Being a long term Filipino guest worker, this is my view.
Most of our business companies believe in the capacities and capabilities of alien workers. This is why some of us have been retained in the island for a long period of time. We never complain about our work, and we fully devote our time and effort to our jobs and we love doing it not just because we need the money but because we do not want to jeopardize the businesses where we are working.
Come to think of it most of us are still here in CNMI even when the economy is down — even if they have cut down our working hours; even if they have taken some of our benefits, we remain working side by side with our employers.
For us long-term guest workers living and considering the CNMI as our second home, we want our stay to be permanent and not to be called an ALIEN.
Having known that there is a chance for us to be given a more permanent status if the Secretary of the Interior makes such a recommendation to the U.S. Congress, it would be a good REWARD that the U.S. would be granting us upon enactment of that law.
I am reaching out to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, with the help of some of our active fellow long-term guest workers like Boni Sagana, Malou Berueco to name a few to continue their struggle for this REWARD that we seek.
PAMELA HERNANDEZ
Gualo Rai, Saipan
