AMBASSADOR to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez yesterday said many Filipinos, especially those staying illegally in the United States, are anxious about the plan of President-elect Donald Trump to deport undocumented immigrants as part of his campaign promise.
He said many are already inquiring what the situation is regarding Trump’s deportation plan which reports said could also cover immigrants brought to the US as children.
“Marami silang medyo kinakabahan at maraming nagtatanong ano ba talaga ang sitwasyon (Many are nervous and are asking what the situation really is),” Romualdez told Radyo dzBB.
Data showed there are over 4.6 million Filipinos in the United States. US authorities said there are more than 300,000 Filipinos illegally staying in the country, making them the fifth largest group of undocumented immigrants.
Romualdez said that after speaking with certain people from the Trump campaign, he got the sense that the latter is serious about implementing his mass deportation plan against the illegal immigrants staying in the United States.
“This time, it is really serious. Kaya nanalo si President Trump dahil yan ang main issue ng taumbayan dito (President Trump won because it’s the main issue here),” the envoy said.
With this, Romualdez reiterated his reminder to Filipinos illegally staying in the US to return to Manila or work to legalize their stay in there.
He said that once they are deported, there is a big chance they would noy be able to return to the US.
“Our advice to our kababayans is that if you don’t have a chance to get a status while you are still here (US), it would be better if you return home first and you’ll have a better than even chance. Once you get deported, you will find it difficult to come here,” he said in Filipino.
Last week, Romualdez said he does not expect any change in Manila’s relations with Washington under a Trump administration, including on foreign policy, defense and trade.
SCENARIOS
Senate President Francis Escudero yesterday said government “must be one step ahead” of whatever policy shifts Trump will implement.
He said that “beyond sending congratulatory words,” the government should start “drawing up scenarios in the Trump era and preparing a response to each.”
“Donald Trump is a major macroeconomic assumption,” Escudero said, referring to premises government uses in forecasting economic performance in a fiscal year.
“From trade to security to immigration, what he said he plans to do, some on day one of his administration, would certainly impact us,” he added.
He said if Trump pushes through with his pronouncement to carry out the greatest mass deportation in US history, “then how many of the estimated 300,000 vulnerable Filipinos will be in the first wave of expulsion?”
Escudero said even if only 1 percent of the 300,000 Filipinos would be removed from American soil, it would require 10 big airplanes.
“How will his plan to erect high tariff walls affect our economy given the fact that almost $1 in every $7 of our export earnings come from our trade with the United States? If because of him the dollar would get stronger, what will be its effect on us if this will weaken the peso? I am sure that the value of our foreign debts will balloon,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.
Escudero said that even with Trump’s proposed pivot on the diplomatic front will reduce global tension and settle wars, “these wins will still impact our fiscal position.”
“The inconvenient truth is cheaper oil will reduce tax collections on oil upon which government spending on social programs is pegged, he said.
Escudero said another important aspect of US-PH relations that should be revisited by the Philippine side is the military alliance boosted by the Biden administration.
“On the security front, will a second Trump administration be hawkish or dovish against China? We should be prepared in case Washington has a new position on this,” he said. – With Raymond Africa
