An Alliance of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) on Thursday dared President-elect Benigno Aquino III to fulfill his promise to curb forced migration by creating more local jobs for Filipinos.

About 2.8 million Filipinos are currently without jobs, according to data from the National Statistics Office (NSO). The lack of local jobs, however, contributed to the increased OFWs daily deployment from 3,000 to 3,300 since 2009.

“We are concerned that Mr. Aquino may not likely be able to carry out his promise to curtail forced migration because this is the same policy statement we have been hearing from previous administrations,’’ claimed John Leonard-Monterona, regional coordinator of Migrante-Middle East.

“Past administrations have succumb to the neo-liberal policies of globalization (liberalization, privatization, and deregulation) and have only benefited from the influx of OFWs billions remittances in exchange of OFWs well-being, rights and welfare,’’ he said in a statement.

The Saudi-based OFW said that Mr. Aquino has to implement a genuine agrarian reform program and nationalization of basic industries in order to curb forced migration. (Shianee Mamanglu and Pam Brooke Casin)