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Pacquiao wants to make PH migrant destination

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora

May 6, 2022, 5:15 pm

<p>Senator Manny Pacquiao<em> (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)</em></p>

Senator Manny Pacquiao (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA – Presidential bet Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao seeks to position the Philippines not only as a source of professionals but also as a destination for foreign workers.

To do this, he said he would start by boosting the micro, small and medium enterprises, which make up at least 99 percent of all registered businesses in the country.

"Iyan ang palalakasin natin para sobra sobra ang trabaho kaysa sa tao, ang mangyayari niyan ang tabaho ang maghahanap ng tao. Tayo hindi na mangangarap na magpunta pa abroad (We will boost that to create jobs. Filipinos won't ever dream of going abroad to work)," he said during the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas-Comelec Forum on Friday.

"'Pag dating ng panahon lalago ang ating bansa at ang gusto kong mangyari 'yong taga ibang bansa naman ang mangarap na pumunta rito para magtrabaho hindi tayo ang mangarap para pumunta doon at magtrabaho sa kanilang lugar (Someday, I want the country to become a work destination that foreigners would dream of visiting)," he added.
Further laying out his plans for employment, Pacquiao said he would also order the standardization of salaries and increase the daily minimum wage to at least PHP750, in line with calls from labor groups.

To allow businesses and employers to stay afloat, the senator plans to provide incentives in the form of tax holidays.

"Hindi tao ang mag-a-adjust kundi gobyerno, magbibigay tayo ng incentives sa mga namumuhunan para naman magkaroon ng development ang mga probinsya (The government will be the one to adjust so we will give incentives to the businesses so that provinces could also achieve development)," he said.

Should he win, Pacquiao added that at least five foreign billionaires would invest in the country.

Meanwhile, he vowed to stamp out corruption and floated anew his plans to build a "mega-prison" for government officials engaged in illicit activities.

"Sa matagal na panahon 'yan ang nakikita kong dahilan kaya 'di umunlad ang ating bansa (Corruption is the very reason why the country fails to develop). I'm not talking about this administration, I'm talking about that for the past 50 years sa ating bansa wala tayong nakitang development (have not seen development)," he said.

Pacquiao reiterated that he would review all government contracts, particularly those from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, and Department of Social Welfare and Development. (PNA) 

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