(POLITIKO) Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada slammed officials for causing alarm about the deportation of an estimated 300,000 undocumented Filipinos once President-elect Donald Trump assumes office.
Estrada said the Philippine government should instead come up with a contingency plan to assist the mass exodus of undocumented migrants back to the Philippines.
“Instead of sounding alarmist, our government officials should focus on creating a comprehensive contingency plan to assist our Filipino kababayans if, and when, President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his campaign promise to implement a large-scale immigration crackdown,” Estrada said on Tuesday (Nov. 12).
Estrada said it is easier said than done for Filipino immigrants to just return home when they have built a life in the United States.
“Madaling sabihin, pero mahirap gawin. Madaling sabihin na sana piliin na lang na umuwi ng mga undocumented nating kababayan na sa US kesa antayin pa nilang mai-deport,” Estrada said.
Government should also provide jobs to these deported Filipinos once they return home, Estrada said.
“In addition to the efforts of concerned government agencies to create logistical support plans for eventual repatriation, authorities should also help returning Filipinos by providing them with jobs or other means of livelihood,” Estrada said.
Estrada lamented that Trump’s promise to have the largest deportation in US history would also affect Filipino families reliant on their US-based relatives.
“Apektado rin ang mga pamilyang umaasa sa padala ng mga kababayan natin na walang legal na basehan ang paninirahan sa US sakali man na mapilitan silang umuwi ng bansa,” Estrada said.
“Our government should be prepared to offer financial assistance programs to help families affected by the loss of a financial lifeline,” he added.
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez has called on undocumented Filipino migrants to fix their status or go home, and not wait to be deported under Trump’s presidency.