MikeLigalig.com

Filipino workers abroad who are affected by the strengthening of the peso against their dollar remittances are threatening to stage a remittance boycott on November 1 and 2 against what they said was an "artificial surge" of the Philippine currency.

"Just this once, let us unite and be heard as one voice. This suffering must end," Dubai-based Filipino worker Oliver Cristopher Adolfo said in his e-mail to abs-cbnNEWS.com.

Reg Cucal, another OFW, had this to say," Kung tunay na lumalakas ang peso, bakit patuloy sa pagtaas ang presyo ng mga bilihin sa Pilipinas? (If the is really growing stronger, why are the prices of goods in the Philippines going up?)

From Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Ruben Estor Briones wrote that, "Magtiis muna tayo ngayong darating na Pasko para ipadama sa mga negosyanteng 'yan kung ano ang magagawa ng OFW sa one-sided na ekonomiya ng ating bansa (Let us tighten our belts at least for this Christmas and show those businessmen what OFWs can do to the country's one-sided economy).”

The threat of a boycott on remittances came as the peso closed firmer at 44.115 against the US dollar Monday versus Friday's 44.24.

The strengthening of the peso also followed a survey result that said families of Filipino workers abroad are squandering the earnings of their loved ones through whimsical purchases, an allegation denied by those who have relatives working in other countries.

In 2006, total remittances from OFWs reached $12.8 billion.

For 2007, the government projects OFW remittances to increase by five percent to $14.7 billion,

abs-cbnnews.com

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