Opinion on The Days After The August 23 Hostage Tragedy

In the United States, there was a report of a disturbed man named James J. Lee who held the several people hostage at the Discovery Channel Building this Wednesday. The angry man was disappointed with its environmental programming.  According to the police report, he previously protested outside the Discovery Channel building, where he was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct in February 2008. Therefore, we have here the American version of Rolando Mendoza.  Moreover, most people got out safely from the building. We must be grateful that no one got hurt on that day.

If we think of the reason behind the hostage taking in Discovery Channel building, the reason of the hostage taking is completely nonsense. If he hates the environmental programming, he has the chance to turn the TV off or grab his remote control to change its channel. This person is needed a psychiatric help. It really cost him a job before because of being illogical and reckless. Fortunately, he is dead now. On the other hand, I usually watched the programs in Discovery Channel such as Discovery Travel and Living. 

I also heard there are five Filipinos may be executed in China this month due to drug related offenses. The five Filipinos consisted of four women and a man. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) undersecretary for migrant workers Esteban Conejos said that these five Filipinos were used as drug mules by international drug syndicate.  It is also informed there are 302 Filipinos across the Asia were in jail due to drug offenses. On the contrary, Hon party list Representative Angelo Palmones said that the Philippine government could save the five Filipinos through the documents that will be presented by the DFA about the numbers of the drug syndicate behind the illegal drug operation in China.  Let us be prayerful for that matter. If only we could imagine the ratio of 8 deceased hostage victims and 5 Filipino drug mules, but we are humans not barbarians. So, we should apply the golden rule here. Life is a gift from God. Therefore, we should be hopeful for better tomorrow. We should pray a lot. Let’s pray for the country under the governance of the Aquino administration. We should also pray for the five Filipinos and their families here in the Philippines. 

Another Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) in Hong Kong who was laid off from his job due to language barrier. May I also suggest that we should have English and Mandarin speech training for the Filipinos who are willingly to work in China, Taiwan or Hong Kong to prevent the language barrier. An employee must be willing to adjust according to his working environment even though his or her employer has a weak personality. 

Now, the Society of Hong Kong Accredited Recruiters of the Philippines (SHARP) President Alfredo Palmiery requested their counterparts in Hong Kong to facilitate the re-hiring process for any Filipino workers whose contract is terminated by his or her employer. SHARP also requested the aid of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz to instruct Labor Attache Romeo Salud to put up a help desk  for the domestic workers in need of assistance because their priority is the welfare of domestic workers in Hong Kong.  Hong Kong is the third top destination of OFW’s with their number of 100,000 last 2009.

More tragedies, more government expenditures. Likewise, a very good example of another tragic incident – 81 Filipinos are still held captive by Somali Pirates. The DFA is the one who is negotiating with the Somali Pirates. The Office of Undersecretary for Migrant Workers (OUMWA) ensured the updates on negotiations, and they also provide salaries and financial benefits to the families  of the Filipino captives of Somali Pirates. Let us be thankful that they are doing a good job, and let us offer prayers for the 81 Filipinos who are captives of Somali Pirates. 

After the great hostage tragedy in Quirino Grandstand, most people are recovered from their shocks.  They are now anticipating for the boxing fight of Pacquiao and Margarito on November 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. It was reported that the boxing fight earnings is approximately at least $ 15 Million. A fun day to celebrate the day after my birthday. I would be watching their boxing fight on TV.