Friday, October 31, 2008

December 3, 2007

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/71171/The-Pen-siege-Pinoys-in-Saudi-share-mixed-views

The Pen siege: Pinoys in Saudi share mixed views
12/03/2007 03:54 PM

Last Thursday’s standoff at the Peninsula Manila hotel in Makati City drew mixed reactions from Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia.Ciriaco Espino, a coordinator for Petro Rabigh, said the rebellious act by a group of soldiers led by Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV was yet another dark spot in the Philippines’ image before the international community.“Nakalulungkot din, sana hindi na nangyari ‘yon," Espino said.

Eric delos Reyes, agrees with Espino. “Mali ang ginawa nila. Ibinoto na siya ng mga tao. Ano pa ba ang gusto n’ya? Hindi napapanahon ang kanyang ginawa sa ngayon kaya mali talaga," said Delos Reyes, who works with Saudi Signs.

In contrast, Alejandro Domingo, a web developer at Iview Communications, wished the attempt to unseat the Arroyo administration prospered. He said a change in government could affect the peso-dollar exchange rate in favor of the overseas Filipino workers.“Si Trillanes talaga ang kailangan ng bayan dahil nasa kanya lahat ng katotohanan at kaya n’ya ipalabas ang katotohanan. Para kami sa kanya," said Domingo.

Elvie Sanches, a clerk at Alhada Hospital in Taif, said it was good that Trillanes and his group were able to say what they felt. She was hoping the incident would drive the dollar up to benefit overseas Filipinos like her.

But Noel Bitang, an engineer in Dammam, did not agree in the manner the detained soldiers carried out their call for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to step down. He said the group may have the interest of the people in fighting for reforms, but he should have done it the right way.

Froilan Venturina, an operations engineer in Ras Tanura, believed that the Filipino people, particularly the OFWs, were tired of destabilization moves. “There is due process of law. Trillanes should have fought for his right in court. Why walk out and plead for help with the poor and helpless people?" he said when interviewed by Jeddah-based Arab News.

Ransam Pirote, an engineer at Aramco in Dhahran, said that the group of Trillanes showed they were really not committed to peace in the country.Christopher Castor, who works with Al Jumairah Marketing, said he didn’t care anymore about political developments in the country. “Nakakasawa na kasi. Hopeless na ang Pilipinas. Unmanageable na. Kung pwede nga lang i-give up ko na ang pagiging Filipino ko," he said out of desperation.

Eli Sarmiento, an employee at the National Commercial Bank, said what Trillanes and his group did must be condemned. “He has the mandate of the people and he must uphold the rule of law," he pointed out.

Arab News reported on Monday that Philippine Ambassador Antonio Villamor has reminded Filipinos in Saudi Arabia of the need to unite in view of last Thursday’s threat to democracy.“Before we achieve unity and harmony with others, we should have harmony within ourselves and our families," the online news site quoted Villamor as having said in a speech during the Filipino Community Day organized by the Saudi Arabia Hiligaynon, Inc. (SAHI) at the Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Amusement Park in Dammam.Villamor said the latest failed rebellion was another taint on the good image of Filipinos worldwide.“What is hurting our feelings is that we Filipinos in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are trying to unite, but at home so me of our leaders, like Senator Trillanes, are making trouble" Villamor said.“I cannot see the logic of what he and his group did last Thursday. Probably he has his reasons but I don’t think that is the right way of showing that he is discontented in the government," he said.

Villamor said that Trillanes should have thought of the millions of Filipinos working overseas to help their families and the Philippine economy as a whole, only to find their hard work undone by a senseless uprising.

“Those who are in the Philippines are destroying the goal of OFWs of showing to the world how good and united we are, particularly here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Villamor said. - with reports from Ronaldo Concha, GMANews.TV


READER'S FEEDBACK:

From: Reinerio Supsup (reinerio.supsup@gmail.com) in Abu Dhabi, UAESent: Monday, December 03, 2007 4:31 PMI would like to highlight a comment from a certain Christopher Castor from Al Jumairah Mktg KSA...I respect his opinion but I believe he must be thankful for being a Filipino. He must go home and see the Philippines before doing so. There are a lot of people who crave for a nationality but its my first time to hear someone giving up his nationality. I know he is desperate about his being an OFW toiling to support his family, he should know that he is not alone and he is actually luckier than millions of us working as OFW.Thanks.

From: Isidoro Sobrecarey in Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaSent: Monday, December 03, 2007 5:50 PMIt's not rebellion acts naman ang ginawa nila sa Manila Pen. It's just a matter of expression of one's feelings. Ibinoto nga ng taong bayan si Trillanes kaso 'di naman pinayagang makapaglingkod sa bayan.Sa mga anti-Arroyo, tumahimik na lang kayo. Walang mangyayari sa inyo dahil wala kayong pagkakaisa.Lalo lang gumulo ang mahal nating bayan. Sana'y nakiisa kayo kina Trillanes at Gen Lim sa Manila Pen standoff.Just wait na lang 'til when GMA enjoys her post.

From: Jove Bunag in Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaSent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 3:56 AMMaraming Pinoy ang hindi alam ang totoong nangyayari sa ating bansa araw-araw, puro pangungurakot at mga balita na nakakasira daw sa ating imahe.Marami sa atin ang nagmamalinis pero wala namang pakialam kung may pagkakataon na makatulong para sa ikabubuti ng ating bansa.Tanungin muna natin ang ating sarili kung may nagawa na ba tayo para sa ating bayan.

From: Korina in San Francisco, California, USASent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 10:12 AMSa kabilang banda, hindi rin natin dapat sisihin si Senator Trillanes, sa kanyang ginawa, kasi ibinoto siya ng tao bilang isang Senator. Natural lang na dapat ay gawin niya ang tungkulin niya bilang isang Senator, dahil ang mga tao ang nag-pasya noon. 11 milyon voters ito na parang nabalewala, tunay at legal na isa siyang Senator.Masisisi mo ba siya kung ipinakita niya ang kanyang soloobin. Sa dami na problem sa Philippines, poverty, enemployment, hunger, bombings, carnapping, murder, lots of abuses, corruptions. Sino ba naman ang hindi masusuklam sa mga pangyayaring ito.

From: Emerita Cervantes (emeritacervantes@yahoo.co.uk) in Fujian, ChinaSent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 1:09 PMSa mga kapwa ko Pinoy na nasa ibang bansa, huwag naman ninyong pakahamakin sina Trillanes at Lim.Pare-pareho ang gusto nating mangyari sa ating bansa: ang makitang may pagbabago para sa isang mas malakas na Pilipinas. Naiba nga lang ang ginamit na paraan nina Trillanes.

Sila ay kabilang sa mga young idealists, na naniniwalang kailangang may kumilos kung gusto natin ng pagbabago. Kung nagkamali man sila, huwag na nating hamakin pa.Ang totoo niyan, noong nagaganap ang Manila Peninsula stand-off at nananawagan sila sa mga kababayan natin na sumama sa kanila, isa ako sa nagdarasal na sana ay magkaroon ng milagro at muling magtagumpay ang people power.

Subalit hindi nga nakakuha ng suporta ang dalawang ito dahil marami na sa ating mga kababayan ang tila manhid na sa nangyayari. Tanggap na nila ang kabulukan ng ating gobyerno. ayaw na nila ng gulo. Tutal ilang taon na lang daw naman si Presidente Arroyo.Nais ko lang malaman ng aking kapwa OFW na gaano mang sama ng ating bansa, ako ay mananatiling Pinoy. Hindi ko kailanman hahangarin na maging ibang nationalidad. Ano mang baho ng Pilipinas, Pinoy ako. At ikaw man ay nasa ibang bansa, hindi ka kailanman magiging Amerikano. Mukha ka pa ring Pinoy. 2nd class citizen ka pa rin diyan sa bansang kinaroroonan mo. Mayaman ka nga lang, pero hindi maitatatwa na Pinoy ka.

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