[Rome, Italy] Italy-Philippine Friendship Association joins the call to Free Rafael Baylosis and all political prisoners!
Last Sunday February 25, 2018 the Italy – Philippine Friendship Association (Comitato di Amicizia Italo-Filipino) held a successful discussion forum on current national situation in the Philippines.
Luciano Seller president of IPFA read the Association’s statement for the immediate release of Rafael Baylosis and All Political Prisoners.
They have express the condemnation for the continuous human rights violations and political persecution that is happening in the Philippines and called for the continuation of the Peace Talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
A video presentation of the association’s last year activities was also viewed and leaders from other Italian and Migrants organizations had expressed their solidarity for the Association and the struggle for just and lasting peace for the Filipino people.
FREE RAFAEL BAYLOSIS AND ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS!
PEACE NOT WAR!
CONTINUE THE PEACETALKS AND RESOLVED THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ARMED CONFLICT!
Message of solidarity from Phoebe Dimacali, President of the Filipino Domestic Workers – United Kingdom, on the occasion of the founding assembly of Migrante Canada.
Ito ang pasalubong natin kay DFA Sec. Cayetano , DOLE Sec. Bello at USEC Mocha Uson, ang ginanap na OFW forum nitong lingo Jan. 28, 2018 ay matagumpay na naipaabot ang ating hinaing at kahilingan kay Sec. Cayetano , Sec. Bello, at napirmahan ang tatlong pahina na naglalaman ng mga mahahalagang isyu na dapat bigyan ng kaukulang pansin at solusyonan ng ating gobyerno.
Hindi rin pinalampas ang pagkakataon ng Migrante Milan para makapagtanong at ipaalala kay Sec. Bello ang usapin sa ibinibida ng gobyerno na independent foreign policy, ang usapin sa land reform at pagpapatuloy ng usapang pangkapayapaan para tugunan ang ugat ng armadong pakikibaka sa pamamagitan ng “CASER”.
Honorable,
Secretary Allan Peter Cayetano
Department of Foreign Affairs
Government of the Republic of the Philippines
28 January, 2018
Dear Hon. Secretary,
Bukas na Pahayag Hinggil sa mga Kahilingan, Panawagan, Pagtutol at Agam-Agam Likha ng mga Kaganapan sa Inang Bayan
“Labis naming ikinagagalak at pinasasalamatan ang inyong pagdalaw sa aming pamayanan migrante dito sa Milan at Italya upang maging daan para maiparating sa iyong kaalaman ang mga nabanggit gaya ng nasa itaas.”
1.) HINGGIL SA KALAGAYAN NG KAPATID NA MIGRANTE, MARY JANE VELOSO.
Hindi na lingid sa inyong kaalaman ang malupit at kawawang kalagayan ni M.J. Veloso na ilang taon na rin nakapiit sa selda sa ibayong dagat sa bansa ng Indonesia sa kasong kinasasangkutan ng “drugs traficking” sang-ayon sa awtoridad ng naturang bansa. Subalit, sa paniniwala ng marami kasama kami migrante,ang naturang akusasyon ay hindi pa rin pumapabor sa ilalim ng “standard legal proceedings” hangga’t ang kanya karapatan umapela sa Korte ay nanatiling ipinagkakait..Dahil dito, hinihiling namin sa inyong Tanggapan at Kagawaran kasama ang panawagan ng sambayanan na mabigyan ng tama proseso at hustisya ang malupit na kapalaran ni M.J. Veloso gaya ng positibong posisyon ng Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) na nakikiisa sa panawagan ng sambayanan;
2.) HINGGIL SA USAPIN ILEGAL NA PANANAKOP NG BANSA TSINA SA SCARBOROGH SHOAL AT BENHAM RISE.
Isa sa mga binitiwan pangako ng Pangulo DU30 during his electoral campaigns ay ipaglaban ang sovereign rights at territorial integrity ng bansa at aniya “kung kinakailangan, pupunta ako roon at itatayo ko ang bandila ng Pilipinas, gagawin ko” Subalit, tila yata nagkamali ng bandila ang itinayo ng ating Pangulo DU30, sa halip na bandila Pilipino, ang bandila ng Tsina ang kanya itinayo.
Ang naturang Shoal at Benham Rise, batay sa United Nation Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLS) ay legal at teritoryal na pag-aari ng Pilipinas at ito rin ang kumpirmasyon ng The Hague Tribunal decision in July 2016. It is an exclusive maritime economic zone of the country and therefore it should be protected not only a question of sovereign rights and territorial integrity but a patrimony of the nation. Kgg na Secretary, hiling namin sa inyo bilang nangunguna ang inyong Tanggapan at Kagawaran sa relasyon panlabas, na ipaglaban ang ating pambansa soberenya at dignidad panteritoryo. Kung hindi pa tayo tututol, baka wala na kami dadatnan pa Inang Bayan during our retirement and final homecoming for good sa dahilan nasakop na ng bansa Tsina ang buong Pilipinas.
3.) MAXIMUM PROTECTION, SERVICES AND WELFARE ACCORDING TO RA 8042 BETTER KNOWN AS MIGRANTS ACT OF 1995.
Hiling namin sa inyo ang makatotohanan at seryosong implemetasyon ng naturan proteksyon, serbisyo at paglingap mula sa inyong Tanggapan, Kagawaran at mga kaakibat na ahensya ng gubyerno gaya ng OWWA, POEA, DOLE atbp. may kagyat na ugnay at kinalaman sa kalagayan ng migrante at kanila pamilya.. Kahit kailan at kahit saan lugar, nananatiling bulnerabile ang migrante di lang sa usapin relasyon sa trabaho, kultura at maging sa immigration policies in every host country. Hwag na natin banggitin pa ang bulnerabileng sitwasyon sa pagitan ng mga pamilya naiwan sa Pilipinas, lalo na..
4.) MGA USAPIN HINGGIL SA TRAIN LAW, CHA-CHA, TOKHANG, EJKs, HUMAN RIGHTS VILATIONS, CON-ASS, PEDERALISMO, MARTIAL LAW WITH PLANNED EXTENSION AND REV-GOV.
Ang pag-iral at pagtataas ng presyo ng mga bilihin lalo na iyong sa parte ng basic commodities, pagtaas ng mga taxes ay malupit na nakapataw sa araw-araw na buhay ng mamamayan lalo na sa hanay ng maralita at di rin nakaligtas ang mga pamilya ng migrante habang sa kabilang banda, walang nagaganap na pagtaas ng sahod ng manggagawa, pesante, mga kawani ng gubyerno lalo na ang ating mga guro o dili kaya’y garansiya batas mula sa lehislatura o gubyerno, at kung mayroon ma’y ito’y para lamang sa AFP at PNP..This one leaves and provokes a big question…bakit nga kaya?
Ang “Tokhang”, EJKs at Human Rights Violations, kailanma’y di umiiral sa isang sibilisadong lipunan bagkus ito’y pangkaraniwang nagaganap sa ating bansa at lipunan at kalimitan ang nabibiktima ay pawang mga “street-level” suspects maliban pa mismo mula sa pamilya ng OFW o migrante at nakakalungkot isipin na batay sa stats, umaabot na sa 17 libo ang bilang ng bikitma sa paraang EJKs (killings/salvaging w/o judicial process maliban sa utos mismo ng Pangulo DU30). Dagdag pa, ang mga biktima ng EJKs sa hanay ng mga progresibo organisasyon gaya ng pesante, manggagawa, aktibista, human rights activist at mga lider katutubo..Kung susumain, ang lahat ng biktima ng EJKs ay mga grabe at matitinding paglabag sa karapatan pantao.
Hinggil sa napipintong CHA-CHA, CON-ASS, REV-GOV, PEDERALISMO at Martial Law extension, ang aming interpretasyon ay malinaw na indikasyon may tunguhin diktadurya masahol pa sa panahon ng diktadurya Marcos; at sa huli,
5.) ANG PANAWAGAN “RESUMPTION OF PEACE TALKS”.
Thru your good and respective Department, we the OFWs on global level call on both panels, the GRP and the NDFP to go back at the negotiating table and start anew and without delays the resumption of peace talks that is on stalled status after the successful 5th round of talks. Both panels must sincerely respect and adhere to agreements forged and signed bilaterally starting from The Hague Joint Declaration of 1992 and onward declarations and agreements. We have only one common goal and mission with such peace talks. “To find a solution to address the root causes of the decades armed conflict in the country”.##
Thank you for your kind attention with hope of fruitful visits with us in Milan and Italy..
For reference:
Nicolas “ka Mike” B. Montemayor, President
Milan-OFW Kapit Bisig(KB), Migrante Europe
Migrante Italy & Chapters
Milan, Bologna, Firenze, Mantova, Rome
OFW Forum January 28, 2018 Milan-OFW Kapit Bisig(KB), Migrante Europe, Migrante Italy & Chapters Milan, Bologna, Firenze, Mantova, RomeOFW Forum January 28, 2018 Milan-OFW Kapit Bisig(KB), Migrante Europe, Migrante Italy & Chapters Milan, Bologna, Firenze, Mantova, RomeOFW Forum January 28, 2018 Milan-OFW Kapit Bisig(KB), Migrante Europe, Migrante Italy & Chapters Milan, Bologna, Firenze, Mantova, RomeOFW Forum January 28, 2018 Milan-OFW Kapit Bisig(KB), Migrante Europe, Migrante Italy & Chapters Milan, Bologna, Firenze, Mantova, Rome
Honorable,
Secretary Allan Peter Cayetano
Department of Foreign Affairs
Government of the Republic of the Philippines
28 January, 2018
Dear Hon. Secretary,
BUKAS NA PAHAYAG HINGGIL SA MGA KAHILINGAN, PANAWAGAN, PAGTUTOL AT AGAM-AGAM LIKHA NG MGA KAGANAPAN SA INANG BAYAN.
“Labis naming ikinagagalak at pinasasalamatan ang inyong pagdalaw sa aming pamayanan migrante dito sa Milan at Italya upang maging daan para maiparating sa iyong kaalaman ang mga nabanggit gaya ng nasa itaas.”
1.) HINGGIL SA KALAGAYAN NG KAPATID NA MIGRANTE, MARY JANE VELOSO.
Hindi na lingid sa inyong kaalaman ang malupit at kawawang kalagayan ni M.J. Veloso na ilang taon na rin nakapiit sa selda sa ibayong dagat sa bansa ng Indonesia sa kasong kinasasangkutan ng “drugs traficking” sang-ayon sa awtoridad ng naturang bansa. Subalit, sa paniniwala ng marami kasama kami migrante, ang naturang akusasyon ay hindi pa rin pumapabor sa ilalim ng “standard legal proceedings” hangga’t ang kanyang karapatang umapela sa Korte ay nananatiling ipinagkakait. Dahil dito, hinihiling namin sa inyong Tanggapan at Kagawaran kasama ang panawagan ng sambayanan na mabigyan ng tamang proseso at hustisya ang malupit na kapalaran ni M.J. Veloso gaya ng positibong posisyon ng Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) na nakikiisa sa panawagan ng sambayanan;
2.) HINGGIL SA USAPIN ILEGAL NA PANANAKOP NG BANSA TSINA SA SCARBOROGH SHOAL AT BENHAM RISE.
Isa sa mga binitiwang pangako ng Pangulo DU30 during his electoral campaigns ay ipaglaban ang sovereign rights at territorial integrity ng bansa at aniya “kung kinakailangan, pupunta ako roon at itatayo ko ang bandila ng Pilipinas, gagawin ko” Subalit, ’tila yata nagkamali ng bandila ang itinayo ng ating Pangulo DU30, sa halip na bandilang Pilipino, ang bandila ng Tsina ang kanyang itinayo.
Ang naturang Shoal at Benham Rise, batay sa United Nation Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLS) ay legal at teritoryal na pag-aari ng Pilipinas at ito rin ang kumpirmasyon ng The Hague Tribunal decision noong July 2016. It is an exclusive maritime economic zone of the country and therefore it should be protected not only a question of sovereign rights and territorial integrity but a patrimony of the nation. Secretary, hiling namin sa inyo bilang nangunguna ang inyong Tanggapan at Kagawaran sa relasyong panlabas, na ipaglaban ang ating pambansang soberenya at dignidad panteritoryo. Kung hindi pa tayo tututol, baka wala na kaming dadatnan pa na Inang Bayan during our retirement and final homecoming for good sa dahilang nasakop na ng bansang Tsina ang buong Pilipinas.
3.) MAXIMUM PROTECTION, SERVICES AND WELFARE ACCORDING TO RA 8042 BETTER KNOWN AS MIGRANTS ACT OF 1995.
Hiling namin sa inyo ang makatotohanan at seryosong implementasyon ng naturang proteksyon, serbisyo at paglingap mula sa inyong Tanggapan, Kagawaran at mga kaakibat na ahensya ng gubyerno gaya ng OWWA, POEA, DOLE atbp. may kagyat na ugnay at kinalaman sa kalagayan ng migrante at kanila pamilya. Kahit kailan at kahit saang lugar, nananatiling bulnerable ang migrante hindi lang sa usaping relasyon sa trabaho, kultura at maging sa immigration policies sa bawat host country. Huwag na nating banggitin pa ang bulnerabileng sitwasyon sa pagitan ng mga pamilya naiwan sa Pilipinas, lalo na.
4.) MGA USAPIN HINGGIL SA TRAIN LAW, CHA-CHA, TOKHANG, EJKs, HUMAN RIGHTS VILATIONS, CON-ASS, PEDERALISMO, MARTIAL LAW WITH PLANNED EXTENSION AND REV-GOV.
Ang pag-iral at pagtataas ng presyo ng mga bilihin lalo na iyong sa parte ng basic commodities, pagtaas ng mga taxes ay malupit na nakapataw sa araw-araw na buhay ng mamamayan lalo na sa hanay ng maralita at di rin nakaligtas ang mga pamilya ng migrante habang sa kabilang banda, walang nagaganap na pagtaas ng sahod ng manggagawa, pesante, mga kawani ng gubyerno lalo na ang ating mga guro o dili kaya’y garansiya batas mula sa lehislatura o gubyerno, at kung mayroon ma’y ito’y para lamang sa AFP at PNP. This one leaves and provokes a big question… Bakit nga kaya?
Ang “Tokhang”, EJKs at Human Rights Violations, kailanma’y di umiiral sa isang sibilisadong lipunan bagkus ito’y pangkaraniwang nagaganap sa ating bansa at lipunan at kalimitan ang nabibiktima ay pawang mga “street-level” suspects maliban pa mismo mula sa pamilya ng OFW o migrante at nakakalungkot isipin na batay sa stats, umaabot na sa 17 libo ang bilang ng bikitma sa paraang EJKs (killings/salvaging w/o judicial process maliban sa utos mismo ng Pangulo DU30). Dagdag pa, ang mga biktima ng EJKs sa hanay ng mga progresibo organisasyon gaya ng pesante, manggagawa, aktibista, human rights activist at mga lider katutubo..Kung susumain, ang lahat ng biktima ng EJKs ay mga grabe at matitinding paglabag sa karapatan pantao.
Hinggil sa napipintong CHA-CHA, CON-ASS, REV-GOV, PEDERALISMO at Martial Law extension, ang aming interpretasyon ay malinaw na indikasyon may tunguhin diktadurya masahol pa sa panahon ng diktadurya Marcos; at sa huli,
5.) ANG PANAWAGAN “RESUMPTION OF PEACE TALKS”.
Through your good and respective Department, we the OFWs on global level call on both panels, the GRP and the NDFP to go back at the negotiating table and start anew and without delays the resumption of peace talks that is on stalled status after the successful 5th round of talks. Both panels must sincerely respect and adhere to agreements forged and signed bilaterally starting from The Hague Joint Declaration of 1992 and onward declarations and agreements. We have only one common goal and mission with such peace talks. “To find a solution to address the root causes of the decades armed conflict in the country”.
Thank you for your kind attention with hope of fruitful visits with us in Milan and Italy.
For reference: Nicolas “ka Mike” B. Montemayor, President
Milan-OFW Kapit Bisig(KB), Migrante Europe
Migrante Italy & Chapters
Milan, Bologna, Firenze, Mantova, Rome
Migrante-Europe supported the showing of the film Sunday Beauty Queen in this year’s 2nd Philippine Film Festival-Berlin. It was the culminating film for the festival, which ran from November 3-5, and 8-12. The film, directed by Baby Ruth Villarama, is a documentary featuring the lives of five domestic workers in Hong Kong and how they spend their Sundays organizing and participating in beauty pageants in order to alleviate homesickness and foster community in a foreign land. More than a hundred people, mostly Filipinos and some Germans went to see the film and participated in the roundtable discussion (RTD) held afterwards. The Philippine Film Festival-Berlin, the only film festival in Germany that showcases Filipino films is organized by The First Reel, and the Philippine Studies Series-Berlin, and supported by various organizations in Germany.
The discussion theme for the SBQ was “Philippine Migrants’ struggles and desires”. Two Germany-based members of Migrante-Europe–Elnora Held and Father Mark Jun Yañez were invited as panelists to the RTD. Held is a member of Gabriela-Germany and the auditor of the Migrante-Europe, while Yañez is the port chaplain of the Seamen mission in Hamburg. The other panelists were Krisanta Caguioa-Moenich, a language mediator in Banying, organization that helps migrant women who are victims of violence, Megha Amrith, an urban anthropologist of migration, and Lisa May David, an artist who previously worked on issues of identity and migration.
The discussion lasted for more than an hour, as the audience got actively engaged by asking questions and sharing some thoughts about the theme and the film. During the discussion, there was a general agreement among the panelists and the audience that the film presents a sad reality on how hard the lives of the majority of domestic workers in Hong Kong are. Most of the discussions also revolved around the significant contributions of Migrant workers to the Philippine economy and the government’s weak efforts in securing their rights abroad and helping migrants facing various problems such as violence or abuse in their host country. Held emphasized that present-day migration is mostly forced migration: caused by war, poverty, and even climate change. She added that forced migration can only be addressed by solving these root causes. Father Yañez stated that Filipino seafarers are in demand as they are of highly qualified but cheap. “The government however is not bent on addressing this issue believing that pushing for the increase of Seafarers’ wages will prompt hiring companies to take cheaper labor from other countries, thus reducing their potential remittances” he added. In his experience working with the Seamen, most of them are not happy with their work because it means being away from the family. However, their family and the desire to give them a better future are the reasons why they take these jobs. The seamen hope that Philippine economy will get better soon and that they no longer need to be away from their families just do they can provide for their needs.
Some notable contributions from the audience were on the discussion of the Labor Export Policy and the sharing of an experience by a former overseas domestic worker herself. The discussion ended with insights from the panel and the audience on what migrants in Germany can do to help their fellow migrants.
October 28, 2017: A Labor Rights Seminar was initiated by Nagkakaisang Pilipino sa Pransya or NPSP together with Pangasinense in Paris held at 85 Rue Charlot, Paris, France.
The program has two parts. First is the talks about the rights of undocumented workers in case of arrest, the basic rights of both documented and undocumented workers at their work and the basic rules to get the residence permit. The second part of the program is the sharing of concrete conditions of migrants in their work place and entertaining of questions of the attendees.
NPSP would like to thank every Filipino migrants who gave time to be part of the discussion. We continue to call on our fellow migrants to know and study our basic rights so together we can assert for it, uplift and empower our community.
The NPSP would also like to thank all our French comrades from CGT for giving as a free space to conduct our activities and the collectives of the struggles of the undocumented workers for facilitating the discussion.
On behalf Migrante-Europe, I would like to congratulate you all as you gather and celebrate for the Fifth Filipino Food Fair in Rome. With the theme: “Muling pagsaluhan pagkaing ambag, na siyang kalakasan ng ating pamilya at nagkakaisang kababaihan”, I firmly believe that the celebration will all also be an opportunity to all to strengthen the unity and identity of Filipino diasporas in Italy and in Europe.
Food security
In many developed countries food is always identified with culture. But in countries like the Philippines food is a symbol of economic and political struggle both for survival and identity. The World Food Summit in 1996 declared that: “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to enough safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy lifestyle.”
Fr. Herbert Fadriquela
The Harvest in not enough
The Philippine economy depends mainly on agriculture. However, the peasant sector being one of the major forces of Philippine society for economic progress benefits less from the improvement of economy especially in globalize economic order. Almost forty percent of Philippine land is devoted to agricultural production but most of the land produces crops that are for export rather than crops for local consumption, hence, the nation cannot feed its people without importing staple food from the neighbor countries.
Landlessness is food insecurity
Majority of the Filipino peasants do not own sufficient land to match their household needs. Most farmers in the rural communities depend only on seasonal farm-based wage labor. During critical period of rice and corn
cropping that include planting, weeding and harvesting, the whole family – children included – work as farmhands in exchange for cash. In between planting, weeding and harvesting periods, family members, especially the able-bodied, temporarily migrate outside the community and work as house helpers, construction workers and other unskilled jobs in order to obtain cash for household needs.
Struggle for land ownership, struggle for social change
For the landless farmers, to have access and control of land that is the basic component of the means of production is a complete reversal of their present situation. To own a land is the hope and dream of many landless peasants and is a vital sign of new life with dignity in a new world filled with various blessings. With the land under the control and ownership of the farmer-tillers, and with the government and other stake holders providing them with the needed support services such as capital, farm inputs and pre and post harvest facilities, many peasant families will be free from unjust feudal relationship. This means farmer-tenants will no longer be subjected to excessive land rent, loan sharks and usury, and farm workers will no longer receive ‘slave-wages’. With this, farmers and their family shall enjoy the full fruits of their labor. More importantly, they shall have the capacity to address their basic needs and develop their potentials and subsequently contribute to the total development and progress of the community and the larger Philippine society.
Today as you are gathered, may this occasion remind you of the economic poverty situation back in our home country and the challenge to each one of us to participate in achieving genuine social change. Like in the Gospel reading today, may you become one of those chosen few who were called to serve the least, the lost and the last of Jesus Christ’s brethren.
Mabuhay ang UMANGAT and Gabriela-Rome!
Mabuhay ang pakikibaka ng mamamayang Pilipino tungo sa ganap na panlipunang pagbabago!
Fr. Herbert Fadriquela
Chairperson
Migrante Europe
Isang maalab na pagbati ang ipinapaabot ng Migrante Europe sa buong kasapian ng Filipino Domestic Workers Association-United Kingdom sa inyong ika-4 na anibersayo ng pagkakatatag.
Mahalaga ang papel na ginagampanan ng mga domestic workers sa isang maunlad na bansa katulad ng United Kingdom. Ang kalinisan ng bahay o opisina, masarap na pagkain sa hapag kainan at ang kasiguruhan may mag aaruga sa mga bata o may edad ng kapamilya ng inyong mga banyagang employer ay bunga ng inyong tapat na paglilingkod sa kanila. Ang inyong katapatan sa paglilingkod sa kanila ay nasusuklian din ng kanilang magandang pagtrato sa inyo, subalit hindi rin maikakailang may mga domestic helpers ding nakakaranas ng maltrato, di sapat ang sahod, walang pahinga at hindi tiyak ang kinabukasan sa trabaho. Bagamat mahirap ang kalagayang mawalay sa asawa, anak o magulang para mangibang-bayan at magligkod sa ibang pamilya, nagtiis kayo alang-alang sa inyong mahal sa buhay, na sila makaranas din ng pag-unlad at kaginhawahan.
Sa kabila ng inyong ambag sa pag-ulad ng ekonomiya ng mga mayamang bansa katulad ng United Kingdom, napakabulnerable ang kalagayan ng mga domestic workers lalo na yong mga walang legal na batayan para tumira at magtrabaho sa UK mula sa banta ng deportation at kawalan ng kaukulang suporta mismo sa Embahada ng Pilipinas.
Hindi matatawaran ang naging papel nating mga migrante at ng ating mga pamilya sa pagkakaluklok ng Pamahalaang Duterte sa poder ng Malacanang. Nangampanya tayo, nag organisa, bumoto at binantayan ang mga boto sa paniniwalang ang pamahalaan Duterte ay magbubukas ng pintuan para sa mga batayang panlipunang pagbabago sa ating bayan. Subalit, sa paglipas ng mga buwan, tila bingi ang Pamahalaang Duterte sa panawagan ng mamamayang Pilipino para sa mga pagbabagong tunay na repormang agraryo, pambansang industriyalisasyon at malayang pakikipagrelasyon sa ibang bansa.
Patuloy pa ring hikahos at walang pag-aaring lupa ang mga mayorya sa sektor ng mga magsasaka na karamihan sa ating mga migrante ay nabibilang. Hawak pa rin ng dayuhan at iilang lokal na negosyante ang mga estratehikong establisemento sa ating ekonomiya. Ang edukasyon sa ating bayan ay nakatuon pa rin sa programang “labor-export” samantalang ang batayang pangangailangan ng mamamayan ay nagmumula pa rin sa ating mga karatig bansa. Hungkag ang pangako ni Pangulong Duterte na wala ng Pilipinong mapipilitang magtrabaho sa ibang bansa upang bigyang kaginhawahan ang pamilya, sapagkat patuloy pa rin ang libo-libong manggagawang Pilipinong lumilisan araw-araw upang makipagsapalaran sa ibang bansa.
Mga kasama, ng inyong Tema: “Muli nating panghawakan ang mga tagumpay..Palakasin ang hanay ng nga migranteng kababaihan sa United Kingdom!!!!!” sa inyong pagdiriwang ay napapanahon at makabuluhan. Kaisa ninyo ang Migrante Europe sa pagpupunyaging mapalakas pa ang inyong hanay at muling igiit ang ating mga batayang karapatan bilang manggagawa, bilang migrante, bilang Pilipino.
Sa pagtatapos nais ko pong ipaalala sa bawat isa na walang ibang maasahang magsusulong sa interes at kagalingan ng migranteng Pilipino kundi tayo ring mga migrante at mga kasamang may malasakit sa kapwa migrante at may tunay na pag-ibig sa tinubuang lupa.
Mabuhay ang Filipino Domestic Workers Association-United Kingdom!
Mabuhay ang Migrante-Europe!
Mabuhay ang Pakikibaka nga Sambayanang Pilipino para ganap at tunay na panlipunang pagbabago.
Father Herbert Fadriquela
Chairperson
Migrante-Europe
Email: [email protected]
Revd Fr. Herbert F. Fadriquela Jr.
Chaplain to the Filipino Community
Diocese of Leicester
Church of England
Mobile Number: +447456042156
More than 3,000 killed. This is the conservative count of suspected drug addicts and peddlers killed by the Philippine National Police under the “war on drugs” of the Duterte government.
Many Filipinos, including those living and working abroad, support this campaign. They want to eradicate the proliferation of illegal drugs and decrease the crime rate in the country. But this has also received widespread criticism from Filipinos and the international community. Police agents are being accused of arbitrarily rounding up residents of urban poor communities and killing them in cold blood because, as the police reports, the suspects “fought back”.
This is the same story we hear about Kian Loyd de los Santos, a 17-year old grade 11 student, who was killed on 16 August 2017 by agents of the PNP conducting so-called anti-drug operations in Libis Baisa, Caloocan City, in Metro Manila. Reports from the police, Duterte spokespersons and government media mouthpieces claim the young boy fought back. Bystanders and CCTV footages showed otherwise: the unarmed Kian was manhandled by the police agents and then dragged into an alley before he was shot dead.
Public outrage over the killing has forced Malacañang to issue a warning to the police against committing abuses and the Department of Justice to order an investigation on the police officers who were involved in Kian’s death.
We, Filipino migrants in France, also cannot remain silent on the issue. Kian is a son of a fellow overseas Filipino worker. We express our heartfelt sympathy to the family of Kian and join the call for justice against the senseless killing. Quoting presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella, “The violent death of any Filipino is one death too many, especially that of Kian Loyd delos Santos.”
We would like to reiterate that this is not only a call for justice for Kian but also for many others whose lives have become victims of illegal drugs. We are hopeful that this incident would give warning to police authorities abusing their power and would open the eyes of the public to the root causes of the illegal drugs problem that has been hounding Philippine society for decades. The country is mired in extreme poverty, unbridled corruption and injustice. Countless poor people are being drawn into the illegal drug trade for a quick buck and to escape reality.
In the meantime, government, military and police officials are themselves involved in stockpiling and distributing illegal drugs and protecting the billion-peso illegal trade. These officials are also neck-deep in government corruption, pocketing billions of pesos in public funds. The Duterte administration has not been fulfilling its promise of eradicating corruption. Instead, it has been rewarding corrupt and criminal police and military officials with protection from prosecution and even higher government positions.
We are one with the call of the Duterte administration to solve the illegal drugs problem, but not at the expense of providing long term and humane solutions to the problem, and certainly not at the expense of the millions of poor people who voted Duterte into power.
We continue to call for the eradication of poverty and for social justice – for genuine land reform and national industrialization – and the resolution of the country’s chronic problems of landlessness, unemployment, slave wages and sky-rocketing prices of basic necessities. We continue to aspire for the day when we can return home, not to bury our murdered Kian, but to a prosperous and peaceful Philippines, no longer being forced to leave our family and motherland for precious dollars abroad.
Justice for Kian, justice for all victims of police murders!
Isang taon matapos ang unang State of the Nation Address ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, kaming mga migrante dito sa Pransya ay nananatiling nakaantabay sa ganap na pagbabagong ipinangako ng bagong administrasyon.
Malayo man sa bansa, kasama kami ng sambayanang Pilipino na nakatutok upang makinig sa ulat ng Pangulo sa kasalukuyang kalagayan ng bansa. At katulad ng iba pang sektor ng lipunan, umaasa kami na ang mga migrante ay mabibigyang pansin din sa SONA at maging tapat ang gubyernong Duterte sa mga ipinangako nito para sa amin at sa aming mga pamilya.
Sa kasalukuyan, nakakapangamba ang balitang may babayarang ₱700 piso para sa bagong lunsad na iDOLE OFW card. Bagama’t tiniyak ni Sec. Bello ng Department of Labor and Employment na libre ito. Hindi maiaalis ang pangamba ng OFW hanggat hindi pa nailalabas ang implementing guidelines sa pagkuha ng OFW card. Kung susumahin, aabot sa ₱5 bilyon ang makukulekta ng gubyerno kapag pagbayarin ng OFW ID card ang mahigit 10 milyong Pilipino na nagtratrabaho sa ibang bansa. Dapat na ilaan ito para sa benepisyo ng migranteng Pilipino.
Naghihintay pa rin ang bawat migrante ng tapat na serbisyo mula sa gobyerno, na pagsilbihan ang interes ng migrante at ng kanyang pamilya. Bawat migrante ay nagaasam pa ring makapiling ang kanilang pamilya, makauwi sa bansa na may disenteng trabaho at nakabubuhay na sahod. Sa nagaganap na kaguluhan at karahasan sa bansa, malawakang korupsyon, kawalan ng sariling lupang sasakahin, hindi mapigilang labor contractualization, kawalan ng trabaho, napakababang pasahod, napakataas na presyo ng batayang bilihin at patuloy na pagsira sa ating likas na kayamanan, malayo pa ang inaasam na makauwi ang migranteng Pilipino.
Kaya naman nananawagan kami kay Pangulong Duterte na mahigpit na tutukan ang paglutas sa mga ugat ng kahirapan at kaguluhan sa bansa, upang sa gayon ay maramdaman ng bawat Pilipino ang inaasam na pagbabago. Nananawagan din kami sa kapwa migranteng Pilipino na patuloy nating itulak ang ating mga interes at kahingian sa gubyernong Duterte.
