1B assistance package?

27 February
PRESS RELEASE:

Reference: Garry Martinez, Chairperson- 09217229740

1-billion assistance package?
They won’t even reimburse our plane ticket – retrenched OFWs

Analiza Rufino’s sister died last February. She desperately is awaiting the reimbursement of her airfare which was promised personally by OWWA Administrator Carmelita Dimson during a dialogue last February 12. She was planning to use the money for the burial of her father.

Christmas Mindanao’s brother and aunt is in a hospital because of tumor and needs immediate medication for her illness. She, too, awaits the reimbursement of her airfare she paid when their company and recruiters refuse to shoulder her repatriation as stipulated in her contract.

Retrenched OFWs together with Gabriela and Migrante International protested in front of DOLE building to denounce the Arroyo administration’s alleged grand spin on an assistance package full of holes and lies.

“If President Arroyo thinks she can get away with her lies, she is dead wrong. Retrenched OFWs from Taiwan know the truth and are ready to unmask her and her economic resiliency plan for OFWs as a grand hoax,” declared Gina Esguerra, Secretary General of Migrante International.

Migrante and the retrenched workers have joined hands with Gabriela, the alliance of Filipino women’s organizations around the world as they intensify their condemnation of the economic package. Their protest also signaled the intention of women migrants to

Participate in the upcoming protest march of Gabriela to commemorate the International Women’s day on March 8.

Women workers have been most affected by retrenchments brought by the global crisis here and abroad. Seventy percent of the workers in the export processesing zones in the country and majority of OFWs in the electronic and similar industries abroad are Filipino women, according to Migrante.

“Our sisters and mothers were forced to leave their loved ones because the government failed to address the worsening problem of unemployment and poverty that beset our country. Yet in times of problem the Arroyo administration turn its back and even tries to deceive them by concocting useless and showcase livelihood loan programs,” Esguerra added.

During the protest, retrenched OFWs waived their receipts to prove that they have paid their airfare for their repatriation. They also burned boxes that symbolized President Arroyo’s assistance package for OFWs.###