Escudero: Do Pinoy expats have right to vote?

By Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net
Posted date: May 20, 2009

MANILA, Philippines—Should “third generation Filipinos” or those born or who have practically lived abroad be given the right to participate in the national elections?

This question was raised by Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Tuesday during the hearing on various bills, proposing amendments to the Absentee Voting Law.

Escudero is chairman of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments conducting the hearing together with the committees on environment, foreign relations and finance.

“Just a point of information or advice, in so far as Filipinos who were born here, Filipinos who lived here for quite sometime before they left for greener pastures abroad, mostly sa United States of America, sila po naaalala pa kaya nila ang Pilipinas? May nararamdaman pa kayang pagka-miss at pagkamahal nila sa ating bansa?” [Do they still remember our country? Do they still miss and love their country?] he said, directing his question to Ellene Sana, executive director of Center for Migrant Workers.

He urged her to address the issue with her group so the Senate committee can study the issue of second generation or third generation Filipinos who were born abroad or those who left the country at an early age to have no memory of the Philippines, citing those who spoke English better than Americans and, when asked about their nationality, would answer they were Americans.

“Paki-address po sa inyong pagpupulong at talakayin natin pagdating sa komite yung second generation Filipinos o yung third generation Filipinos, yung pinanganak na po doon o umalis dito nang isang taong gulang pa lamang, dalawa o tatlong taong gulang pa lamang na ni walang alaala ng Pilipinas, kung mag-ingles talo pa Amerikano at kung tanungin nyo sila ‘Are you American or Filipino?’ without batting an eyelash they will answer ‘I’m American.’” he said.

Escudero said the issue was an “area of concern” and that the group should look into it.

“Dahil bakit po natin bibigyan ng karapatang bumoto ang mga tao ni wala namang halos koneksyon, ayaw namang tawaging Filipino at bibigyan natin ng napakalawak na kakayahan at kapangyarihan magdikta kaugnay sa mga nangyayari sa ating bansa at kung sino-sino ang magiging lider ng ating bansa [Why give them the right to vote when they don’t have any connection here, refusing to call themselves Filipinos, and we give them the right to dictate what happens in our country and who will rule it?]” he further asked.