Patience is a virtue…?

Calculating and experienced individuals use patience to reach their ultimate goals. However, it was not the case for an organization of guest workers when it appears to be jumping the gun or is defeating its purpose.

After submitting their concerns on the much-touted House Bill 14-142, text messages were spread around urging Filipinos to boycott all of Rep. Ray Yumul’s businesses. The organization may not be responsible for the text messages targeting Yumul’s father’s businesses but how could anyone not suspect that the organization had a part in it?

The group submitted an MOU acknowledged by their Department of Labor officials and by former DOLI Secretary and former Governor. I wonder why the President of the Philippines’ signature was not on the MOU. This same MOU did not have Dr. Jack Tenorio and Governor Juan N. Babauta’s signatures. If there was an amended or revised MOU between the two governments, the MOU should have the acknowledgment of the current officials in office.

Those responsible in their attempts to damage the Yumul’s businesses are forgetting that Yumul does not own the Nonresident Workers Act of 2004. This bill is the exclusive property of the 14th CNMI Legislature and Rep. Yumul as the chairman of the Commerce and Tourism Committee had to do it, plain and simple.

The CNMI government is in dire need of an amended, revised or new nonresident workers law that would establish control over businesses that are prone to abusing their employees. How could the CNMI government address with dignity foreign workers concerns without a comprehensive labor law? And speaking of law, what progress has the Philippines Consulate made in investigating the arrest of four Chamorro men in the Philippines?

If the text messages were for other personal reasons, please settle it elsewhere. I ask that you don’t further embarrass my congressman because you are only infuriating the people of the CNMI. Instead, think of the remaining thousands and thousands of Filipino workers who are working to support their families.

Come on fellas! Ray needs legal assistance and your support. Thank God that I am not an attorney or a member of the Legislature because I would have done more!

Gonzalo Q. Santos
Capitol Hill