President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will take a day off on Saturday to celebrate her 61st birthday, which leftwing migrant workers have declared a "zero remittance day" as a protest for her alleged neglect of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
It will be a private affair, she told reporters before she ended her three-day working visit in Hong Kong on Tuesday.
Her birthday wish was for the country to "weather the global slowdown ... so that we will be uninterrupted in our journey toward the first world in a generation." Ms Arroyo has often talked about her desire for the country to be transformed into a developed economy.
Migrante International, an umbrella group of militant OFW groups around the world, said Saturday would be a zero remittance day to signify the OFW sector's contribution to the Filipino people's legitimate search for truth and accountability.
The action also was aimed at supporting calls for the resignation of Ms Arroyo, the group said. It accused Ms Arroyo of "criminal neglect" of OFWs in distress.
The President returned from Hong Kong bringing home a pledge of a $2 billion in investment from a Chinese property development company.
She was joined in Hong Kong by her husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, and her two sons -- Representatives Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo (Pampanga) and Diosdado "Dato" Arroyo (Camarines Sur) -- and grandchildren.
On Saturday, the Arroyo family will attend a Mass in her hometown in Lubao, Pampanga, Dato Arroyo said. "Then we'd all go back to each one's jobs," he told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net).
"My wish is for her to continue the way she has been focusing on her work to strengthen the economy," he said.
Ms Arroyo's brother-in-law, Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Arroyo, said she most probably would mark her birthday with just a "simple celebration." He said he wished her "good health and good discernment."
"I wish that she continues her good work," he said.
"Zero-remittance will be OFWs' not-so-happy birthday gift to the President. OFWs have had enough of being neglected," Migrante secretary general Maita Santiago said in a statement.
Earlier, Migrante said that 5,000 OFWs had already pledged not to send their money to their families on Saturday. OFW remittances have significantly helped improve the Philippine economy.
With reports from Norman Bordadora and Jerome Aning
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