Anthony Castelo, binasag si Richard

BINUWELTAHAN ni Anthony Castelo si Mayor Richard Gomez ng Ormoc sa hindi nito agad pagpayag sa pagpapapasok ng mga nagbalik na OFW sa kanilang lalawigan.

 

Giit ng dating Quezon City Councilor, “It was poor judgment on the part of Mayor Gomez to refuse entry to OFWs returing to their hometown.”  

 

Sinabi pa ng singer na, “I believe, it was poor judgment on the part of Mayor Richard Gomez of Ormoc City, Leyte to refuse entry to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) returning to their hometown from abroad recently.”

 

Sinang-ayunan naman ni Castelo ang tinuran ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte patungkol kay Gomez at sa iba pang local officials. Aniya, “There’s really no reason why you should not accept them (OFWs) with open arms.”

 

Sa palagay pa ni Castelo, masyadong dumepende ang actor sa “by-the-handbook” sa paggawa ng desisyon.

 

“Yes, we are in a Covid-19 emergency and we can all relate to the Mayor’s predicament,” sambit ni Castelo. “But it is also an emergency situation when you have hundreds of OFWs already in the next town on their way home after having been stranded abroad for months.”

 

Idinagdag pa ni Castelo na, “The good Mayor could’ve had more flexibility during such an eventuality, because in the state we are in, nothing is really predictable- regardless if higher authorities had given you enough notice or not, one must address the pressing problem at hand.”

 

Naniniwala si Castelo na mayroong puwedeng ibang gawing  paraan si Gomez  tulad paglalagay muna ng mga OFW sa holding area para sa identification at pagsasasagawa muli ng test, tutal na-clear na naman siang negative sa Covid-19 virus bago pa man sila pinaalis ng Maynila.

 

Sambit pa ni Castelo na maaari ring i-quarantine muli ni Gomez ang mga OFW kung kinakailangan, ang mahalaga ay makarating ang mga ito sa kani-kanilang probinsiya at mapalapit na sa kanilang mga kamag-anak.

 

Iginiit pa niyang hindi tamang hindi sila tanggapin o,“to turn them away and be helplessly stranded again- in a foreign place in their own country- still away from their loved-ones.”

 

Sa kabilang banda, hinahangaan naman ni Castelo ang kapwa niya artistang Mayor sa pagiging disiplinado, sa galing ng pamamalakad sa kanyang nasasakupan, at ang pagiging outstanding sa community service sa probinsiya ng Ormoc.

 

Umaasa si Castelo na ang experience na ito’y magiging “lesson- well-learned” sa lahat kaama ang ia pang local officials dahil naniniwala siya na, “I believe we can all learn a thing or two from the wisdom and advice of well-experienced former local officials, like that of former Mayor and now President, Rodrigo Duterte.

 

“Thank God we have Duterte- a strong, decisive yet compassionate leader who has deep and undying love for our country and people in these most challenging times,” pagtatapos ni Castelo.

 

 

SHOWBIZ KONEK
ni Maricris Valdez Nicasio