Malacañang has reminded overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that their families would also feel the impact of their plan to hold their remittances for a week to show their support to embattled former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said while the country's economy will take the hit from their non remittance, their families would also suffer from the planned week-long campaign.
Castro was referring to the zero remittance week that will be carried out by OFWs in Croatia from March 28 to April 4 as part of their campaign to bring Duterte back to the country.
"[S]iyempre po, kung hindi po sila magkakaroon at hindi sila magri-remit ng kanilang mga maaaring ipadala sa mga pamilya nila, hindi lamang po gobyerno ang maaapektuhan, pati ang kanilang mga pamilya. So, sana po ay maging mahinanon tayo sa ganitong mga klaseng issues (But of course, if they will not send remittances to their families, it is not only the government that will be affected but also their families. So, I hope we can be calm in dealing with these kinds of issues)," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday, March 25.
The Palace official called on them to "be fair" in their views of such issues in order not to cause possible adverse effects because of their actions.
She reminded them that fellow Filipinos filed complaints against the former president.
"Of course, mas gugustuhin po natin na maging mahinahon ang bawat Pilipino sa ganitong klaseng isyu. Sana po ay malaman din po nila na ang pamahalaan at ang gobyerno ay tumutupad lamang sa ating batas (Of course, we want Filipinos to be calm in these kinds of issues. I hope they realize that the government was only enforcing the law)," Castro said.
"At may mga Pilipino rin naman po na nagreklamo, nag-file ng complaint laban sa dating pangulong Duterte. Sana ay maging patas din po sila sa kanilang pananaw para po maibsan ‘no ang anumang pwedeng kahinatnan ng kanilang gagawin (And there are also Filipinos who filed complaint against former president Duterte. I hope they will be fair in their perspective in order to ease whatever possible outcome their actions would create)," Castro added.