Here and There
Labor Day for OFWs, especially
By Gerry Garcia
LABOR Day celebrated in honor of workers is most often a holiday. In the US it falls on the first Monday of September . . . unlike here in Pinoyland and in other countries where May 1st is the common choice.
In this country which brags with understandable pride how its economy is buoyed somehow by remittances from millions of OFWs abroad, especially in the Middle East and in Asia, including Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, etc., Labor Day should have a special meaning focused on giving recognition, to our overseas foreign workers, of their deserved role as the country’s unsung heroes. And to the unfortunate ones who fall prey to the deceptions of illegal recruiters, the Administration could do no less than to exert efforts to help or protect them as they are part of the country’s unwitting saviour.
While anti-government protests and rallies have been the meat of celebrations of Labor Day in Metro Manila, Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija — all a kind of prostitution on the noble cause of Labor Day, we’re fortunate and thankful here in the city and its 3 other urban neighbors that celebration of May 1 had been peaceful, in fact, contagiously joyful as May 1 is sandwiched by days of frolic and fun dedicated to the province’s Pista’y Dayat.
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The unprecedented and extended holding of Dagupan’s Bangus Festival which, by the way, also earned unexpected publicity via the country’s leading TV greats (GMA and ABS-CBN) and consequently drew more visitors and tourists, was the combined result of the two Fernandezes’ leadership — Mayor Al and Vice Mayor Belen both related more by entrepreneurship than by blood.
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Dagupan City‘s booming economy drawing shoppers and tourists from out of the city has left our main streets crowded with more vehicles and our sidewalks bursting with vendor trade and more pedestrians. Pollution in the streets arising from the unprecedented number of smoke-belchers taking over, should be cause for Mayor Al to get the ball rolling for a plan or program to reduce pollution in the streets, like for instance encouraging the use of foot-powered 2-wheelers that don’t use gas -gurgling machines.
The sight of bicyclists taking over streets in the more industrialized countries in South East Asia, like Hong Kong, Singapore or Thailand is not uncommon.
Why not here in Pinoyland where Pinoys can not boast of being better off or more sophisticated than the Singaporeans or Thais.
(Readers may reach columnist at sundaypunch2@yahoo.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/here-and-there/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)
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