World Bank E-mails to OFW Disowned

World Bank denial that they sent e-mails on lotto rigging and exchange rate manipulations to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) is too late. OFW and the reading public have already digested the disgusting statements ill-intended to the Philippine government.

 
According to the statement purportedly made by World Bank, “the present currency exchange rate of US Dollar to Peso is actually $1 = 52 Pesos, and your government is manipulating the exchange rate for some years now.” (The present average forex rate is P48.00 to a dollar.) This enraged OFW’s who believed they were being robbed by the Arroyo administration. Not only the exchange rate, as declared in the statement, but also the drawing of lotto results which were being rigged so that only two people will win the big prize. And the statement pinpointed Mikey and Datu, the two sons of President Gloria Arroyo. It clearly further stated –sending distrust to the betting public whose bet provided assistance to the poor and other humanitarian projects- that the winning balls, with the corresponding numbers, were smaller than the other such that when the balls are sucked in the drawing tube only the small balls will fit in and ensuring the winning numbers given to Arroyo’s sons.
 
The statement was intended to discredit the President and the Philippine government. I attributed this malicious e-mail to the political enemy of the state. The oppositions are employing all means to downgrade the accomplishments of the Arroyo government.
 
As I stated earlier, the World Bank is already late in disclaiming the maligning issue. The damages were already done. The statement was already sent to millions of recipients through e-mail networking. This is not the only time where the World Bank was allegedly the willing consenter in causing malicious accusation to the Philippine government. The other was the corrupt bidding of construction projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways and further naming the corrupt contractors. I believed this is unethical and unbecoming of a world body criticizing a foreign government. I admit, however, that I failed to verify that this was also disclaimed by WB. Another one was that the World Bank is the willing provider and supporter of the Bangsamoro Republic by funding the moro separatists movement dismembering the Philippine archipelago. Instead of providing funds to millions of victims of malnutrition, food, and shelter to evacuees caught in conflict of wars in Congo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other parts of the world and those suffering refugees brought about by natural disasters such as fires, earthquakes, typhoons, flood, and hurricanes throughout the world; World Bank should not be rumored to be funding terrorists group who were reported to be using the funds in buying guns and ammunitions to annihilate the helpless and terrified populace!
 
I believe denying the statement is not enough. World Bank should conduct its own investigation to ferret out the perpetuators and be dealt with accordingly. In so doing, the misconception of bias practices will be avoided. We don’t want to get the ire of this financial institution -grant of financial assistance to a distress and developing country should be provided unconditionally and availment of such benefit should not be done by bending knees- but we have been suffering a wounded pride and “damaged culture” as a Filipino.