absentee voters during the 2013 elections. It is also known for having one of the most active Filipino migrant communities.

Facing legal hurdles lodged by allies of her political opponents, Poe assured the OFWs that she remains a presidential candidate despite the recent ruling of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“Alam ko naririnig ninyo ang mga kwento-kwento, kung na-disqualify na ba si Senator Poe, pero may proseso tayo sa Supreme Court,” she said.

The senator was referring to the Comelec en banc’s decision to cancel her Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) for President on December 23—when government offices had closed for the holidays. The senator was only given five days to seek relief from the Supreme Court.

Despite this, the Comelec decided to keep Poe’s name on the ballot.

“Sabi nila ako’y hindi Pilipino dahil ako’y batang nadampot lamang at hindi kilala ang aking mga magulang. Hindi naman yata makatarungan yun. Ang pinaglalaban natin ay tunay na pagbabago para sa ating bayan,” she said.

Poe, who kept her lead in the latest Social Weather Station and the Standard surveys, said she would continue to fight for the right of Filipinos to choose their leader.

Her lawyers are set to submit to the Supreme Court a petition challenging the Comelec ruling on December 28.

“Hindi ko kayo bibitawan, magkakasama tayo palagi. Sa Pilipinas, kung kami ay mabibigyan ng pagkakataon, walang maiiwan,” Poe said.

If elected, Poe said her administration  would work to create opportunities for Filipinos so that they would not be compelled by poverty to leave their families and work overseas.

“Hindi na ninyo kailangan umalis kung ayaw ninyo dahil sapat ang oportunidad sa ating bayan,” the senator added.