Press Release
6 March 2010
Most active Filipino migrants’ alliance vows to help send Ka Satur and Liza Maza in the Senate
An alliance of Filipino migrant workers based in the Middle East today vows to help bring MAKABAYAN coalition and NP guest Senatorial candidates Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza to the Senate.
Migrante members in Saudi Arabia yesterday held an outdoor proclamation assembly in Riyadh, central capital of Saudi Arabia formally declaring its support to Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza, both vying for a Senate seat on the May 10, 2010 elections.
“It is an opportune time for Filipino migrant workers and their families to elect patriotic, nationalist, and principled candidates in the Senate -the like of Ka Satur and Liza Maza should be in the Senate,” declared by Eric Jocson, Chairperson of the Riyadh-based Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan (KGS), member-organization of Migrante, during yesterday’s proclamation assembly.
Jocson added that Ka Satur and Liza Maza’s proven track records in advancing the interest, rights and welfare of Filipino workers including OFWs could easily be noticed and remembered by the half a million Overseas absentee voters and their dependents in the Philippines.
“Their uncompromising stand defending the rights and welfare of the Filipino migrant workers gave them an edge and advantage compared to other candidates, thus OFWs and their families would vote for them as respected law maker of the Upper chamber of the next Congress,” Jocson added.
On his part, Rodel Makalintal, Migrante-KSA Campaign Officer said starting yesterday after the successful Senatorial proclamation of Ka Satur and Liza Maza in Riyadh; Migrante members will conduct massive electoral campaign and gather supports and votes from the most numbers of OFWs in the Kingdom.
“Since, open electoral exercise is prohibited by the host government, we will conduct discreet house-to-house, going around and visiting the accommodations of our fellow OFWs, distributing flyers and leaflets to our fellow OFWs and conduct indoor meetings amongst our fellow OFWs to discuss our MAKABAYAN platform and other OFWs issues and concerns,” Makalintal added.
John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator said other Migrante chapters in the Middle East will also conduct their respective proclamation assemblies in support of Ka Satur and Liza Maza in the coming days.
“Members and officers of Migrante in United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan and Libya will conduct their own electoral campaign as the overseas absentee voting will commence on April 10, 2010,” Monterona added.
“Since our own party-list, the Migrante Sectoral Party has been delisted by the COMELEC by mere technicality but obviously a political manuever to discredit the most active and most vocal anti-Arroyo OFWs group, we once again will throw our support to Gabriela Womens’ Party for the party-list,” Monterona declared.
Monterona added that they have been working with Gabriela Representative Luz Ilagan for quite sometime on issues and concerns of Filipino migrant women; “We will continue to be working with the most active Women’s partylist group in the next Congress in advancing our Migrants legislative agenda,” Monterona averred.
“In fact, we are looking forward to the formation of Gabriela chapters in Saudi Arabia that is composed of OFW-women victims, run away and distress, in the coming days to come,” Monterona added.
Monterona further said Migrante chapters in the Middle East will also be supporting the tandem of Senators Manny Villar and Loren Legarda.
“Our support to Villar-Loren tandem does not come from nowhere. It is based on principle and platform which we believed theirs is providing a concrete strategy to address the problem of forced labor migration, which is rooted in joblessness and landlessness, this we didn’t find from the other candidates. Sen. Villar has a plan of action on agrarian reform, on the development of local industries, and the protection and upliftment of the working peoples,” Monterona said.
Aside from this, Monterona quoting Migrante International, the largest alliance of OFWs and their families, said the Sen. Manny Villar and Rep. Cynthia Villar have significantly contributed to Migrante’s efforts to empower OFWs and their families through educating them of their basic rights and privileges; they have also extended tangible assistance to migrant workers in distress, giving them opportunities to rebuild their lives. “It is high time that in these elections, the people’s issues and problems including of the Filipino migrants will be the center of one’s choice in electing candidates who are capable of providing solutions to their problems and concerns,” the Saudi-based OFW leader ended. # # #
Reference:
John Leonard Monterona
Migrante Middle East regional coordinator
Mobile No.: 00966 564 97 8012
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