Delisting MSP, a mockery

News Release
20 October 2009

Delisting Migrante Sectoral Party, a mockery of the intent of Party List Law -Migrante
Black Friday launched

"Removing Migrante Sectoral Party (MSP) in the list of accredited groups in the 2010 Partylist elections is a mockery of the intent behind the Party List Law," thus declared Migrante Saudi Arabia Chairperson A. M. Ociones as the group calls October 23 a Black Friday in protest of the recent decision of the Commission of Elections (COMELEC) En-banc Resolution No. 8679 delisting MSP along with 25 other groups.

"By removing MSP from the list of groups accredited to participate in the Partylist elections, COMELEC marginalized the migrants even more," asserts Ociones. "Definitely, this is contrary to the real intent of the Partylist Law of encouraging the participation of the un-represented and marginalized sectors of society in the democratic process of nation-building."

The decision dated 13 October 2009, removed MSP "for failing to get the required two percentum (2%) of the total votes cast in the two preceding elections" (2004 and 2007), based on the provisions of Sec 6, no. 8 of RA 7941, otherwise known as the Partylist Law, as affirmed by COMELEC Resolution No. 2847 dated 25 June 1996.

Since MSP ran and lost in the 2004 elections but did not participate as a candidate in the 2007 elections, Ociones asks "whether the said rules apply to Migrante Partylist at all."

And by issuing the Resolution without any consultation with the concerned parties, Ociones asks further whether "COMELEC based its decision on a technicality to cover its agenda of degrading the confidence of OFW's in the country's political system and pushing the migrants sector to the outer fringes of democratic participation."

"The OFW as a sector has been the largest demographic group without any representation in the political arena for the longest time," Ociones explains. "With its remittances bouying the economy afloat, OFWs however have been mostly cynical of the current political and economic system."

According to Ociones, MSP represents the broadest ever possible network of OFW organizations with chapters in at least 35 countries around the world and in the 13 regions of the country. In Saudi Arabia, MSP chapters have been active in organizing and advocating issues from the homefront and of OFW concerns in Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Dawadmi, Al Jouf, Jubail, Dammam, Hail and Khamis Mushayt.

"With the proven track record of Migrante in fiscalizing the government to act in favor, and respond to the most pressing needs of OFWs, getting MSP in the next Congress as Party-list representative is the greatest hope the Filipino migrants can ever achieve," Ociones closed.

Black Friday Protest

"Delisting MSP means delisting OFWs in the political arena," Migrante Jeddah Chairperson Bob Fajarito exclaims. "Thus, every OFW is encouraged to express their disappointment with the COMELEC decision by wearing black this Friday."

In holding the Black Friday protest, Migrante Saudi Arabia chapters would hold various assemblies in discreet locations, send protest letters and launch a petition asking the COMELEC to reconsider its decision.

According to Fajarito, they are also encouraging like-minded OFWs to send protest letters to COMELEC via email. The petition and instructions on how to send the protest letters would be available at this blog: http://migrante-ksa.blogspot.com or at their Facebook account soon.

In a related development, Migrante chapter Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan (KGS) started holding indoor assemblies in different discreet locations in Riyadh as early as Monday (19 October) to express their disappointment over the delisting. ###

Reference/s:

Bob Fajarito
Chairperson, Migrante Jeddah
Tel No. +966 50-274-5340

A. M. Ociones
Chairperson, Migrante KSA
(Migrante International - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Chapter)
Tel. No.: +966-56-679-3202
Email: migrante_ksa@yahoo.com
URL: http://migrante-ksa.blogspot.com