The reasons are varied. First, the US economy seems headed towards a recession; second, the unprecedented rise in the price of oil; third, the destabilization yarn being peddled by parties unknown; fourth, the downgrading by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of our airline operations, and fifth, the downward classification by the New York-based Freedom House of the country’s democracy rating to "partly free."

There is a sixth reason and that is the greatly reduced amount in pesos received by the families of OFWs due to the depreciation of the US dollar.

Little wonder, therefore, that the Arroyo regime has been frantically searching for ways to help the OFWs because aside from the significantly reduced buying power of their families, many aspiring to work abroad are now having second thoughts.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) which is the vanguard in the protection of OFW interests can help.

It can reduce the fees charged OFWs for consular services abroad, foremost among which is the passport fee.

Right now, Filipinos applying for a passport in any of our embassies and consulates general are charged US$50 or P2,000 at the present exchange rate of P40 to $1. Here at home, they only pay P500 and if they want the passport’s issuance expedited, they pay an additional P250.

But that is not the entire story. In actual practice, most of our posts abroad actually charge more than $50 per passport. They have what is called the "collection rate." This collection rate, in many cases, is significantly higher than the official exchange rate of the local currency to the US dollar.

For instance, the collection rate in our embassy in Tokyo and the consulate general in Osaka is Y220 to $1. (At one time, it was even pegged at Y320 to $1.) Today, the prevailing exchange rate between the yen and the dollar hovers around Y110 to $1.

In other words, a Filipino in Japan has to pay roughly Y11,000 (Y220 x $50) for a passport instead of just Y5,500 (Y110 x $50).

In peso terms, therefore, a passport in Japan costs a poor OFW roughly P4,000 or $100 (P40 to $1), instead of just the prescribed P2,000 or $50.

Other posts abroad charge lower fees than those in Tokyo and Osaka.

The rationale behind the collection rate is to allow posts abroad to accept payment for consular services in local currency and to charge a little more than the prescribed fee to provide for fluctuation in the exchange rate between the local currency and the dollar. Fair enough.

But why charge P2,000 ($50) for a passport to begin with, when it costs only P500 here?

I say the DFA should forthwith reduce to a more reasonable level the currently prescribed fees for consular services abroad. By this act alone, it will be able to contribute in a meaningful way its share towards alleviating the present financial woes of our new heroes.

Now, before anyone jumps out of his seat and calls this proposal unworkable, I must point out that the maintenance of our embassies and consulates general abroad is not dependent on their collections. Each post is provided with appropriate funds in the DFA budget approved by Congress. It must also be appointed out that the government is not in the business of business. Its raison d’etre is to serve the people.

Your move, Secretary Romulo, Sir.

***

Press Secretary Ignacio "Two Tapes" Bunye said the Freedom House’ branding of the Philippines as "partly free" is mere propaganda by unseen forces. He said it should have at the very least sought the government’s side to verify information they had on the Philippines.

"If they had, they would have known that we have a free press, a pro-active Congress, and constitutional processes and principles that uphold human rights," Bunye said.

He’s right – we do have a free press and the government should keep it that way. The honorable Acting Secretary of Justice Raul Gonzales, who seems to suffer from "foot-in-the mouth" disease, should refrain from issuing directives that tend to muzzle the media from performing its constitutionally mandated role.

As for a pro-active Congress, that’s a little bit way off the mark. As everybody knows, the majority in the House and a significant number in the Senate dance to Malacañang’s tune all the time.

A government that abides by "constitutional process and principles that uphold human rights?" Now, that’s an outright lie. How, pray tell, can Bunye reconcile that ridiculous claim with the hundreds of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances under Arroyo’s regime?

***

The world of diplomacy is replete with nuances that mean a lot.

Take the case of the traditional New Year reception hosted by Ms. Arroyo for the diplomatic community. No matter how one slices it, the absence of US Ambassador Kristie Kenney from the reception was definitely a diplomatic snub. That she did not send someone to represent her made the faux pas even worse.

Functions hosted by a head of state are always by invitation only. However, that does not prevent an ambassador from sending someone, usually with a prior request or advance notice, to represent him/her if his/her absence is truly unavoidable. The host normally agrees.

In the instant case, Kenney being the professional diplomat that she is, should have explained to the two US senators that it was her duty to attend the reception as it was being hosted by the head of state no less. I’m sure they would have understood. After all, it was to last for no more than two hours at most.

Failing that, her last recourse would have been to send her deputy or at least someone senior enough to represent her.

Ambassador Marciano Paynor, Jr., chief presidential protocol officer, was dead wrong when he said there was no message in Kenney’s absence from the reception. The message is very clear. We mean nothing to the Americans. Or if you want to take that a little further, Ms. Arroyo means nothing to them. Have your pick.

***

What will it take to make the detractors of Pampanga Governor Eddie "Among Ed" Panlilio desist from trying to thwart him at every turn? Can’t they see that the man is honest and will not squander the money collected from quarrying activities in the province? They should help him instead in his desire to uplift the lives of the people of Pampanga.

In case they don’t already know, the Pampanguenos suspect that the main reason the detractors want to get rid of Panlilio is so they can dip their dirty fingers again in the jar filled with quarry money. Those days when politicians in Pampanga easily got away with their shenanigans are no more. (How I and a zillion others fervently wish the same is true in the whole country.)

But we are encouraged by the fact that Panlilio’s tribe is slowly increasing in the land. And best of all, the Filipino voter is now much wiser in choosing his candidates. He is also wiser in another sense – he now accepts money from a candidate without necessarily voting for him if he thinks that that candidate is not fit to hold office.

The average Filipino voter is now very much aware that politicians will promise heaven and earth while wooing him for his vote but once elected, service to the people becomes remote in their consciousness. The desire to make money and to get rich quick at the expense of the people takes over.

***

Today is the 270th day of Jonas Burgos’ disappearance.

This week, the Court of Appeals (CA) is scheduled to take up the military’s request for reconsideration of the CA’s earlier issuance of a writ of Amparo in favor of Jonas’ mother, Edita. I see no reason why the CA will not simply reaffirm its previous decision.