Petition: “OPLAN SAVING KABAYAN RYAN” (Ryan T. Anievas)

31 January 2009


Please sign this petition in support of our beleaguered compatriot Ryan T. Anievas.


Anievas, 28 years old, married with one child, a resident of Binangonan, Rizal Province, and an OFW working for a sub-contractor of a petrochemical company in the Western Region, was accused of distributing fake bills - a charge he vehemently denied. In actuality, Anievas is actually the victim when he unknowingly received the money - five bills worth SAR 10 each - among change given by a baqala vendor.


Anievas has since been demanding for a lawyer to represent him in Saudi Courts, a request which has not been acted upon by the concerned government agencies, particularly the Office of the Undersecretary for Overseas Workers Affairs (OUMWA) and the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah.


Migrante Saudi Arabia therefore hereby endorses this petition, in behalf of all other OFWs who are currently facing legal cases in the Kingdom who do not get sufficient legal support from the government.

SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN :
“OPLAN SAVING KABAYAN RYAN”


Dear Fellow OFW,


We are seeking your kind help through this signature campaign to help our kabayan Mr. Ryan Anievas who is now in a dire situation and needs our moral and spiritual support. Mr. Ryan has been accused of spreading counterfeit Saudi Riyal bills which the former vehemently denied. According to him, he is just a victim of a syndicate operating in Jeddah circulating Bogus Saudi Riyal Bills. His case started when he buy some goods from a Bargain Store commonly known locally as Itnen-itnen Store or Everything 2 riyals.


He received an alleged fake bills as a change from his purchases and from there his whole life changed. His family (wife and children) suffered humiliation and is now under a threat of starvation as Mr. Ryan is already terminated from his job as a consequence of this alleged bogus bills circulation.


As a fellow OFW, Mr. Ryan deserves our and understanding and support for his real life battle. This is a fight that put his whole life, dignity and reputation at stake. He already approached our Ambassador but according to him Western Region is not under his jurisdiction. The Philippine Consul General in Jeddah has already denied his request for a lawyer. He went to the consulate but he only gave a translator. What he needs is LAWYER that can represent him in court.


So we are asking your kind support through this campaign to express our desire to save him. This campaign will then be circulated and shall reach the office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines seeking an immediate action to rescue our kabayan from the hell of the Saudi Jail.


SIGNED:


1. Arnaldo P. Mueda, Al Khobar (KSA).
2. John Leonard Monterona – Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator.
3. A. M. Ociones, Chairperson - Migrante Saudi Arabia
4.

Once you affix your signature, kindly send the letter back to the petition author at this address: "Arnaldo P. Mueda" (ap.mueda@oshco.com) with a CC to us at migrante_ksa@yahoo.com.


Save Ryan Anievas from jail!
Create the Office of Legal Attache now!






Sa migrante at sa bayan,
A. M. Ociones
Chairperson, Migrante KSA
(Migrante International - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Chapter)
Tel. No.: +966-56-679-3202 / +966-50-894-4426
Email: migrante_ksa@yahoo.com
URL: http://migrante-ksa.blogspot.com

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

Petition vs POEA Memorandum Circular No. 04

SIGNATURES FOR SCRAPPING

POEA Memorandum Circular No. 04 and the Ban on Direct Hiring

(A Signature Campaign Sperheaded by Migrante in the Middle East Region for the Immediate Scrapping of POEA Memo. Circular No.04)

Dear Fellow Overseas Filipino Workers in the Middle East :

Warm Greetings from Migrante Middle East !

Migrante Middle East is sperheading this Signature Campaign to register our very opposition to Arroyo Government’s policy thru POEA Memorandum Circular No. 04 and the banning of Direct Hiring as directed by the Department of Labor & Employment (DoLE).

Fellow OFWs in the Middle East Region, we are attaching herewith a Critique Paper prepared by Mission for Migrant Workers (MFMW) and Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM) based in Hong Kong.

Like our Migrante, these two non-government organizations are in the forefront of protecting & advancing the rights & welfare of overseas Filipinos, workers & immigrants alike. In studying POEA Memo. Circular No.04 Series of 2007 and analyzing its impacts to Filipino migrant workers, we maintain the same views relative to its negative impact to OFWs & aspiring overseas workers:

1. MC-04 will result to loss of jobs and employment opportunities.
   
2. MC-04 puts Filipino workers under the control of recruitment agencies and makes them vulnerable to overcharging and other malpractices of unscrupulous recruitment agencies.
   
3. MC-04 belies the fact that recruitment agencies are not there to protect OFWs but are in fact accessories to, and even promoter of, many cases of abuse.
   
4. MC-04 negates the gains of Filipino migrants in previous struggles for their rights and wellbeing.
   
5. MC-04 translates to the deregulation of the Philippine labor export industry and relieves the government of its responsibility for protection and services to their nationals abroad.

In view of the above, Migrante is calling all Filipino migrant workers, individuals and/or their respective organisations in the entire Middle East to unite & strenthen our sector whose right to look for a job abroad due to the failure of the government to create decent jobs locally & our right to equal employment opportunity is threathened by this particular anti-OFW policy by the Arroyo Government.

OUR UNITY. OUR CALL:

1. Immediately scrap POEA MC-04.
   
2. Improve onsite services for and protection of Filipino migrant workers. Scrap the OWWA Omnibus Policies.
   
3. Institutionalize effective mechanisms that will curb, if not not finally stamp out, overcharging and other malpratices of recruitment agencies.
   
4. Scrap the POEA Guidelines on the Deployment of Filipino Household Service Workers.
   
5. Stop the deregulation of labor export. Institute policies and mechanisms for effective and concrete protection of Filipino migrant workers.

For the protection of Filipino Migrant Workers Right & promotion of their Welfare,

Initial Signatures :

John Leonard Monterona, Regional Coordinator ~ MIGRANTE Middle East

Richard Bautista, Chairperson ~ Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan (KGS), Riyadh (KSA)

Rod De Leon, Spokesperson ~ Migrante-Riyadh (KSA)
Andrew M. Ociones, Chairperson ~ Migrante-KSA,

Jon De Jesus, Coordinator ~ Migrante-Qatar,

Cyrine Pinpin, Chairperson ~ Migrante-UAE

Gil Lebria, Chairperson ~ Migrante-Kuwait

Note: You can send email to: leonardcasero@yahoo.com to include your name and/or organisations in the Petition to be submitted to the House of Representatives. You may also reprint this statement and collect signatures among your friends then send it back to the above email address. Thanks...