Bagong Bayani Ayaw kay Gloria!

You may participate in this Petition by sending your name, organization or at least the country where you're at to this email: migrante_ksa@yahoo.com or by signing the online petition at http://www.ipetitio ns.com/petition/ GloriaResign. You may also print the said petition, ask your friends to sign it then send us the signatories with their email address and location/country or a scanned copy at our email: migrante_ksa@yahoo.com Subj: BaBAY Gloria!

BaBAY GLORIA!
(BAgong Bayani AYaw kay Gloria)

Gloria Resign Now!
Petition signing in Support
of the People’s call for Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to Resign

(Initiated by Migrante Chapters - member organizations of Migrante International,
in the Middle East)

We cannot stand two more years of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Instead of addressing the concerns of the Filipino people and of Filipino migrant workers, GMA’s crimes have piled up higher. Diverse sectors in the country have stepped up the call for GMA’s resignation and even the Catholic bishops have branded the GMA administration as morally-bankrupt.

Among the crimes of Mrs. Arroyo and her government are:

Corruption and Bribery

The mulit-million dollar expose on the National Broadband Network deal involving GMA and her husband has shown that corruption in the government continues to brew up to the top executive office. Bribery to serve the interest of the GMA administration has also become so open and blatant as exposed by Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran and local government officials such as Pampanga Governor Fr. Ed
Panlilio.

Gross human rights violations

Of the more than 886 cases of extrajudicial killings and more than 170 cases of enforced disappearances that include activists and government critics, not a single conviction has been made. Worse, majority of the cases have not even managed to get into courts because of the government’s failure to investigate on the cases. With the counterinsurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya II and the Human Security Act of 2007 in place, human rights violations will remain unabated and will even get worse.

Election fraud

The legitimacy of the GMA government is still very much suspect. While the “Hello Garci” scandal has not yet been satisfactorily resolved, electoral fraud especially of the administration camp has again smeared the elections in order to ensure an administration majority in the Philippine Congress to quash future moves for GMA’s impeachment.

Artificial “economic development” and “strengthening of the peso”

With lots of embellishments, the GMA government has touted the so-called recovery of the economy as shown, according to them, by the continued strengthening of the Philippine peso.

However, such a “development” remains an illusion to majority of the people as prices soar even higher, wages remain depressed and job scarcity is still widespread.

Neglect of migrant workers

Many Filipino migrant workers die, suffer from abuses, were incarcerated or have been given the death penalty. Despite these, government response and assistance to Filipino workers abroad who are in distress are very limited if not nil in many of the cases. While forever branding Filipino migrant workers as heroes, migrant workers are always hard pressed to get government officials abroad to assist them in their situation.

The unconcern of the GMA government to the plight of migrant workers is shown in policies such as the OWWA Omnibus Policy, that effectively made OWWA services to OFWs even more inaccessible, as well as the POEA Guidelines that made overcharging legal.

GMA’s ineptitude and irresponsibility can be seen in the following
cases:

· Implementation of MC-04 Guidelines on Direct Hiring
· 198 Stranded OFWs in Jeddah
· Inept Consular Officials including labor attaches’ and OWWA Welfare Officers in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates , Kuwait , Qatar and Bahrain .

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has no more integrity or the political and moral ascendancy to rule. With her in power, there can be no let up in the deterioration of the Philippines ‘ economic, political and social situation because GMA and her allies are the ones who are the masterminds of policies that impoverish and repress us.

Only through the removal of GMA and her minions can these crimes be ended and a relief can be given to the people.

With her mountain of crimes against the Filipino people, GMA - and her lackeys in Malacañang and Philippine Posts abroad- must step down. Else, the Filipino people and the migrant workers will be the ones to show her government the way out.

Your signature is a significant contribution for the establishment of a new democratic and pro-people post-Arroyo government.

Kindly include your name and/or organizations below:

SIGNATORIES

1. John L.C. Monterona - Regional Coordinator, Migrante Middle East
2. Mario Ben - Secretary-General, Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan-Migrante- Riyadh (KSA)
3. Andrew M. Ociones - Chairperson, Migrante-Saudi Arabia. (KSA)
4. Roberto Fajarito - Chairperson, Migrante-Jeddah (KSA)
5. Nhel Morona - Secretary General, Migrante-UAE
6. Jhon De Jesus - Coordinator, Migrante-Qatar
7. Gil Lebria - Secretary-General, Migrante Kuwait
8. Richard Bautista - KGS/MIGRANTE, Riyadh
9. Marcelino Damiar - Migrante-Jeddah (KSA)
10. Lhouie Chua - Migrante-Jeddah (KSA)
11. Samuel Nacario Jr. - Migrants Association in Saudi Arabia (MASA, KSA)
12. Hawthorne T. Valera Jr. - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
13. Arnel C. Lorenzo - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
14. Ruben L. Nacario - Migrante-Jeddah (KSA)
15. Irin F. Fajarito - romblon@ksa Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
16. Rhey G. Artango, Al Khobar - Saudi Arabia