News ‘Leave OFWs Alone’: DFA Secretary Locsin hits back at PhilHealth 3% salary cut

Overseas Filipinos campaigning against the 3% salary cut which is now a mandatory payment requirement for PhilHealth found an ally in the government as Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Locsin took a swipe at the insurance policy.

“Why don’t we just leave OFWs alone except to help them when they are in trouble. Their blood but better wages abroad account for 10% of our GDP according to the assholes who want to take some of their earnings,” said Locsin.

Why don't we just leave OFWs alone except to help them when they are in trouble. Their blood but better wages abroad account for 10% of our GDP according to the assholes who want to take some of their earnings. https://t.co/QBoZSuYtEa

— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) May 3, 2020

Teddy Locsin, in his official Twitter account, stated that the current predicament regarding the mandatory payment reminded him of the abolished income tax and tax-free income filings for OFWs. He furthered that the move is just another attempt to tax OFWs.

The DFA Secretary then stated that the government should instead come to the aid of OFWs when they are in trouble as remittances coming from Filipinos working overseas contribute to no less than 10% of the country’s earnings annually.

It is like an income tax which was abolished for OFWs and even their tax-free income filings were destroyed. They are just totally out of the purview of government exactions for which they will not benefit at all. https://t.co/NrNYGsUMt1

— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) May 3, 2020

“They are just totally out of purview of government exactions for which they will not benefit at all. After the abolition of the income tax on OFWs they’ve figured another way to tax you for the great privilege of being born Filipino, poor and jobless at home. Let’s all sing for nothing,” said Locsin.