What does the Duterte administration need to learn about the United Kingdom’s referendum to bolt the European Union, in what is now known as Brexit? The world was definitely shocked with the success of the campaign for the UK to leave the EU, more so when reports surfaced that even those who voted to leave were themselves shocked that they “won.” Unlike the overwhelming popular vote Digong garnered last May, the Brexit vote was hotly contested down the line, which left some doubt for pundits, critics, and those who will be disenfranchised by such a monumental move.
Of course, our main concern in the Brexit issue is how much Filipinos will be affected by a UK-less EU. The Duterte administration and the Seventeenth Congress therefore should study such implications from different fronts: international trade, trans-border security, and the future of our overseas Filipino workers. At present, there are more than 200,000 OFWs in the UK, and what the Brexit means for them is how the UK’s immigration and labor policy would change from what the EU currently implements. We should remember that the EU’s immigration policy is what the Brexit advocates have been primarily rallying against, in view of the European immigration crisis resulting from the strife in the Middle East.
Critics have been viewing Brexit’s sentiment against the EU’s immigration policy as decidedly xenophobic, and this monster has been rearing its ugly head since the vote was won. Social media users have been reporting a spate of racist expressions both online and on the streets of UK since the past weekend. These slurs were reportedly made against non-UK residents: Syrian immigrants, the Polish, Indians, and Asians in general. It did not matter whether they were in the country through legal means or political circumstance.
How soon would we hear about an OFW being harassed in the UK only because he is pursuing a livelihood for his or her family back home? For some—if not most—Brexit supporters, their victory signals also the exit of immigrants from their country, misguided as this view may seem. On top of this, our OFWs in UK would have to deal with changes in how they work in the country, for how much, and the requirements for them to enter and stay.
Fortunately, local and foreign business leaders have a united stand in the proposed 10-point agenda for the economy under the Duterte administration. Last week’s “Sulong Pilipinas” business forum was a successful dialog between the business sector and Digong with his economic managers. Notably, it is also the first time a newly elected president will consult business leaders on economic policy even before assuming office.
Among the points discussed was how OFWs would benefit from the development of industries in every region, as well as equipping the local workforce with the necessary skills both for employment and building a business of their own. With most OFWs coming from the provinces, the new administration as well as Congress should heed the proposal to identify industry clusters and regions where SMEs should locate. Improving transportation and energy capacities in those areas should be of utmost importance. Unlike the reported misinformation from the Leave campaign that rescinded some crucial campaign promises just days after winning the referendum, the support from the business sector for the Duterte administration economic agenda is a reassuring gesture that inspires optimism and enthusiasm from Filipinos, whether they voted for Digong or not.
Digong and company would be working very hard to respond to history’s plot twists, especially in the global stage. The Brexit provides the new administration a glimpse of what it has to brace for in terms of how dynamic international relations are, and how intertwined it is to the country’s economy, security, and the Filipino family’s livelihood.