OPISYAL NA PAHAYAG NG MGA BALANGAY NG MIGRANTE SA ITALYA.
MARIING KINOKONDENA NG MIGRANTE ITALY ANG KARUMALDUMAL NA PAMAMASLANG NG MGA MILITAR AT ANG KAPULISAN SA CANLAON NEGROS ORIENTAL SA MGA LABING-APAT NA PAWANG MAGSASAKA.
SA ILALIM NG ADMINISTRASYONG DUTERTE NOONG 29 MARSO LANG AY NAITALA ANG BILANG NA 168 NA MAGSASAKA ANG PINATAY AT SA IKA 30 NG MARSO AY UMAKYAT ITO NG 200 DAANG MAGSASAKA NA ANG PINASLANG.
MALIBAN SA MALAWAKANG PAGPATAY SA ATING MGA MAGSASAKA PINAPAHIRAPAN DIN ANG ATING GOBYERNO ANG MGA MAGSASAKA SA BAGONG BATAS NA INAPPROBAHAN AT IPINAPATUPAD NITO. KAMAKAYLAN LANG INAPROBAHAN ANG PAGPAPATUPAD NG HOUSE BILL 7735 OR RICE TARIFFICATION BILL AT KUNG SAAN IPAPATUPAD NG ATING GOBYERNO ANG UNLIMITED NA PAG ANGKAT NG BIGAS NA SIYA RIN ANG DAHILAN ANG PAGBAGSAK AT PAG KALUGI NG MGA MAGSASAKA DAHIL SA MABABANG PRESYO NG PALAY DAHIL SA SOBRANG SUPPLY NG IMPORTED NA BIGAS. GANITO TRATUHIN ANG ATING GOBYERNO ANG ATING MGA MAGSASAKA UNTI UNTING PINAPATAY DAHIL SA BATAS NA ITO.
ISANG MALAKING DAGOK DIN ITO SA MGA PAMILYA NG MGA OFW DAHIL KARAMIHAN SA AMING MGA PAMILYA AY UMAASA LAMANG SA PAGSASAKA.ITINUTURING DIN NA DAGDAG PAHIRAP ITO DAHIL SA EPEKTO NG MABABANG PRESYO SA BENTAHAN NG PALAY SA LOKAL NA MERKADO.
ANG HANAY NG MGA NAGKAKAISANG MIGRANTE DITO SA ITALYA PINAPAABOT NAMIN SA ATING GOBYERNO ANG AMING PAGKUNDINA SA LALO PANG LUMALALANG PAGPATAY. NANAWAGAN DIN KAMI NG HUSTISYA SA MGA LABING-APAT NA PINATAY SA CANLAON NEGROS AT SA LAHAT NA BIKTIMA NG WALANG HINTONG PAGPATAY SA MGA ORDINARYONG PILIPINO.
AMING DIN PINAPAABOT ANG AMING PAKIKIRAMAY AT NAKIKIISA KAMI SA PAGHAHANAP NG HUSTISYA SA MGA PAMILYA NG MGA MAGBUBUKID SA NEGROS.
Press Statement Migrante Europe IWD 2019 March 8, 2019
Today, hundreds of thousands of women from the grassroots, of different races and backgrounds will lead the march, their shouts are even more powerful and they become multitudes in number, the streets and plazas will be blanketed by their rages, they are fed up of social inequality, chauvinism and misogyny and their fight continues.
In the Philippines, every day is a sad story for women: governed by a tyrant and fascist President, the overwhelming majority suffer unimaginable poverty, they are made vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, and they are being attacked and killed. President Duterte’s war on drugs is a nightmare to everyone. The death toll has risen to more than 23,000 and the number of victims continues to escalate. Grieving wives & mothers have become a daily scene in the news, on the tabloids, television and the social networks.
To add insult to injury, Duterte’s “war on terror” is a “war on the poor people.” During the Marawi siege in 2017, resulted to casualties of more than 1,000 people, whilst displacing more than 200,000, majority of whom were women and children. The city in Southern Philippines was totally devastated, including homes and livelihoods of the people. The said conflict has been used as an excuse to declare and extend martial rule in the whole island of Mindanao. The prolongation of Martial Law in Mindanao will mean more abuses, tortures, mass arrests, and extrajudicial killings.
For almost three years of Duterte in power, the Philippines economy has become much worse. Neoliberal policies have maintained if not expanded – leaving the country stunted and underdeveloped, import-dependent and export-oriented, subservient and dominated by foreign capitalists, in particular, the US, and now China. A case in point is the The Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN Law – a regressive and anti-poor legislation that will further push people to extreme poverty to the tune of 21.9 million Filipinos. This utter desperation has resulted to the daily deployment of 5,460 OFWs as cheap and docile labour to the global market (IBON FOUNDATION, Jan. 2019).
Exploitation and discrimination experienced by Filipino migrant women.
Filipinos in Europe, particularly women are vulnerable to exploitation, discrimination, and abuse. Many of them are especially exposed to violent and insecure working conditions as exemplified by myriad of cases of sexual abuse and physical injuries that have been reported to Migrante Europe and member organizations in the region.
Migrante and Gabriela Chapters in Europe have been handling increasing number of cases of battered women and recently, sex slavery.
Many Filipinos work as domestic helpers and caregivers, dubbed as the most “in demand” (read: dirtiest) jobs in many countries in Europe. Cases of long hours of work, low wages and unpaid benefits and constant maltreatment have been documented by migrant advocacy groups.
Women events and collective action for March 8.
In Rome, the Gabriela Rome Chapter and friends danced the 1 Billion Rising “Ang Bangon na sa Rebolusyon,” and “Break the Chain” in Sentro Filipino Catholic Chaplaincy last Sunday, 3rd March.
Today, In Brussels, Belgium, trade union members and workers’ advocates joined the “Women Strike on the Street.”
The Gabriela Germany joined the women march and mobilization in Berlin.
On March 17, the Women Committee of Migrants in Italy will once again gather in a cultural event to be participated by different migrant organizations in Rome including UMANGAT-Migrante and Gabriela Rome Chapter.
On the same day, Filipino women will rise and “speak up” in the most awaited launching of Gabriela London in the United Kingdom.
In these challenging times, where women issues are a global concern, it is an urgent call for every woman and for every Filipino to break the chains of silence, exploitation, and discrimination and collectively rage, rise and fight on all fronts until victory is achieved. ###
Migrante Austria strongly condemns the increasingly despotic nature of the Duterte regime, manifested in the following:
Duterte vigorously carries out his brand of counter-insurgency program, Oplan Kapayapaan, which victimizes innocent and unarmed civilians, and members of progressive organizations.
The work of rights defenders and community leaders are criminalized and vilified.
Quite a number activists or persons targeted by the military and other state security forces are summarily excuted.
Many more are made to face non-bailable criminal charges that are commonly accompanied by acts of harassment, planting of evidence, perjured testimonies, among others.
The above observations were already noted as early as August 2018: “According to Human Rights Watch, Duterte and his War on Drugs has plunged the Philippines into its worst human rights crisis since the dictatorship years of the 1970s and 1980s.”https://borgenproject.org/human-rights-in-the-philippines/
And very recently, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) said in their statement that: ““President Duterte has demonstrated utter disregard for human rights and the rule of law by condoning, and even encouraging, extrajudicial killings and other serious human rights violations. This behavior has further reinforced the Philippines’ long-standing culture of impunity,” ” https://www.rappler.com/nation/224616-watchdogs-say-end-duterte-war-human-rights-defenders
The fate of two members of the Peace Talks panel who visited Vienna, Austria is a case in point: Ka Adel and Ka Randy. They were here in Vienna about 3 months apart for the Peace Fora jointly sponsored by the Philippine Embassy in Vienna and Migrante Austria.
Ka Adel and Ka Randy shed light on the objectives and status of the then on-going peace talks between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) with particular emphasis on the Socio Economic Reform Agenda that seeks to: a) carry out agrarian reform and national industrialisation; b) advance the rights of exploited, oppressed, discriminated and disadvantaged sectors of society; c) uphold, protect, defend and promote economic sovereignty; and d) conserve the national patrimony and protect the environment.
Ka Adel spoke at the Peace Forum in October 2016. In October 2018, he was arrested for “trumped up” charges. He is an active NDFP peace negotiator, and is supposedly protected from arrest, surveillance and harassment under the GRP-NDFP Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees.
Ka Randy was here in January 2017 for the sequel of the Peace Forum. On January 30 of this year, he was shot dead while sleeping inside a bus in Northern Luzon. In his senior year, he was editor in chief of Ang Mangingisda, the official student publication of his college. As an NDFP peace consultant, Malayao is also a holder of a NDFP-GRP Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees identification card that should have given him immunity from arrest, harassment and attacks.
We urge all organizations to remain vigilant to expose and oppose the increasingly despotic nature of the Duterte regime, ie., violations against the people’s right to organize, right to assembly, and freedom of association, freedom of expression, among others.
Let us unite and continue our collective effort to stop President Duterte’s utter disregard for human rights and the rule of law by condoning, and even encouraging, extrajudicial killings and other serious human rights violations, thus end Philippines’ long-standing culture of impunity!
Reference: Michael Garlan Secretary General, Migrante Austria MP no.+43 688 64588082 3 March 2018
Ang UMANGAT-MIGRANTE Roma ay mahigpit na tumututol sa panibagong pahirap ng rehimeng Duterte sa ating mga ofw sa pagpapatupad nito ng POEA Governing Board Resolution No. 4 (GRB 4-2018) na nag-uutos ng mandatory insurance.
Sa resolusyong ito, ipinapasa ng gobyerno ng Pilipinas sa mga pribadong sektor ang kanyang responsibilidad sa pagbibigay ng serbisyo at proteksyon sa mga ofw. Hindi pa lubos na nasiyahan sa pangingikil sa mga bagong migranteng manggagawa, kating-kati naman ang kamay nito na maipahigop sa mga pribadong insurance provider ang bilyun-bilyong pisong kikitain mula sa mga re-hire na mga migrante.
Sa pamamagitan ng US $144 na masisingil sa mandatory insurance sa bawat re-hire na manggagawa, tinatayang kikita ang mga POEA-accredited insurance provider ng Php 7.6 bilyon bawat taon, batay sa datos na halos isang milyong re-hire na mga migranteng manggagawa ang naideploy nitong nakaraang taon. Hindi pa kasama rito ang koleksyong kukuhain sa mga baguhang migranteng manggagawa. Walang pagdududang maihahambing ito sa isang malaking panghoholdap!
Sa karaniwang kaso, ang mga karagdagang singilin na ito ay mauuuwi lamang bilang salary deduction o di kaya’y isa sa mga naglolobohang singilin ng mga recruitment agencies. Kundi man mabagal ang pagproseso, kadalasa’y hindi na nila natatanggap ang kanilang mga claims. Sa kalauna’y ang mga ofw pa ang muling magagastusan sa pagyao’t parito na pag-aasikaso sa napaka-burokratikong proseso ng paglalakad nito.
Ang POEA GRB 4 ay walang pagsasaalang-alang sa ilang mga bansa. Sa Italya, ang mga migranteng manggagawa ay kabilang sa programa at batas sa paggawa. Bagama’t nakabatay sa permit to stay, humigit-kumulang ay tinatamasa ng isang regular na manggagawang migranteng Pilipino ang iba pang mga benepisyong ibinibigay sa isang karaniwang manggagawa. Ang resolusyong ito ng POEA ay magsisilbi lamang na karagdagang pasanin sa balikat ng mga employer sa dahilang nagbabahagi na sila ng pagbabayad sa kontribusyon ng manggaggawa nito sa INPS (katumbas ng ating SSS). Sa pinakamalala, ang dagdag-bayarin na ito ay maaaring ipasa ng employer sa kanyang manggagawa.
Tila hindi pa sapat ang pahirap sa ofw at ng kanyang pamilya sa pagtaas ng mga bilihin at dagdag na gastusin dulot ng TRAIN. Dinagdagan pa ang pagpapahirap sa paggamit sa POEA bilang tagapagpiga ng pribadong tubo ng mga burukratang namumuno rito na may pakinabang at o tuwirang koneksyon sa mga partner na insurance companies.
Kung ang pangulo ay tunay na naglilingkod para sa interes nating mga ofw, tulad ng kanyang pagmamarali, hinahamon natin ang pamahalaang Duterte na i-scrap ang POEA GBR 4-2018 at ganap na harapin ang responsibilidad nito na proteksyunan ang karapatan at kapakanan ng mga migranteng manggagawang Pilipino at ang kanilang pamilya. Itigil ang walang habas na pandarambong ng mga malalaking korporasyon at itaguyod ang interes at kagalingan ng mga migranteng Pilipino.
Ibasura ang POEA GBR 04-2018!
Serbisyo hindi negosyo! Proteksyon hindi koleksyon!
Ugnayan ng Migranteng Manggagawa Tungo sa Pag-unlad (UMANGAT MIGRANTE), Rome, Italy Contact information: Rowena Flores Caraig – email: [email protected]
MIGRANTE BOLOGNA RISE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE MIGRANTS SECTOR , OPPRESSED OFW ALL OVER THE WORLD TO DEMAND AND END TO ALL FORMS OF VIOLENCE , DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MIGRANTS DOMESTIC WORKERS AROUND THE GLOBE.
WE DANCE AND RISE IN SOLIDARITY WITH OUR KABABAYAN IN THE PHILLIPINES AGAINST TYRANNICAL RULE OF DUTERTE ADMINISTRATION. WE ALSO DEMAND TO STOP THE ATTACK OF UNACCEPTABLE STATEMENT OF PRESIDENT DUTERTE ABOUT “RAPE IS A PART OF PILIPINO CULTURE “ WE PILIPINO MIGRANTS CALLING THE GOVERNMENT TO END AND RESOLVE THE PROBLEM OF FORCED MIGRATION THROUGH LABOR EXPORT POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
TO THE OBR COORDINATOR MS. RACHELE HANGSLEBEN AND FWL PRESIDENT DITZ DE JESUS AND ALL PARTICIPANTS, WE CONVEY WARMEST GREETINGS OF SOLIDARITY. WE ALWAYS STAND AS NEIGHBORS AND FAMILY TO REJECT INTIMIDATION AND VIOLENCE.
WE RISE FOR MIGRANTS RIGHTS ! WE RISE AGAINST MISOGYNY ! WE STRIKE AND RISE AGAINST RAPE!
Mariing kinokondena ng Ugnayang
Pilipino sa Belgium (UPB) ang patraydor na pagpatay kay NDFP peace
consultant Randy Malayao noong Jan.30, sa Hilagang Luzon sa
Pilipinas. Siya ay binaril sa loob ng bus habang natutulog. Ang
salarin ay pumanhik sa bus habang ito ay naka-stop over sa Aritao,
Nueva Vizcaya. Tumakas ang kriminal sakay ng motor ng naghihintay
na kasamahan.
Si Ka Randy ay
isang dating aktibistang istudyante . Siya ay naging opisyal ng
College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), ang samahan ng mga
patnugutan ng mga Kolehiyo at Unibersidad sa Pilipinas. Siya rin ay
aktibong nangangampanya para sa paggalang sa karapatang pantao at
pagkamit ng tunay na kapayapaan at kaunlaran ng Pilipinas.
Siya ay naging political prisoner noong
panahon ng administrasyon ni Gloria Arroyo. Nang siya ay makalaya,
ipinagpatuloy niya ang kanyang aktibismo at gumampan ng mahalagang
papel sa pagbubuo ng Bayan Muna sa Cagayan Valley. Naging
susi rin siya sa pagbuo at paglawak ng organisasyong Migrante sa
rehiyon.
Nakadaupang palad ng
UPB si Ka Randy noong siya, kasama ang iba pang peace consultants ng
NDFP ay pumunta dito sa Europe para sa usaping pangkayapaan sa
pagitan ng Goverment of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) at ng
National Democratic front of the Philippines (NDFP).
Malinaw at
makatwiran ang pagpapaliwanag niya na, ang pagpapatupad ng tunay na
reporma sa lupa at tunay na industriyalisasyon ang siyang
makakapagbigay daan tungo sa pagkamit ng pangmatagalang kapayapaan at
kaunlaran sa lipunang Pilipino.
Ang masidhing
pagmamahal ni Ka Randy sa mga magsasaka at mamamayan ng Cagayan
Valley, ang pagyakap nito sa kanilang mga hangarin at interes, at
ang walang pag-iimbot na pakikipamuhay at pagsama sa kanilang
pakikibaka ay lumikha ng malaking pagkapoot at higit sa lahat ay
malaking TAKOT ng Rihemeng US-Duterte. Nangangamba silang ang mga
mamamayan ay natututong igiit ang kanilang mga karapatan at
kagalingan. Ang epektibong paggampan ni Ka Randy bilang isang
mahusay na propagandista, guro, o bilang isang matapat na kaibigan
at kasama ay naghatid ng takot sa mga pasista. Ito ang
tanging dahilan ng patraydor na pagpatay sa kanya.
Subalit ang binhi ng pag-asa at ang
marubdob na hangaring mapalaya, mapaunlad at makamit ang
pangmatagalang kapayapaan ay naipunla na ni Ka Randy sa malawak na
mamamayan hindi lamang sa Hilagang Luzon sa Pilipinas kundi umabot na
hanggang dito sa Europa.
Kasama ng INTAL (International Action
for Liberation, Stop the Killings platform, ang UPB ay magsasagawa
ng kilos protesta sa Brussels ngayong Lunes, Feb. 4.
STOP THE KILLINGS, JUSTICE NOW! OUST US-DUTERTE REGIME! JUSTICE FOR RANDY MALAYAO, BEN RAMOS, AND OTHER VICTIMS OF EXTRA JUDICIAL KILLINGS!
Migrante Europe strongly calls on the
government of Japan to stop the deportation of Loida Quindoy.
Loida Quindoy is a 56 year old Filipino
mother and grandmother facing involuntary deportation in Japan after
the Ministry of Justice on October 11, 2018, canceled her provisional
release. Her deportation was originally scheduled on October 18,
2018, was temporarily stopped after Migrante Japan and other groups
protested in front of the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau on
October 17.
Loida came to Japan in 1996 by virtue
of her marriage to a Japanese national. She however, filed for
divorce in 2000 because of her husband’s verbal and emotional
abuse. As a result, Loida lost her 3-year long-term residence status.
For four years, Loida lived with a
Filipino who at that time was an “overstay” or undocumented. In
2005, he got arrested and was deported to the Philippines.
In 2007, Loida decided to marry him in
the Philippines and upon her return to Japan filed for his
eligibility so that her husband can join her in Japan. She was
unaware of new immigration policies and the bad immigration record of
her husband: two counts of overstaying and used of assumed identity.
By signing his application for eligibility however, Loida became a
co-conspirator. In 2010, in spite of undertaking voluntary confession
before the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau, her husband was
detained and was deported to the Philippines in 2011.
Migrante Bologna
Loida, on the other hand, was
investigated and was found guilty of aiding her husband’s return to
Japan in 2007. Her permanent resident status was revoked in 2012,
which she obtained in 2009 because of hard work and fervently paying
her tax dues.
Loida underwent deportation proceedings
and was given a provisional release. Because she was not allowed to
take the paid job by the court, Loida sustained herself only through
the help of family and friends.
On October 11, 2018, Loida’s
provisional release was canceled without warning and was immediately
detained and a week later she was scheduled for
deportation.
Loida is a victim of injustice; the
decision of the Ministry of Justice to revoke her permanent residency
was too harsh a punishment. And now being subjected to involuntary
deportation is much worse.
Justice for Loida Quindoy! Reinstate the residence status of Loida Quindoy! No migrant is illegal!
For reference:
Fr. Herbert Fadriquela Jr. Chairperson, Migrante Europe
Ang mga balangay ng
organisasyong Migrante sa Italya ay mahigpit na tinituligsa ang
walang habas na pagsikil sa karapatang pantao, pagtugis at
pamamaslang sa mga grupo at indibidwal na kritiko ng rehimeng
US-Duterte. Halos araw araw ang pagtaas ng bilang ng mga biktima ng
mga ilegal na pagdakip, detensyon at pagsasampa ng mga gawa gawang
kaso. Sunod sunod na pagpaslang sa mga lider at organisador ng mga
pangmasang organisasyon, pari, abogado at itong huli’y isang
konsultant ng NDFP na si Felix Randy Malayao.
Si ka Randy ay nakilala
at nakasama ng mga grupo at indibidwal ng organisasyong Migrante sa
Italya nuong huling bahagi ng 2016 sa Roma para sa ilang mga
paghahanda ng usapang pangkapayapaan sa pagitan ng GRP at NDFP.
Aktibo sa pagdalo si ka Randy sa iba’t ibang mga Forum at
inisyatiba ng organisasyong Migrante. Walang kapaguran nyang
nilahukan ang mga paanyaya ng iba’t ibang mga organisasyon kabilang
ang mga Italyano para sa paglilinaw ng layunin ng NDFP, nang tunay
na kalagayang pang-ekonomiya at putitika, at ang mungkahing mga
reporma at pagbabago para sa pagkakamit ng isang makatwiran at
pangmatagalang kapayapaan sa ating bansa.
Ang brutal at patraydor
na paraan ng mga pagpaslang na ito ay isa nang tatak ng gobyerno ni
Duterte. Mismong sa bibig niya nagmumula ang mga pahayag ng
kabastusan, pangungutya, paghimok ng galit at pang-eengganyo ng mga
pagpatay sa mga kritiko at kalaban sa politika ng kanyang
administrasyon. Pagpatay ang pangunahing paraan ng gobyernong ito
upang maghasik ng takot sa papalawak at lumalapad na kilusan ng
mamamayang nagigising sa katotohang walang positibo at tunay na
pagbabagong naganap at magaganap sa ilalim ng kanyang panunugkulan.
Sa kabila naman ng mga
ilegal na pagdakip, detensyon at pandarahas, sa papalapit na
eleksyon, tuloy tuloy naman sa pagmamaniobra ang mga kasapakat ni
Duterte para diskwalipikahin ang mga partylist ng mga tunay na
kumakatawan sa mga mamamayan at mas binigyang pabor ang pagpasok ng
mga bogus o pekeng partylist. Nag-uunahan ang mga trapong politiko sa
pag-agaw ng atensyon sa masmidya sa pamamagitan samut saring gimik
elektoral habang tinatabunan ang mahahalagang usapin ng bayan kaugnay
ng sahod, trabaho, kalusugan, pabahay, buwis at iba pa.
Walang maasahang
kalutasan ang sektor nating migrante sa lumalalang krisis ng lipunang
Pilipino sa pamumuno ni Duterte. Patuloy parin ang migrasyon nating
Pilipino. Ang mapait pa’y habang tayo’y lumalabas ng bansa ay
siya namang pagpasok ng libu-libong lakas paggawa mula sa Tsina sa
kadahilanang kulang daw tayo ng mga mangagawang may kasanayan. Tayo
ngayo’y nabubuhay sa daigdig ng kabaligtaran. Nirerebisa ang
kasaysayan sa pamamagitan ng mga peke at maling datos. Nahihirang at
pinararangalan ang mga bwitre at korup, habang nilalait, kinukutya at
kinukulong ang tunay na mga lingkod bayan. Buhay na buhay ang mga
kriminal samantalang ang mga inosenteng tagapagtanggol at
tagapagtaguyod ng karapatan at pakayapaan ay pinapatay.
Itigil na ang kahibangang
ito. Itigil ang pamamaslang! Papanagutin ang gobyernong ito sa
paglabag sa karapatang pantao! Patalsikin ang rehimeng US-Duterte!
Hustisya kay ka Randy Malayao! Hustisya sa Lahat ng Biktima ng
Pasismo ng Rehimeng US-Duterte!
UMANGAT-Migrante Roma |
Migrante-Como/Milano | Migrante-Bologna | Migrante-Firenze | KAPIT
BISIG-Migrante Milan | Migrante-Mantova(kp) | Migrante-Caserta(kp)
We at Migrante Austria hold the Duterte regime responsible for the murder of (NDFP) human rights advocate and peace panel consultant Ka Randy Felix Malayao.
As an NDFP peace consultant, Ka Randy is a holder of a NDFP-GRP Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees identification card that should have given him immunity from arrest, harassment and attacks.
Ka Randy, 49 years old, was a Bayan Muna regional coordinator and a human rights defender, when he was shot dead while sleeping inside a bus in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya at around 2:30 AM of 30 January 2019.
On 28 January 2017, Randy took part in a Peace Forum jointly sponsored by the Philippine Embassy in Vienna and Migrante Austria, to shed light on the then on-going peace talks between the Philippine government and the NDFP. The said Peace Forum was attended by 30 Filipino community organisations’ leaders, Austrian friends and officials of the Embassy.
He clarified the goals of, and latest developments in, the peace talks to the Filipino community. The event was highly educational and amicable as both panels had high hopes for the Peace Talks resolving the vital issues at hand: i,e genuine land reform, nationalist industrialisation and finally the resolution of the armed conflict, thus the lasting peace.
Why did Ka Randy have to die? It is deplorable that Duterte’s Death Squads operate with a license to kill or harass, in any form, all those with ties to leftist groups.
According to Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, “This is another nail on the coffin of the peace negotiations. It is truly tragic that while we are going all out to resume the peace negotiations, the militarist hawks in the Duterte administration are the ones running the show.”
Yet, such despicable acts will not quell the people’s desire for just and lasting peace. The people who have withstood history in their fight for truth and justice will not be cowed. The call for justice for Randy Malayao and other victims of human rights violations is a call to hasten our collective struggle to change this regime, which brings nothing but death and destruction.
Let us value peace and those who live, work and die for peace!
Justice for Ka Randy Malayao! Justice for all victims of extrajudicial killings!
Reference:
Michael Garlan Secretary General, Migrante Austria Mobile Phone +43 688 64588082
The Second Regional Council Meeting of Migrante Europe was held at Opera Don Guanella, Como, Italy on 19-20 January 2019. The Vice President for Internal Affairs, Rafael Joseph Maramag, chaired the proceedings.
Representatives of member organizations who attended the Regional Council meeting were: Rhodney Passion – Migrante Bologna; Franklin Irabon – Migrante Milan; Mike Montemayor – Kapit-Bisig Migrante; Ann Brusola – Gabriela Rome; Maitet Ledesma – Pinay sa Holland Gabriela; Manuel Singson -Makabayang Samahan ng mga Pilipino sa Netherlands (MKSP); Elnora Held – Gabriela Germany; Kendy Sario -Ugnayang Pilipino sa Belgium (UPB); and Rafael Joseph Maramag – Kanlugan UK.
With Fr. Joseph Nweke, SdC of Opera Don Guanella Como
Also in attendance were observers and personalities from various institutions and organizations, namely: Rev. Fr. Joseph Nweke SdC, Officer –in – Charge Opera Don Guanella Como; Fabbio Cani, Spokesperson Como Senza Frontiere (Como Without Borders); and Don Giusto Della Valle, Parochial Priest Rebbio-Como.
With Fabio Cani of Como Senza Frontiere (Como Without Borders)
OPENING
Migrante Europe Vice President for Internal Affairs Rafael Joseph Maramag addressed the opening of the meeting and he presented the outline of topics for the two-day meeting.
Franklin Irabon, the General Secretary of Migrante Milan welcomed the participants, briefly shared the historical background of the venue, its significant role to the life of migrants and refugees, and its relationship to Migrante Milan.
Migrante Europe Secretary General Ann Brusola emphasized the positive results which collective action had brought on her report of mass campaigns for the last six months.
With Don Giusto Della Valle, Parochial Priest Rebbio-Como
The PLAN OF ACTION 2019
Maitet Ledesma, Migrate Europe Vice President for External Affairs, presented the Communique of the Migrante International 8th Congress | Migrante … ???
Migrante Europe’s plan of action for the year 2019 adheres to the General Program of Action of Migrante International 2019-2021. Major campaigns to be launched for the first quarter of this year are as follows: 1. Oust Duterte 2. Petition and protest against the disqualification of Manggagawa Partylist 3. Neri Colmenares sa Senado
OUST DUTERTE CAMPAIGN
The Regional Council Members of Migrante Europe fully support the call to oust Rodrigo Duterte from power. Duterte’s promise of change to millions of Filipinos was a sham. On the contrary, he is putting the nation in greater misery.
Migrante Europe remains steadfast to the call for ending state sponsorship of terrorism: Stop the killings! End Martial Law in Mindanao! From the start of Duterte’s term until September 2018, Karapatan had documented 196 victims of political killings, 157 of whom were peasants. There were at least 2,000 illegal arrests. Military operations continue to harass and displace residents, with 446,816 victims of forced evacuations and 71,298 individuals harassed and threatened.
Duterte’s bloody drug war death toll could be as high as 27,000 (Phil. Commission on Human Rights). The rising death toll has faced stinging criticism for targeting the urban poor and failing to take down any kingpin drug dealers.
At least 74 minors have been killed in police operations (July 2016- December 2017), notably the brutal killing of Kian Loyd de Los Santos, 17 years old and a son of an overseas Filipino worker (August 2017).
Emaciated by cancer and mistaken as a drug addict, Allan Rafael, 35 years old, a former migrant worker, was detained, beaten and tortured by the police, and died four days later after his arrest in detention.
Duterte is guilty and liable for his crimes against humanity (IPT 2018, Brussels).
Stop the TRAIN! While the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN Law increases the Filipino workers’ take-home pay, it also increased taxes on sweetened beverages, cigarettes, cars and fuel. And although this only affects a few products, other industries that widely use these are passing on the burden of the increased prices to their consumers. Now, even the prices of meat, vegetables, and rice have increased.
The National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), has filed a petition before the Supreme Court to declare the TRAIN Law unconstitutional for being anti-poor and passed in Parliament without a required quorum.
MANDATORY SSS MEMBERSHIP AND EXACTIONS TO OFW
Migrante Europe will continue to oppose all forms of exactions, unjustifiable and excessive fees being imposed by the Manila government, most recently the “Social Security Act of 2018” making the membership in Social Security Systems (SSS) compulsory to overseas Filipino workers.
Dialogues with Philippine embassies and consulates, lobbying, petition signing, forum, and mobilizations in different areas of responsibility will be initiated and conducted.
EXPANSION OF MEMBERSHIP
Migrante Europe has 15 member organizations all over the region, and for this year, each member plans to recruit one new organization for the alliance.
These new organizations will also be encouraged to join the International Migrants Alliance (IMA) and the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS).
EDUCATION AND INFORMATION DRIVE
Continuous political education to membership and Migrants Orientation to new members will be conducted. Migrante Europe has a list of resources, including documentary and full-feature films for internal and public viewing that may broaden our understanding of various social issues and concerns. These films, in particular, can encourage migrants to organize and mobilize themselves: Sunday Beauty Queen, Sa Liyab ng Libong Sulo, Lola, Revolution Selfie, The Guerilla is a Poet, etc.
Statements in response to urgent issues and calls will be widely distributed.
Workshop Group 1Workshop Group 2
WOMEN AND OBR
Programs for women migrants will be implemented. Women orientation and women consciousness programs will be conducted, particularly for women organizations like Gabriela chapters in the region. There are chapter members which are planning to join the One Billion Rising events this year. Synchronized event is on March 8, 2019
LABOR DAY – May 1, 2019 a coordinated Day of Protest.
ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN
1. Petition signing to allow the Manggagawa Party-list to participate in the May 2019 elections
Migrante Europe will lead the petition signing in Europe to protest the disqualification of Manggagawa Partylist by the COMELEC and to allow the MP to participate in the upcoming May 2019 parliamentary elections.
The Commission on Elections disqualified the group in December 2018 after it failed to mention in its application for registration that it is “not an entity funded or assisted by the government.”
The 1987 Constitution allocated half of the seats for party-list representatives in Congress to labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, women, youth, among others, for the first 3 consecutive terms after its ratification.
Manggagawa Partylist is a huge sector of workers including Migrante, transport workers, urban poor (Kadamay), and Kilusang Mayo Uno.
2. Neri Colmenares sa Senado
Neri Colmenares was a three-term Congressman in the Philippines House of Representatives. He has a proven record of pushing for and helping pass pro-people legislation resolutions while in the Congress. Migrante Europe will lead the campaign in the region for Neri Colmenares to win a seat to the Senate.
Colmenares said that if elected senator he would immediately go to work to remove excise taxes from the oppressive TRAIN Law. He will aggressively address the rising prices of basic goods and fight to increase the minimum wage, among others.
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY
On the second day of the Regional Council Meeting, Father Joseph Nweke, SdC delivered the opening prayer and expressed his warmest welcome to the Regional Council delegates and observers. Father Joseph is the current Responsible Person of the Opera Don Guanella Como. The establishment was founded in the 6 April 1886, on the initiative of Blessed Luigi Guanella to assist the homeless, the young and old people without family.
Don Guanella Como welcomes migrants in distress. The Migrant Reception Center (Centro di Acccoglienza Migranti) recently hosted 20 political asylum seekers, and now under the process of the integration program. The center also offers Italian language lesson, skills trainings and professional formation for migrants.
Don Giusto Della Valle, the Parochial Priest of Rebbio –Como, expressed his appreciation to be invited to the meeting. Don Giusto (Fr. Giusto) was formerly assigned in Cameroon, and very much familiar with the problems of African people which are similar to many oppressed people in the world.
He believes that “the land is for all and the government has the responsibility to protect its people. The church believes that private ownership is not important, that our world is dominated by the giant capitalist, that a small percentage of people control the world’s resources, and with this situation, we can understand the existence of migration.”
For the past years, more than 36,000 migrants have died at sea trying to reach European shores. Just recently, more than 60 migrants are believed to be missing after the rubber boat they were on sank in the Mediterranean Sea.
Today, migrants are the center of discussion and being treated negatively. The current Security Decree of Prime Minister Salvini in Italy threatens many migrants. The Church, on the other hand, is welcoming migrants. Father Giusto and his community are involved in education and socio-cultural formation for migrants and refugees. He welcomes Migrante Europe for future collaboration with his community.
Fabio Cani, Spokesperson of Como Senza Frontiere (Without Borders) expressed his solidarity to Migrante Europe and its Second Regional Council Meeting.
Como Senza Frontiere, founded three years ago, is a network that aims to bring together all the issues and voices of individuals, associations, movements, political forces, seekers of truth and justice for all victims of the genocide that has been going on for decades of an ever less united Europe and ever more ”fortified”.
The network adheres and commits itself to change the perception of Italians about the phenomenon of migration by promoting activities aimed at building a world of peace, and by conveying solidarity, non-violent, anti-racist and anti-fascist information.
Fabio encourages migrants and Migrante Europe to take part in this network because it is open to the possibility of deeper relations with other cultures and other ideas. He concluded that peace is not the absence of war, but a matter of justice, a matter of rights. Rights should be applied equally. If not, it is only a privilege for some, but not a right for all.
Migrante Europe delegates joined the March for Peace (Marcia Della Pace) in Como, Italy 20 January 2019. The marchers called `to stop the genocide in the Mediterranean Sea and appealed to the Italian Coast Guard to intervene.´
MIGRANTE EUROPE SECOND CONGRESS
The 2nd Congress of Migrante Europe will be held at Como, Italy on December 6-8, 2019.
