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Sikapin kong magTaglish, upang madaling maunawaan ng ating mga kababayan sa kahit anong antas ng lipunan, at sa kahit saan mang panig ng mundo. In the next 10 days, before the May 10 election day, I am pleading for you to reach out to one or more members of your families and inner circle friends to influence, campaign and vote for senatorial candidate Susan “Toots” Ople.

Susan Ople, No. 38 in the voting ballot for senator is a daughter of late Blas Ople - the "Father of OFW’s and Labor Laws". She is an active advocate of migrant workers, tagapagtanggol ng mga OFWs at dating Labor Undersecretary. Kung merong nag-iisang kandidato na nakausap ko, na-meet, and always in touch with - lalo na about OFW issues, ito ay walang iba kundi si Toots Ople.

Susan Ople during our lunch meeting discussing her platforms and support for OFW Jan 2009

Is it possible that the name of Susan Ople rise to the Senate from the vote of the modern day-heroes daw? Is it possible that we can lock atleast 10 million votes from our combined OFW and OFW families votes to elevate Susan Ople’s chances to secure a Senate seat? I think we can.

Susan Ople as Key speaker during the Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards Dec 2009

Paano po natin magagawa ito? Here are some of the suggestions. In the coming days you will be sending thousands of pesos ng pinaghirapan nating pera sa mga mahal natin sa buhay sa Pilipinas. In your conversation, please ask your dad, your mom, your husband, your wife, your brother, your sister, your sons, your daughters, your friends na iboto sa May 10 ang senatoriable No. 38 sa balota, Susan Toots Ople – the OFW Senator!

1. TEXT/SMS

2. Overseas Calls

3. Email Forwarding

4. Chat and Internet Messages (Yahoo, Skype, Gtalk and Hotmail/MSN)

5. Facebook, Friendster, Twitter, Plurk, and other Social Network

6. Forums

7. Organizations/Societies/Clubs

8. Blogs/Notes

9. Home front Campaigning

10. Word of Mouth

Magpadala po tayo ng mga text messages at pwede din po nating i-forward ang mga messages na ito sa sa ating kapamilya at kapuso. Sa pagtawag po natin, pakisambit na iboto nila ang # 38 na pagkasenador sa balota sa si Susan Ople. Sa inyong pakikipagchat sa mga mahal sa buhay sa Yahoo or Skype or Gtalk, pakimention po na iboto nila si Susan Ople sa pagkasenado. Pwede ring iforward natin sa email nila ang article na ito, or ipost natin na nangangampanya tayo na iboto si Susan Ople sa inyong mga status updates at thread ng Facebook, Friendster, Twitter, Plurk at other social networks. Sa ating mga forums, mga organizations at club meetings, maging sa ating mga blogs at notes, wag po natin kalimutan ang # 38, Susan Toots Ople. kailangan ng mga OFW sa buong mundo ng isang tunay na tinig sa loob ng Senado, ihatid natin si Toots sa Senado pamamagitan ng ating mga boto.

Kahit sino po ang ating pangulo na sinusuportahan, at kahit anong partido tayo, iisa lang ang ating bansa, at iisa lang ang ating pangarap. Iisa lang din po ang tumatakbong senador na alam natin na kakampi ng mga OFW. Let Susan Ople’s name rise to the Senate from the votes of the OFW’s. Ipakita po natin sa buong mundo – that we have a collective voice, that we also have a ‘command votes’ and that we too, can make a difference.

To learn more about Susan Ople here.

©2010 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards

OFWs now tax-exempt

"Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are now exempted from paying documentary stamp tax (DST) on their remittances as well as travel tax and airport fee.

This is contained in the amended Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act.

The law exempts migrant workers from the payment of travel tax, DST, and airport fee upon showing of proof of entitlement from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

“The remittances of all OFWs, upon showing the same proof of entitlement by the OFW beneficiary or recipient, shall be exempted from the payment of documentary stamp tax,’’ Section 22 of Republic Act 10022, stated.

Former labor undersecretary and now Nacionalista Party (NP) senatorial bet Susan Ople immediately urged the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) and the Department of Finance (DoF) to immediately issue the new law’s implementing guidelines.

“The DoLE and the DoF should promptly issue the new law's implementing rules and regulations so that OFWs would immediately benefit from reduced remittance charges,’’ Ople said in a statement.

She said that the scrapping of the DST is very timely because it could help the OFW beneficiaries here recover some of the buying power they lost due to the peso’s surge against the dollar.

“OFWs can now count on some P1.3 billion in extra savings with the abolition of the DST on all their remittances,’’ Ople said, as she cited DoF’s projection at $19 billion worth of remittances this year.

“The removal of the DST on all funds wired home by OFWs would help drive down money transfer charges, and put more cash in the pockets of those receiving remittance,’’ she added.

Prior to the passage of RA 10022, all money transfers from abroad and payable in the Philippines, including those wired home by OFWs were subject to the DST at a rate of P0.30 for every P200.

Ople said that local banks and non-bank money transfer agents such as The Western Union Co. and Moneygram International, Inc. collect the DST before the funds sent home by OFWs are actually paid out to their beneficiaries here.

This means that OFWs pay a DST of P33.27 for every $500 or P22,180 (at $1:P44.36) they send home. The amount is on top of foreign and local bank fees, plus the P0.50 to a dollar margin domestic banks that are allowed when paying out remittances in pesos.

Various OFWs and labor groups and even an administration senatoriable had called for the scrapping of the tax imposed on remittances, saying it will severely burden the overseas workers and their families.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) had said the government has been raking in money from OFW remittances through the DST, reaching to over P1.3 billion.

Migrante International believes the government has had enough from the billions of dollars of OFW remittances it received yearly.

“OFWs have been the country’s economic saviors for over three decades already; it is therefore high time for the government to do the saving,’’ the group said.

Given the contribution of OFWs in helping keep the economy afloat, Lakas-Kampi-CMD senatorial bet Atty. Raul Lambino also said it is not wise fiscal policy to require DST payment for OFW remittances.

An estimated 10 million Filipinos, migrants and contract workers are working abroad. OFWs remit around $17 billion annually, it was learned. "

©2010 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards