Kumilos sa Hunyo 30

(Migrante KSA fully supports the people's struggles against the charter change (ChaCha) / constitutional assembly (ConAss) plans of GMA. We are thus calling all our family and friends at the homefront to participate in all activities against the evil designs of ChaCha/ConAss proponents.)

ANAKPAWIS PARTYLIST

PRESS STATEMENT
28 Hunyo 2009

Lupa, sahod, trabaho, tirahan, pagkain, serbisyong panlipunan!
Hindi Cha-cha ni Gloria!
Kumilos sa Hunyo 30

Ayaw ng taumbayan sa cha-cha. Pero pinipilit ng mga kakampi ni Gloria ang constituent assembly na magbabago sa saligang batas sa parang iligal, unconstitutional at garapal.

Kapag binago ang konstitusyon, walang pakinabang ang mamamayan. May tatlong pangunahing layunin ang chacha ni Gloria.

• Tanggalin ang probisyon sa pambansang patrimonya – Sa utos ng mga dayuhang kapitalista, papayagan na ang 100% pagmamay-ari ng mga lupain at likas ng yaman ng Pilipinas. Manunumbalik din ang mga base militar ng US na itinaboy na ng nakikibakang sambayanan.


• Muling buhayin ang pagdedeklara ng batas militar – para supilin ang lahat ng mga kritiko ng gubyerno at mga aktibista, gagamitin nila ang kamay na bakal na magpapalala pa sa mga paglabag sa karapatang pantao gaya ng pagdukot at pamamaslang sa mga aktibista, panggigipit at pagkontrol sa midya at pulitikal na panunupil at pag-aresto sa mga kritiko.


• Palawigin ang termino Gloria lampas sa 2010 – Kahit na sukang-suka na tayo sa kabulukan ng gubyerno ni Arroyo, nangangarap pa siyang manatili sa kapangyarihan. Dahil isang termino lang maaaring manungkulan ang presidente, lulusutan ito ni Gloria sa pagtakbo bilang kongresista sa Pampanga at, sa gayon, ay maging prime minister sa isang parlyamentaryong gubyerno. Mas makapangyarihan pa ang prime minister kaysa presidente. Pag nangyari ito, matatakasan pa rin ni Gloria ang mga malalang kasong kriminal na isasampa ng taumbayan matapos syang maging presidente.

Kapag nagtagumpay si Gloria, ganito ang magiging konstitusyon ng bansa. Paano na ang mga anak natin na pinaka-maapektuhan sa ganitong kabulukan? Paano na ang mga maralitang patuloy na nagdurusa sa pahirap na gubyerno ni Arroyo? Paano na ang ating bayan?

Ayaw natin sa chacha, pero nagpupumilit pa rin si Gloria. Kailangang ipakita natin sa kanya na hindi na s’ya uubra. Magsama-sama tayo muli sa isang dambuhalang protesta. Kailangang manaig muli ang tinig ng mamamayan. Kumilos sa Hunyo 30! Magtipun-tipon sa Welcome Rotonda, PGH-Taft, Plaza Salamanca-Intramuros at Arellano-Legarda, alas-3 ng hapon.

Mamamayan ang mapagpasya!
Ipaglaban ang pambansang soberanya! Wakasan ang rehimeng US-Arroyo!
Cha-Cha at Gloria, Ibasura!

Reference:
Cherry B. Clemente
Secretary General, Anakpawis
09217283859

Rescue 20 Pinays in Saudi harem

27 June 2009
PRESS RELEASE

Reference:
Garry Martinez, Chairperson, 09217229740
Ailyn Abdula, Media Officer, 09212708994

Migrante calls for urgent rescue of 20 Pinays in Saudi harem

In a press conference held in a restaurant in Quezon City, a global alliance of Filipino migrant organizations revealed that 20 Filipinas are being repeatedly raped in a recruitment office in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

According to Garry Martinez, chairperson of Migrante International, two Filipina domestic helpers were just rescued this Tuesday, June 23, 2009. The OFWs’ rescue was facilitated by Migrante Middle East.

Prior to the rescue, the said Pinay OFWs were allegedly being held in the office of Maqpoon Belahodood General Service Company, a recruitment agency owned and being managed by a certain Abu Khalid. The said domestic helpers are now staying in the Philippine embassy in Saudi Arabia.

“Two domestic helpers who were recently rescued were able to tell us by phone of their harrowing ordeal while still in the hands of their Arab recruiter. The said victims were raped by Abu Khalid and we are now very much worried of the situation of other Pinays who were left behind in the said premises. Twenty lives are at stake here and the government should act on this immediately,” warns Garry Martinez, chairperson of Migrante International.

The group likewise presented to the media Aileen Baldiray, a domestic helper who also stayed in Abu Khalid’s recruitment office last May and gave a detailed account of their plight together with twenty more Filipinas.

“Abu Khalid also tried to rape me. It was about 9:00 in the evening when he summoned me to his office downstairs. Upon entering the room, he told me to sit down in front of his desk and casually told me of his sex life. When he noticed that I was already getting nervous, Abu Khalid immediately took off his clothes. I grabbed a pen that I saw in his desk and warned him that if he pursues with his evil plan I would be forced to stab him,” says Ailene.

According to Aileen, fellow Filipinas staying in the said building have already forewarned her when Abu Khalid summoned her. They too have been raped in the same office when Khalid called them regularly during the evening. They also claim that sometimes, Abu Khalid would even let his son or a friend rape them.

“Khalid became reluctant when he saw me with the pen. He then shouted at me to get out of the office and told me that I was the only Filipina in the building he was not able to ‘taste’ yet and that he will make sure that he will be able to rape me next time around,” added Aileen.

Aileen was able to leave the premises of said agency and stayed a while in the Philippine embassy before she was repatriated back to the Philippines last June 7, 2009.

“We demand that the Arroyo administration conduct an immediate rescue mission to save the 20 Filipinas who are still being held in the harem of Abu Khalid. The Philippine embassy in Saudi Arabia should also ensure that the said Filipinas be brought to a hospital for a medical treatment and that criminal cases be filed against Abu Khalid,” Martinez said.

The group likewise calls on the families of the victims to contact Migrante so that the local recruitment agencies here in Manila should also be held accountable. Migrante identified the said recruitment agency as AFT Company whose office is located in Ermita, Manila.

“We likewise urge President Arroyo to put on hold its intensifying labor exportation program. The biggest number of OFWs leaving the country are domestic helpers and their main destination is Saudi Arabia, a country who doesn’t even recognize the right of domestic helpers to have a day-off,” Martinez concluded.###

--
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/migranteinternational

BUHAY OFW

BUHAY OFW

Kay tagal mo na nga dito sa bansang disyerto
Bakit hanggang ngayo'y naririto kapa ijo
Dito mo na ba uubusin ang buhay mo?
Aba!!! magtira ka naman kahit konti sa pamilya mo.

Sa totoo lang-- gusto ko na ring magretiro
Pero "zero" balance pa rin ako
Anak kong sa "nursing "nag loko
Sa "call center nag katrabaho
Sueldo'y di naman kalakihang totoo.

Mga anak ay 'di pwedeng asahan
May sarili na silang pinipisanan
Minsan, anak mo'y mabait--yong asawa
naman ang s'yang masungit.

Wala na nga tayong iba pang maaasahan
Kundi sarili natin lamang
Mag impok hangga't kaya pang kumayod
Nang ang pagtanda nati'y maitaguyod
Huwag maging kawawa kung tayo na'y uugod-ugod.

------------ o -------------

Akda ni Jose Enriquez Santos
Riyadh, KSA

5 Kasalanan ni GMA sa OFWs

Pumirma ka na ba sa Petisyon ng OFWs laban sa ConAss ni Gloria?

Sumama ka na. CLICK HERE.

5 KASALANAN NI GLORIA SA MIGRANTENG PILIPINO.

Parang AH1N1 virus na nasa limang daliri ng kamay ni GMA na pilit na hinuhugasan, at pinagtatakpan ng isinusulong nitong CHA-CHA.

1.) Gusto naming wakasan na ang pananalasa ni Gloria sa kabuhayan at karapatan ng sambayanan. -Dahil palalawigin pa ng pakanang Con-Ass ang siyam na taon nang paglulunoy sa kapangyarihan ni Gloria, kanyang pamilya at mga kroni. Pahahabain pa nito an gating kalbaryo ng pagdarahop at pagsikil sa ating karapatan. Magbubukas din ito ng pinto para sa diktaduryang Arroyo.

2.) Gusto naming managot si Gloria sa lahat ng krimen laban sa mamamayan na kanyang ginawa.
-Dahil palulusutin ng Con-Ass si Gloria, kanyang pamilya at mga kroni sa criminal na pananagutan sa patung-patong na kaso ng korupsyon, pandaraya at pamamaslang.

3.) Ayaw naming tumindi pa ang pangangalakal ni Gloria ng OFWs sa ibayong dagat
-Dahil patitindihin pa ng pagtagal ni Gloria sa poder ang lansakang pag-export ng manggagawang Pilipino sa ibayong dagat, lumiliit ang remitans at patuloy na panghuhuthot ng mga bayarin ng mga OFWs, garapalang nagbabandila ng labor export program sa halip na harapin ang paglikha ng trabaho sa sariling bayan.

4.) Ayaw naming lumala pa ang panloloko at pang-aalipin sa mga OFWs.
-Dahil pararamihin at palalalain pa ng pagtagal si Gloria sa pwesto ang mga kaso ng paglabag sa karapatan ng OFWs. Pinakamasahol ang record ng rehimeng –Arroyo sa criminal na pagpapabaya sa mga OFWs na biktima ng iligal na rekrutment, pang-aabuso, pagpatay at iba pa.

5.) Tutol kami sa lansakang pagbenta ng likas na yaman at soberanya ng bansa.
-Dahil tatanggalin ng Con-Ass ang lahat ng mga nalalabi pang probinsya sa konstitusyon na pumipigil sa 100% pag-aari ng dayuhan sa negosyo, lupain at likas na yaman ng bansa. Kahulugan nito’y ibayong kahirapan at lalong paglayo ng bansa sa minimithing tunay na repormang agraryo at pamabansang industriyalisasyon na mamamayan.

Walang batas na kinikilala, walang katwirang tinatanggap ang mga tutang alipores ni Gloria sa loob ng Kongreso. Tanging pagbabangon ng mamamayang nagmamartsa sa lansangan ang makabibigo sa maitim na balaking baguhin ang konstitusyon para sa kapakinabangan ni Gloria. Sama-sama tayo, CON-ASS at Gloria, IBASURA!

Sa pagkilos ng sambayanan, nakikipagkaisa ang migranteng Pilipino at pamilya, buhos-lakas para hadlangan ang Con-Ass at CHA-CHA!

MAKILAHOK SA PANAWAGAN:
Di ako magpapadala,
Sa unang araw ng CON-ASS!
CHA-CHA NI GLORIA, IBASURA!

Pumirma sa Petisyon ng OFWs laban sa ConAss ni Gloria.

Sa mga Nagsusulong ng ChaCha

Mabuti pa sa inyo ang mga buwaya
Kapag nabusog na’y di na naniniba
Hindi tulad ninyong mga walang kabusugan
Sa yama’t kapangyarihan
Sagpang pa rin ng sagpang sa naghihingalong bayan

Mabuti pa sa inyo ang mga baboy
Nananaba sa tira- tirang pagkain
Ng kung kaninumang hapag-kainan
Hindi tulad ninyong nabubundat, nagpapakasasa
Sa kabang yaman ng bayan

Mabuti pa sa inyo ang mga unggoy
Marunong magtakip ng mukha, marunong mahiya
Hindi tulad ninyo na sobrang garapal, mukha’y makakapal
Bistado na’t lahat ayaw pa ring paawat
Ang baya’y harap-harapang ninanakawan

Mabuti pa sa inyo ang mga aso
Marunong kumilala’t magserbisyo
Sa taong sa kanya’y nagpapakai’t bumubuhay
Hindi tulad ninyong matapos palamuni’t payamanin
Naming nga migrante at sambayanang Pilipino
Kami pa ang inyong ipinagkakanulo, ipinapahamak at pinapaslang.

Sige! Kayo’y humahalakhak!
At magpakalasing sa tuwa at galak sa inyong maitim na balak
Dahil habang sa cha-cha kayo’y umiindak
Nagmamartsa ang bayang sa inyo’y magbabagsak.

“No Remittance” Day in KSA if “con-ass” convenes

Press Release
11 June 2009

For reference:
Mike Garlan
Secretary General, Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan (KGS-Migrante)
Mobile Phone: 00966 562 98 9930
Email: mikeriyadh_28@yahoo.com.ph

OFWs in the Middle East vow to intensify protests against Cha-cha;
readying “No Remittance” Day if “con-ass” convenes

The Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan, member organization of Migrante International in Saudi Arabia today said OFWs in Saudi Arabia are ever ready to oppose the move of Mrs. Arroyo’s snap dogs in the House of Representatives when they railroaded the approval of HB 1109 that will transform the Congress into Constituent Assembly to effect revisions to the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

The group’s opposition was declared today in a press conference held in Riyadh, and in solidarity to the legitimate and fair act of non-remittance if the fake “con-ass” will be convened.

Mike Garlan, KGS-Migrante Secretary-General, said despite mounting public opposition changing the Constitution, pro-administration Congressmen still able to manage to pass HB 1109 as their patron in Malacanang is pressing them hard for this ‘grand treachery’ to materialize serving its own interests to stay longer in power.

“Despite pronouncement of Mrs. Arroyo that election will push through in 2010, its actions and directives to its pro-administration Congressmen is her patented lie to the public who are eager to elect new President and other national and local elected officials come 2010 elections,” Garlan added.

“Mass protest actions in whatever forms in an internationally coordinated manner will be our response to pro-administration Congressmen and Mrs. Arroyo’s Con-ass; we are readying in consultation with our fellow OFWs and other OFWs organizations in Saudi Arabia where the second largest remittance came from for a “No Remittance” day if the fake “con-ass” will be convened on the opening of the Congress session on July 2009,” Garlan ended.

KGS and other chapters of Migrante in the Middle East are urging OFWs and their families for their usual support to frustrate the evil plans by the occupant in Malacanang desperately pushing for Charter Change for their own political and class interests. # # #

Zero Remittance on 1st Day of Con-Ass

10 June 2009
PRESS RELEASE:

Reference:
Garry Martinez, Chairperson, 09217229740
Ailyn Abdula, Media Officer, 09212708994

Migrante’s Call Snowballs:
Zero Remittance on 1st Day of Con-Ass

Migrante International once again called on the proponents of House Bill 1109 to desist from pursuing their plan of turning the Lower House into a constituent assembly or otherwise face the wrath of migrant Filipinos who are getting angrier by the minute at this brazen show of arrogance.

“Filipinos in North America have already started to drumbeat their protest actions against the Con-Ass. In the US, rallies and cultural events are being planned in New York while in Canada, Migrante-Ontario will picket the Philippine consulate in Toronto on Friday,” Martinez said.

The biggest alliance of OFWs across the globe also announced the formation of MarCHA! Laban sa Cha-Cha or Migrants against Cha-Cha, to highlight the vigorous campaign OFWs will conduct against the evil scheme.

“Our chapters in Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, United Kingdom and the Middle East have committed to initiate protest actions in their respective regions, using various creative forms of protests, to prepare for our call for a Zero-Remittance Day once Con-Ass convenes,” Martinez added. “Our members have the list of names of the proponents and they have vowed to urge their families in the Philippines not to vote for traitors!”

Migrante also announced that they will be joining the June 10 rally against cha-cha in Ayala , together with the families/relatives of OFWs and victims of the criminal neglect of the government.

“Today, we will start the MarCHA Laban sa Cha-cha! which is also a march against Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo! There is no way we will allow her and her cohorts to extend her term in whatever form,” Martinez concluded. ###

Hold remittances if con-ass convenes – Migrante

8 June 2009
PRESS RELEASE:

Reference:
Garry Martinez, Chairperson, 09217229740
Ailyn Abdula, Media Officer, 09212708994

Hold remittances if con-ass convenes – Migrante

The biggest alliance of OFWs across the globe warns President Arroyo and the proponents of the Constitutional Assembly that Filipinos in different countries are getting ready to suspend sending their money to the Philippines if the constituent assembly convenes.

Migrante International claims that it will exert all efforts to stop the convening of the constituent assembly that they believe will pave the way for President Arroyo’s dictatorial regime similar to that of President Marcos’ dictatorship during the 70’s.

“What is at stake here is the lives and future of our children. We will not let our hard-earned money be utilized by Arroyo’s constituent assembly. This act will surely plunge our country back to the dark years of the Marcos dictatorship,” Garry Martinez, chairperson of Migrante International, exclaimed.

Martinez stated that OFWs were outraged when Congress passed House Resolution 1109 last Tuesday calling members of the Lower House to convene as a constituent assembly to revise the constitution.

“We have already received a deluge of statements from our chapters and Filipino communities abroad. They are already urging us to coordinate an international campaign to stop this mockery of a people’s initiative,” Martinez stated.

The group claims that Overseas Filipinos are disgusted not only with the ulterior motives of the accomplices of Arroyo in Congress but also with the manner it was deviously passed.

“Arrogant, scheming, and corrupt are the first three words to describe the prime movers of this dastardly act. The only beneficiary of this diabolic scheme is Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who is so desperate to remain in power in order to escape her imminent prosecution of her crimes against the Filipino people,” Martinez added.

The group explained that the no-term-extension provision and the guarantee to hold the 2010 election are only ploys to make the railroading of the HR 1109 more palatable.

But Martinez voiced what many other sectors feared; “Once they convene the Con-Ass, all provisions in the Constitution are open for amendments, including term extension.”

“We are calling on all OFWs to actively participate in bringing this evil plan to history’s waste bin where it truly belongs. We have sent the names of the proponents of HR 1109 to all our members so they will know who betrayed them.” Martinez added. “If Arroyo and her lapdogs pursue their diabolic plan, we intend to make our voices be heard where it will be heard most.”

According to the central bank, remittances from overseas Filipinos reached a record $1.47 billion in March. While in 2008, it has recorded that Filipinos working overseas sent home US$16.4 billion — 13.7 percent more than in the previous year.###

Low OAV Registration Due to Indifference

Source Verification:
Gi Estrada APMM Area Coordinator
(852)9747-0546

OAV Registration Low Turn Out Due to
Indifference of Philippine Government

The Department of Foreign Affairs and the COMELEC are deluding themselves by targeting 1 million registrants for the Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) for the 2010 elections. There is a very limited budget allocated for the exercise to achieve this goal and migrant workers worldwide must press the government to allot more funding to ensure their right to suffrage.

There are fewer actual numbers of Data Capturing Machines (DCM) in working condition that is used for the registration process and a very limited budget compared in the last election period.

Let us take the situation in 4 posts. As of now, there is only 1 DCM in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and supposedly the COMELEC has sent six more there. However, 3 of these have not yet been released by KSA customs officials while another 3 are still on its way. These would be sent to the Embassy in Riyadh and the POLO office in the Eastern region.

In Taiwan, only 3 DCM’s are in workable condition in Taipei, 2 in Kaohsiung from the previous 3, 1 in Taichung and no funding has been sent by the COMELEC. While in Hong Kong, only 33 DCM’s out of the original 54 are in working condition and a paltry US$1276 have been sent by the electoral body. Only one DCM is operating in Macau. It takes 10 minutes for each DCM machine to process 1 registrant.

Philippine Consulate officials also informed migrant community leaders in Hong Kong that there is no clear budget from the COMELEC. Aside from this the COMELEC has also disapproved funding for additional personnel for the OAV unlike during the 2004 elections. Thus in actual operations no one mans the registration process during the days off of consulate personnel.

At present, only 2000 have registered in Riyadh which has hundreds of thousands of OFWs. While the COMELEC reported that as of May 8 this year 69,240 have registered for the OAV worldwide. But the actual number of those registered overseas is only 53,000 as the rest registered at the NAIA and POEA.

COMELEC spokesperson James Jimenez was quoted yesterday as saying that the government is still confident to meet its target of 1 million registrants by the end of August. He is silent though on the low number of working DCM’s and the almost non-existent budget for the exercise.

Is this not a way to disenfranchise the migrants vote given that the government’s reputation among OFW’s is not so good given their criminal neglect in handling cases of those who are in distress? They are afraid that the majority of overseas Filipinos will shun the administration’s candidates in the 2010 elections.

It is up to the overseas Filipinos themselves to assert their right to vote and prompt and proper services when they are in distress as they cannot expect the present government to provide these to them.

==============================
Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM)
G/F, No.2 Jordan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR

Tel. no.: (852) 2723-7536
Fax no.: (852) 2735-4559
General E-mail: apmm@hknet.com

Other Email Addresses:
Managing Director : director@apmigrants.org / rbultron@gmail.com
Advocacy Program : advocacy@apmigrants.org / rbultron@gmail.com
Research and Publication: publications@apmigrants.org / ahc@hknet.com
Women's Program : women@apmigrants.org / ecbuhay@gmail.com

WEBSITE: www.apmigrants.org

"We dream of a society where families are not broken up by the urgent need for survival.
We dream and will actively work for a homeland where there is opportunity for everyone to live a decent and humane life.

COMELEC gets a failing grade

Migrante gives COMELEC a failing grade, calls for the extension of OAV Registration

The largest umbrella alliance of overseas Filipino workers’ (OFW) groups worldwide, gave the Commission on Elections a failing grade on its ongoing overseas absentee voting registration. This, as the poll body announced recently that it has so far approved the registration of 4,751 overseas absentee voters (OAV). The number, the group averred, is less than one percent of the COMELEC’s target million OAV registrants.

“Once again, the COMELEC flunked out on its mission to empower OFWs worldwide by ensuring their right to suffrage. For managing to approve only a microscopic number of absentee voters with barely three months to go before its August 31, 2009 deadline; we give the COMELEC a resounding failing mark,” said Migrante Chairman Garry Martinez.

The group likewise castigated the poll body for misleading the public when it expressed confidence that it can still meet its 1 million target despite the dismal OAV registration turnout. Migrante maintained that when the COMELEC decided to cut short the OAV registration period for two months, it single-handedly disenfranchised millions of potential absentee voters..

The COMELEC, thru Resolution No. 8556, promulgated November 27, 2008, ruled to reset the resumption of the OAV registration from December 1, 2008 to February 1, 2009. It would be recalled that Migrante was among the first organizations to raise strong objections in that COMELEC decision, saying that it would translate to massive disenfranchisement among OFW voters.

“While we commit our global ranks to OFW empowerment by way of the ballot, Migrante International urges the COMELEC to extend the ongoing OAV registration to December this year in order to accommodate the millions of OFWs who are eligible to vote in 2010. We also demand that satellite registrations be done by posts and consulates worldwide more frequently in order to reach the broadest number of OFWs,” Martinez said.

Migrante International and its member organizations in 22 countries worldwide strongly lobbied for the passage of the Overseas Absentee Voting Act. It was signed into law on February 13, 2003.