'Every time I go abroad, I get in touch with our kabayans'

Abu Dhabi - Philippines Vice- President Jejomar Binay, senator to visit UAE today.

Philippines Vice- President Jejomar Binay and his daughter, Senator Nancy Binay, will arrive in the country today for a "three-day personal visit to speak with Filipino communities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai," according to Philippine Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes.
Binay, an opposition candidate running for president in the upcoming Philippines national elections, will visit the overseas Filipino workers(OFW) centres at the Philippines Embassy in Abu Dhabi today and the Philippine Consulate in Dubai tomorrow Wednesday.
He will also bear witness to a mass wedding of around 25 couples at the Philippine Consulate on Thursday. He will also meet with students and faculty of Far Eastern Private School and Alpha Phi Omega fraternity, of which he is a member.
"Every time I go abroad, I always ensure that I get in touch with our kabayans (compatriots), listen to their concerns and see how our office could help them," Binay told Khaleej Times.
"I deem it important to talk personally with our migrant workers and check how they are doing. Just like our kabayans in the countryside, our OFWs need the attention and constant care from our government," added Binay who has been actively visiting various provinces in the Philippines in the past months.
"Distance shouldn't hamper our government leaders from reaching out to Filipinos working and living abroad or outside the metro. In fact, it should encourage them to leave their offices once in a while to see and hear first-hand the plight of our people," he added.
But Nhel Morona, UAE coordinator of Migrante-Middle East, a group promoting the rights and welfare of migrant Filipinos, said Binay's visit is "obviously part of his presidential campaign.
He is here to court the votes of Filipino expats."
Binay, who heads the United Nationalist Alliance, served as Presidential Adviser on OFW Concerns for almost five years until he resigned from the post after he announced his candidacy. But Morona said his group will "give Binay a failing mark for his performance as head of the OFW Task Force."
"Under his (Binay) watch many Filipinos fell victims to human trafficking," added Morona who said they would like to seek an audience with the Philippines VP to ask his position on various issues including higher budget for Legal Assistance Fund to help distressed migrant Filipinos.
"Another major concern we would ask him is how he will create employment for Filipinos back home so working abroad will no longer be an imperative necessity but a lifestyle choice for us," added Morona.
Meanwhile, Consul Cortes said they will "pull all stops to accord Binay all the courtesy and accommodate his tight schedule."
"We welcome the Vice-President and his official delegation including Senator Binay to the UAE because they are both here in their official capacity as VP and senator although their visit is not an official one," said Cortes.
Cortes said that as per Comelec (Commission on Elections) rules, Binay cannot be accused of electioneering because the official campaign period will start on February 9.
The election on May 9 but registered overseas Filipino voters have one month to cast their votes from April 9 to May 9.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE