Migrante-Europe strongly condemns the attacks of the Philippine government security forces aided by a judicial court against the Tumandok in Tapaz, Capiz and Calinog, Iloilo in the island of Panay that resulted to summarily executions of 9 persons and the arrest of 17 others on December 30, 2020. 

Every day, the Tumandok and many indigenous peoples leaders and organizations in the Philippines feel that they are at the mercy of the government and its armed forces. The Tumandok and indigenous peoples organizations are constantly being monitored by the government security forces and local government units especially on how they stand on issues that caused the loss of their sources of livelihood and the displacement of their communities from their ancestral domain due to development aggression such mining and extractive industries, construction of dams, land use conversion of their ancestral lands into multi-national agri-business corporations, etc. 

Filipino migrants in Europe and around the world can easily relate and fully understand the current situation of Tumandok and other indigenous peoples of being uprooted from their ancestral lands because many of us Filipino migrants were forced to leave our family, our community, our beloved country in our hope and dreams of providing bright future to our love ones. Like the Tumandok and other indigenous peoples communities whose mineral-rich ancestral lands are target for exploitation and plunder by the Philippine-government backed greedy corporations, Filipino migrants are milking cows of the government thru state exactions of the corrupt-ridden and tyrant Duterte regime. 

Today, the number of Filipino migrants that had lost hope to the anti-people president are increasing and growing day by day. The political promise made by Duterte almost 5 years ago for creation of jobs in the home country and to address forced migration and put basic changes to the life situation of Indigenous peoples and Filipino migrants and the Filipino people in general never came into reality. The changes that most of our kababayans are confronted with everyday especially in the home country are the worsening human rights violations, unbridled corruption, plunder of economy and destruction of environment, selective justice system, total submission of the Philippine government to the wishes of its US and Chinese masters. 

Mga kababayan, we can no longer find justice and peace as long as the Duterte government is in Malacanang. Hence, we call on the Filipino people back home and in our host countries here in Europe to unite. We call on our friends and allies and all justice and peace-loving European individuals and organizations for solidarity support and be with us as we confront the tyrant Duterte until victory! 

Justice for Tumandok Massacre Victims!

Itigil ang mga atake sa Pambansang Minorya!

Itigil ang Pamamaslang! 

Defend the Ancestral lands and the right to self-determination of Indigenous Peoples!

Makibaka! Huwag Matakot!

Fr Herbert Fadriquela

Chair

Migrante-Europe

January 26, 2021

We at Migrante Austria raise our fists on International Labor Day 2020 to salute the workers of the world, who continually shed sweat and blood for the rest of society.

The most impoverished, marginalised and excluded groups who do not have access to good quality basic goods and services: food, housing, basic amenities like water and energy, health services, education and social protection are the most vulnerable during this crisis. We call attention to the conditions of undocumented migrants who were already vulnerable even before the outbreak. They have no access to social and health services and more often than not, they are excluded from government policies in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has inevitably exposed the deep-rooted inequalities that exist within countries and globally. The endless weeks of layoffs and lockdowns have made clear that poor and working-class bear the brunt of the crisis.

• Accessible health services to all regardless of our jobs and immigration status
• Protection of labour and human rights, job security and from discrimination
• Inclusion of all migrants and refugees in all national, regional and international policies addressing COVID-19.
• Socialized health care program for all people and fight against neoliberal agenda privatising health care system
• End to militarization and fascism

In the case of the Philippines, we see that the Labor Export Policy of the Philippine government has, for decades now, systematically  and mandatorily made millions of Filipinos slaves abroad. Owing to this policy, thousands are leaving the country everyday. Our migrant workers should be considered heroes, the dollars they send contribute to the economy and help finance the expenses the past and the present administrations.

The lives of Filipino migrants are characterized by uncertainty at this time. Keeping alive the family left in the Philippines is a big problem. Lockdown is catastrophic because there is no financial assistance and systematic plan. The president of the Philippines held a press conference but nothing substantial came out of it – only intimidation, swearing and lies!

What the people want to know is: WHERE IS THE HELP!? WHERE ARE THE BILLIONS THAT HAVE BEEN CORRUPTED!? WHERE IS MASS TESTING? WHERE IS THE CONCRETE GOVERNMENT PLAN?

1. Hence, we call on President Duterte and his government agencies to provide financial relief and medical attention to all OFWs under quarantine who were sent home. Without financial aid and medical attention for OFW’s, quarantine shelters are nothing but plain detention facilities. They have also  families to support and without any income, the hunger and hardships being experienced by their loved ones add up to their distress, and

2. The Duterte government is hell-bent on mandatorily extracting Philhealth collections even at this period of crisis. Its terrible greed is more than likely to outlast this pandemic. In this light, we demand to stop extracting collections on  Philhealth, OEC , SSS contributions, OWWA fee, POEA documentation fee, etc.

3. We support the workers’ major demands for the Labor Day protest such as: Solusyong Medikal, Hindi Militar and Ayudang Sapat Para Sa Lahat, Mass Testing, Hindi Mass Arrest.

4. Further, we call on the government to provide immediate relief to all workers as only about 300,000 were given financial aid out of 2million displaced workers!from the President’s report on the 5th week of ECQ,

5. We also underscore the need for income guarantee for all workers, as millions do not have income with the prevailing ‘no work, no pay’ system!

6. In this light, “ECQ or no ECQ, tuloy ang Laban! No threat of Martial Law will stop us from reaching out to the largest sector of workers. We will make sure Duterte will hear the loudest bang of our hammers and the clamor of workers across the country!. We are ready to hold noise barrages in their respective homes and localities.

Dear fellow front liners,

Solidarity Greetings!

We enjoin the government, policy-makers, and institutions to support the vulnerable sectors in the community, especially the migrant and immigrant frontliners who risk their lives every day in the fight against COVID-19.

While we are all affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic ramifications, it is the undocumented immigrants, migrants, refugees, and displaced peoples who bear the brunt of the pandemic. Having limited or no access to health and social services leaves them in dire circumstances without the means to protect themselves.

Last March 30, the government of Portugal temporarily granted resident rights to migrants and asylum seekers, allowing them full access to public healthcare services and welfare, as well as the ability to sign employment and rental contracts and open bank accounts.

We urge the Austrian government to follow suit and grant amnesty to all undocumented immigrant workers and residency rights to all, giving them full access to healthcare, access to regular employment, and access to social services.

We are currently in communication with the President of Austria and the Philippine Ambassador to Austria to this effect.

Indeed, we cannot overcome this pandemic if we do not heed the needs of the vulnerable. We cannot move forward by leaving people behind. Solidarity for migrants, refugees, and displaced peoples!

Unconditional amnesty and regularization of all undocumented migrant workers in Europe!

In the light of the above, let us join together and raise our voice in a collective solidarity mass action toward this dream!

We look forward to hearing from you!

Best regards,

Michael Garlan
Secretary General, Migrante Austria
Mobile Phone no. 43 688 64588082
email: mikeriyadh_28yahoo.com.ph

Press Statement

20 April 2020

While in almost all parts of the world, governments encourage and solicit citizens’ participation to fight the COVID19 pandemic. In the Philippines, peoples’ initiatives to assist the people affected by the “enhanced community quarantine” and expose the desperation, abandonment and hunger of the people and communities are arrested and charged in supposed violation of state laws.

Migrante-Europe is angered by the Philippine government’s arrest of members of Anakpawis Partylist led by former congressman Ariel Casilao while on their way to bring relief goods to hungry farmers in Norzagaray, Bulacan, and the arrest of screenwriter Maria Victoria Beltran over a Facebook post she made criticizing the Cebu City Health Department’s decision to stop mass testing in an urban poor community, Sitio Zapatera in Brgy. Luz, Cebu City.

Migrante-Europe is alarmed that while people’s organizations are rushing to the aid of those most affected by community lockdowns, the government’s security forces are preventing people’s initiatives and criminalizing helping the needy and to bringing to the public attention their miserable situation.

The recent pronouncement of President Duterte urging the government to draw up a plan to address the pandemic after more than a month of community lockdown only shows the incompetence and lack of leadership of the Duterte government, a government whose concern is the suppression of the rights of citizens, silencing dissent and consolidating its own power, instead of genuinely addressing people’s lives and welfare.

We call on the Filipino people to assert the fundamental right to food and shelter, access to public health and the freedom of expression.

Migrante-Europe appeals to the Filipino people around the world to participate in the noise barrage on Saturday, 25 April 2020 to express solidarity with the Filipino people and call the attention of the Philippine government to address with genuine compassion the needs of the people for food, protection and treatment against Covid-19, livelihood and freedom.

#AyudaNgayonNa
#MassTestingNowPH
#TulongHindiKulong
#SerbisyongMedikalHindiAksyongMilitar
#FreeTheReliefVolunteers
#FreeTheMessengerOfTruth

For reference:

Marlon Lacsamana
Secretary General, Migrante Europe

Fr. Herbert Fadriquela Jr.
Chairperson, Migrante Europe
Email: [email protected]

On behalf of Migrante-Europe and its chapter organisations in various countries in Europe, I would like to express our condolences to the family, friends and comrades of Luis Humberto Chaguay, an active member of Comitato Immigrati Italia. We will always cherish his contribution to the struggles of the migrants and the working class.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=882756258818395&id=100012520876945?sfnsn=scwspwa&extid=t98SD54ZPXVutFyu

Marlon Lacsama
Secretary General
Migrante-Europe

MIGRANTE-Europe Holy Week Statement
7 April 2020

Holy Week is the time when Christians around the world remember and celebrate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This year, the commemoration of Holy Week is made more purposeful and real with the reality of pain, suffering and death as the world struggles with the COVID-19 pandemic.

For many Filipino migrants, the effects of COVID-19 is felt on two fronts: the loss of income in the host country and the hunger being faced by their families in the Philippines.

Here in Europe, many Filipinos have lost their jobs because of the lockdown imposed in various countries. The financial support they receive, if any, is enough only to meet their daily needs and nothing is left for support to their family in the Philippines. Families of Filipinos working oversees, like most Filipino families, also suffer neglect and deprivation of Philippine government support and social services. The government promise of a $200.00 cash support for unemployed overseas Filipino workers has remained a promise.

Despite the “modern-heroes” tag, because of their significant contribution to the economic and social development of their host country and to the movement of goods around the world, and their remittances to their families in the Philippines that fuels the economy, Filipino overseas workers regularly encounter and suffer discrimination, physical, mental and sexual abuse, breach of contract by their employers, human trafficking, and even death. Apart from this reality is the COVID-19 pandemic scenario that almost a million Filipino overseas workers would return to the country as they have lost their jobs and join the millions of unemployed Filipinos.

But the story of pain, suffering and death of Jesus Christ did not end on the cross. For Christians, the cross is not a symbol of death but a sign of victory over pain and death, a symbol of new life, of resurrection.

The Duterte regime is a scourge, an affliction to the Filipino people. It has crucified the poor majority  of the Filipino people composed of workers, peasants, and the urban poor at the calvary of landlessness, unemployment, hunger, suffering and death.

The COVID-19 pandemic has become an excuse for Duterte to further implement draconian measures to grab more power, and preserve the unjust status quo and the privileges of a few.

The continued restriction on people to stay in their homes has not resulted in anything substantial to even curve the spread of the Covid-19 in the absence of sufficient means to conduct mass testing, effective quarantine protocols, massive government support to boost capacities of all hospitals to cope with the pandemic, exceptional support for the welfare of doctors, nurses and all other health workers, and effective and swift financial aid to the most vulnerable sections of the population particularly the peasants, workers and urban poor.

As the government of Duterte announced the extension of the enhanced community quarantine measures to April 30, 2020, that would mean more days without enough food on the table and uncertainty for many Filipino families including families of Filipino overseas workers.

Now is the right time, more than ever, to organize and struggle against the fascist and brutal Duterte government! Now is the right time to let the people realize that even if they have lost hope in  the Duterte government to address their basic needs in this time of crisis, they should not lose hope in the collective power of the people to change things, overcome this pandemic and continue the pursuit for social change in the Philippines!

The release from detention of the arrested 21 hungry protesters from Barangay Bagong Pag-asa in Quezon City is a symbol of new life dawning upon the struggling Filipino people. Many people’s organizations and compassionate individuals contributed to their bail.

The genuine bayanihan spirit and compassion towards the poor, deprived and oppressed being shown by people’s organizations, well-meaning individuals and groups and “good Samaritans” are hopeful signs that even in midst of COVID-19 pandemic and the contempt for the life, liberty and welfare of the people by the coldblooded President of the Philippines, the unity of the broadest Filipino people and its tireless determination to sustain the struggle for life, food and freedom shall always prevail.

Migrante-Europe appeals to all Filipino overseas workers and their families to show our unity and our strong resolve to journey with the rest of the struggling Filipino people.

We encourage everyone to join the online Noise Barrages on Saturday, April 11, 2020, at 12:00 noon (Barcelona, Spain Time), 6:00PM Philippine time and on Sunday, April 12, 2020 at 12:00 noon CET and 6:00PM (Philippine Time) to show our solidarity with the people of Spain and with the rest of the people the whole world fighting Covid-19.

Más recursos para l@s trabajador@s de la sanidad 11 de Abril a las 12:00, cacerolada del Pueblo Filipino en apoyo al Pueblo Español.

¡Evita el COVID-19, echa a Duterte! ¡FueraDuterte! ¡AYUDA, no DICTADURA!
#PrayForSpainPrayForTheWorld
#SerbisyongMedikalHindiAksyongMilitar!
#MassTestingNowPH
#AyudaHindiBanta
#OFWAssistanceNow
#NasaanAngTulong
#ElPuebloFilipinoEnApoyoAlPuebloEspañol
#Sanidad100%Publica

For reference:

Marlon Lacsamana

Secretary General
Migrante-Europe
Email: [email protected]

Patuloy ang dating ng balita mula sa Pilipinas. Mga doktor at frontliners na nagangamatay, kasama na rito ang ilan sa mga kamag-anakan at kakilala ng mga ofw sa labas ng bansa. Magpahanggang sa kasalukuyan ay patuloy ang kakulangan sa mga medical equipments at mga protective gears, sa kabila ng nag-uumapaw na mga donasyong nakakarating sa Pilipinas. Patuloy ang kakulangan sa mga relief goods sa mga komunidad sa kabila ng katotohanang may pondong nakalaan para rito. Walang komprehensibong planong nakikita at nararamdaman ang ating mamamayan. Iniasa ni Duterte sa kanyang mga heneral na pulis at militar ang pagdedesisyon imbes na sa mga eksperto at dalubhasa ng sektor ng kalusugan. Hindi nasosolusyunan ni Duterte sa pamamagitan ng kanyang bagong kamit na special powers ang pagkalat at pagpuksa ng pandemiyang COVID19. Kailangan nating muling mangalampag para maproteksyunan ang ating magigiting na frontliners. Kailangan nating mangalampag para gisingin ang nagtutulog-tulugan sa gobyerno. Hindi sapat ang manahimik, maghintay at magmasid. Manawagan at sumama sa tayo sa pangangalampag saang panig man tayo ng mundo!
Mekanismo :

A.) Mamili sa mga sumusunod na panawagan at isulat ito sa papel:
#SerbisyoMedikalHindiAksyongMilitar
#ProteksyunanAngMgaFrontliners
#MassTestingNowPH
#NoToVIPTesting
#SolusyonHindiKorapsyon
#FreePoliticalPrisoners
#AyudangSosyoEkonomikoHindiPanloloko
(* ISAMA RIN ANG MGA PANAWAGAN SA MGA BANSA KUNG NASAAN TAYO, hal. – Italya panawagan ng mga mamamayan nito sa lingwaheng Italyano)

B.) Idikit ang mga panawagan sa mga kaldero o kung saan man pwedeng maging visible o makikita sa video.

C.) MANGALAMPAG! MAGINGAY! At irekord ang inyong video sa loob ng 15 segundo.

D.) I-save ang file at i-send sa [email protected]

E.) Sumama ulit sa April 11 para pagpugayan ang mga Frontliners sa Espanya sa ganap na 6 ng gabi oras sa Pilipinas!

Sapat na Ayudang Pang-ekonomiya, Hindi Militarized Lockdown!
Karagdagang Budyet sa Kalusugan at Tamang Apropriasyon sa Serbisyo Sosyal!
Itigil ang Anumang Uri ng Pribatisasyon sa Serbisyong Pampubliko!
Libreng Medikal, Hindi Militar!
Gamot, Hindi Lockdown! Ospital, Hindi Selda!

“When justice rules the nation, everyone is glad; when injustice rules everyone groans.”

Proverbs 29:2

Migrante-Europe joins the growing global voice of Filipino human rights activists, friends and advocates denouncing the revival of baseless and malicious charges against Filipino human rights defenders, namely: Elisa Tita Lubi, Karapatan National Chairperson; Cristina Palabay, Karapatan Secretary General Roneo Clamor, Karapatan Deputy Secretary General; Gabriela Krista Dalena, Karapatan Treasurer; Dr. Edita Burgos, Karapatan National Council member at-large; Fr. Wilfredo Ruazol, Karapatan National Council member at-large; and Jose Mari Callueng, Karapatan National Council member at-large.

The charges against these dedicated human rights defenders was a result of the motion for reconsideration to a perjury case filed by Philippine National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon that was dismissed in November 2019 by Senior Assistant Prosecutor Nilo Peñaflor for “lack of probable cause and/or insufficiency of evidence.”

It is worthy to note that as a context of these baseless charges, Karapatan, together with the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP) and Gabriela, filed a petition for the Writs of Amparo and Habeas Data in May 2019 before the Supreme Court to seek protection from red-tagging, military harassment, and human rights violations directed against these organizations, its officers and members. 

Unfortunately, instead of securing legal protection from threats to life, liberty and security, on 2 March 2020, Quezon City Prosecutor Vimar Barcellano found probable cause to pursue the same perjury case earlier filed and dismissed, alleging that the officers of Karapatan committed perjury in stating that the RMP was a registered non-government organization (NGO) at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 

The case against the officers of Karapatan is not an isolated case. In many parts of the Philippines, workers, farmers, indigenous peoples, youth and student leaders, leaders of urban poor organizations, lawyers, members of media organizations, religious organizations and church leaders and human rights defenders and peace advocates struggling for social justice and are critical of the Duterte government’s domestic and foreign policies are subjected to harassment, intimidation, outright and brazen state violence or through the judicial system and worst extra-judicial killings.

Karapatan is known for its consistent human rights advocacy in the Philippines and abroad. Migrante-Europe believes that it is a compassionate act to protect human rights and to work in solidarity with the poor, deprived and oppressed.

Mirgante-Eupore urges the Philippine government to stop using its financial resources part of it coming from remittances of Overseas Filipino Workers and taxes paid by the Filipino people to suppress the legitimate demands for social justice and lasting peace in the Philippines. 

We call on all freedom-loving Filipinos, human rights defenders and social justice activists to support the embattled human rights defenders of Karapatan, RMP and Gabriela and stand against judicial harassment, authoritarian rule, and impunity.

Reference:

Marlon Toledo Lacsamana

Secretary General

Migrante-Europe

Update: Covid-19 Europe Monitoring
29 February 2020
Migrante Europe

Dobleng pangamba ang dulot ng Covid-19  sa buong Europa. Naging laman din sa mga pahayagan ang mabilis na pagkalat ang corona virus sa Hilagang Italya partikular sa rehiyon ng Lombardi. Ang Italya ang may pinakamaraming kumpirmadong biktima at may 17 patay (sa kasalukuyang sinusulat ito) at hinihinalang may 650 kataong posibleng nahawa. Apektado rin ang kabuhayan at trabaho ng ilan sa ating mga kababayang pinoy lalo na ang mga nagtatrabaho sa mga Chinese restaurants. May hindi rin matiyak na bilang ng mga kababayan nating colf (domestic helper) ang pansamantalang hindi pinapasok ng kanilang mga employer dahil sa takot sa epidemiyang hatid ng Covid-19 sa Italya. Liban pa rito’y may iba’t ibang negosyo at impresang apektado na kung saan ay may ilang mga Pilipino ang nagtatrabaho.

Pansamatalang sinuspinde din ng gobyerno ng Italya ang pagbabayad ng bayarin sa tubig, kuryente, interes ng utang sa mga pangunahing apektadong lugar. Sarado pansamantala ang mga eskuwelahan, mga pampublikong opisina, simbahan, museo at iba pa. Ipinagbawal din ang ano mang klase ng pampublikong pagtitipon, tulad ng mga palaro (sports events), selebrasyong pampubliko, malakihang pagpupulong at pagtitipon na kinakatakutang maaaring magpakalat pa ang mga ito ng Covid-19.

Ang mga balangay ng Migrante-Europe ay nakikiisa upang makapag hatid ng mga mahahalagang impormasyon at datos ukol sa Covid-19 sa kabuuan ng Europa lalo na sa Italya.

Sinisikap din ng Migrante-Europe na makakuha ng mga datos sa mga apektadong manggagawang migranteng Pilipino na  kasalukuyang hindi pinapasok sa kanilang mga trabaho dahil sa biglaang pagsasara ng mga negosyo, lalo na sa mga Chinese restaurants — kung saan karamihan ng mga mangagawa ay mga Pilipino.

Nakababahala rin ang mga naitalang insidente ng mga tuwirang pananakit sa mga Pilipino, Tsino at iba pang may lahing Asyano, na nagmumula sa nalikhang takot sa epidemiya bunga ng mababaw na pang-unawa ng ilang indibidwal at grupo sa kung paano kumalat ang coronavirus. Ang mga kaso ng papatinding rasismo ay mula sa kawalan ng sapat na kaalaman na lalong pinasidhi ng mga maling impormasyong (fake news) kumakalat ngayon sa iba’t-ibang uri at porma ng social media.

Kaya ang panawagan kontra-rasismo ay muling ibinandila ng iba’t -ibang balangay ng Migrante-Europe, matingkad dito ay ang Migrante Bologna na kung saan noong nakaraang pagdiriwang ng taunang One Billion Rising (OBR), panawagan nito sa mga lansangan ng Bolgna ay:”We rise against racism.”

Narito ang ilan sa mga update na nakalap ng Migrante-Europe ukol sa Covid-19 (29 February 2020)

*Italy – 899 cases, 21 deaths, 46 recovered.
*Germany – 79 cases.
*France  – 57 cases 2 deaths.
*Spain – 50 cases.
*United Kingdom – 20 cases.
*Belgium – 1 case.
*Switzerland – 15 cases.
*Sweden – 12 cases.
*Austria – 9 cases.
*Norway – 7 cases.
*Netherlands – 4 cases.
*Denmark – 3 cases.
*Iceland – 1 case.

For Reference:
Rhodney Pasion
Deputy Secretary General
Migrante-Europe
Head
Covid Monitoring Team (Migrante-Europe)

Email: [email protected]