The warrant of arrest issued against Inspector Redempto Acharon, main suspect in the killing of Davao-based radio broadcaster Dennis Cuesta, was lifted by the very judge who issued it.

Dennis Cuesta was shot by two motorcycle-riding gunmen on Aug. 4, 2008. His colleagues believe the attack was work-related. He died after struggling for five days in the intensive care unit. Cuesta was known for analysis of local political issues in his radio program.

According to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP chapter in Davao, Judge Isaac Alvero V. Moran of General Santos City Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 36 stated in his Feb. 3 decision that the warrant of arrest he issued against Acharon has been “virtually stripped” of its legal basis. This is in reference to General Santos RTC Executive Judge Oscar P. Noel’s decision issued Feb. 11, ordering that the case be re-raffled and “considered as a newly filed case.”

NUJP-Davao stated they find it disturbing that Noel also stated in his Feb. 11 decision that he “finds no cogent reason to disturb the raffling of the case to Branch 36” but still ordered the case to be re-raffled and considered a newly filed case.

Noel stated in his decision that the goal of the reraffling is “to give peace of mind to the concerned party (who is Acharon).”

According to NUJP-Davao, colleagues who have been monitoring other cases of murdered journalists had predicted that this move will happen.

The fact that “their prediction has been accurate makes us fear the Cuesta murder may end up like the majority of the other cases of our slain colleagues, with justice denied and the gunmen and masterminds free to wreak more mayhem. Not to mention embolden others who seek to impose the ultimate censorship on journalists,” according to NUJP-Davao.

NUJP-Davao said they are posing a challenge to the government to take possible actions for justice to be served for Cuesta. They also called on their colleagues and the public “to join efforts in seeing that this and all the other cases of murdered journalists see closure with the arrest, prosecution and punishment of the killers and masterminds, that true ‘peace of mind’ may reign over this benighted land.” (Bulatlat.com)

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BY HANNAH FAITH DORMIDO
July 24, 2008 - 4:38 p.m.

Four students were arrested while six others were severely injured after a protest in front of the US Embassy was violently dispersed by the police.

League of Filipino Students (LFS) vice chairperson Ron Villegas said the arrested students were LFS national chairperson Vencer Crisostomo, 22, ANAKBAYAN National Chairperson Ken Ramos,22, Marvin Serrano, 23, member of ANAKBAYAN Intramuros and EJ Aguirre, 18, a member of the LFS-Polytechnic University of the Philippines Chapter.

The students were protesting the "the continuing intervention of the US in our economy, which is to blame for the worsening crisis at present." They gathered along UN Avenue around 2 pm and marched towards the US embassy in Roxas Boulevard.
Elements of the Manila Police District (MPD) pushed them away using anti-riot shields as they approached the front gate of the Embassy. The students were forced to retreat to Kalaw Avenue while chanting “Ugat ng Kahirapan, Imperyalismo Ibagsak!" (Root of Poverty, Down with Imperialism!)

"Today's dispersal will not stop the students from joining bigger rallies set as Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's SONA nears." said Villegas.
"As long as we have a puppet government following the dictates of foreign powers, particularly of the US, we will be storming the US Embassy and the Arroyo regime," he added.

The arrested students were brought to the nearby Ospital ng Maynila for medico-legal examination and are to be detained at the Manila Police District headquarters.

As of press time, an indignation rally in front of the MPD headquarters to demand the release of the arrested protesters is being held. Bulatlat

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BY HANNAH FAITH DORMIDO
Bulatlat
Posted 5:14 p.m., May 15, 2008

Government employees, public health workers and public school teachers today registered their strong opposition to Government Service Insurance system (GSIS) president Winston Garcia’s plan of taking over the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), because they believe it will be used by Malacañang in the “proxy war” against the Lopezes.

“No GSIS member would honestly believe Garcia is only after the protection of the interest of the GSIS as he calls for transparency in the Meralco,” said Ferdinand Gaite, national president of the Confederation for the Unity, Recognition, and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE). He also added they do not believe that GSIS’ buying shares from Meralco would bring down power rates.

Gaite said this would only pave the way for Malacañang cronies to monopolize power distribution.

“Mr. Garcia is the last person to talk about transparency and corporate responsibility having gambled GSIS funds through various investments without prior consultation with GSIS fund owners,” said Gabriela Women’s Party (GWP) Rep. Liza Maza.

Masa also said that if before, power consumers were placed on the frying pana GSIS takeover of Meralco would mean putting consumers directly into the fire.

Gaite said GSIS has not been a wise investor given that the price of Meralco shares have gone down resulting in a loss of about P1.4 billion for the government employees and other members of GSIS.

“Garcia decided to buy high at P80.91 per share in January 2008 when prices were at P70-71.50n range. With the current depressed value at P70 per share, the losses represent a significant amount which could have been put to use for an increase in the members’ dividends or another loan facility,” said Gaite.

COURAGE, Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) and their members are also fighting for lower electricity rates as the low salaries of the employees cannot cope with the staggering cost of living. They also put up a fight against the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), the privatizationof the Napocor and the value added tax.

“We are also calling on the Meralco not to pass the burden of the systems loss and other operating costs to the public. Despite (its) being a private business, Meralco has also a social responsibility given that power is a public utility,” said Gaite. Bulatlat

Childhood is only experienced once, and every child is expected to enjoy it. But life is harsh, given the circumstances of a poor country where indigenous peoples suffer not only from poverty but also from discrimination and oppression making them lose out in the very few opportunities available for a better life. This is a story of four Badjao children whose only desire is to survive another day and dreams of earning enough to be able to study and marry to be able to escape poverty.

BY HANNAH FAITH S. DORMIDO AND JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat
Vol. VIII, No. 14, May 11-17, 2008

Childhood is only experienced once, and every child is expected to enjoy it. But life is harsh, given the circumstances of a poor, backward country where indigenous peoples suffer not only from poverty but also from discrimination and oppression making them lose out in the very few opportunities available for a better life Because poverty is an everyday reality for indigenous peoples (IP), some IP children spend their childhood roaming the streets and begging for food. Over the years, a growing population of Badjaos has started to fill the streets of Balayan, Batangas hoping to escape the war and poverty in Mindanao, in search of a secure place to live in.

Badjaos are popularly known as the “Sea Gypsies” of the Sulu and Celebes seas. The name Badjao is a Malay-Bornean word that means "man of the seas." Living in house on stilts in Mindanao and in other parts of the country, the Badjaos are among the poorest peoples in the country.

In the heart of the municipality, the terminal of vans to and from Manila, has served as the “playground” for four Badjao girls. All four girls wore skirts that touched their ankles, slippers that were too big, and their hair were burnt brown and red, manifestations of living by the sea.

They try to get the attention of passersby by tugging on their clothes or blocking their way, and then ask for any amount the person may offer. The usual reactions of the common people were either to ignore them, or give them sharp looks. Some good-hearted individuals would bother to search their pockets for coins and hand them over to the girls. Every peso given to them painted a smile on the girls’ faces, but every sharp look and indifference made them walk away with heavy hearts.

Rosalinda is the tallest among the four girls and probably the oldest. She does not know how old she is nor the date of her birth. In crooked Tagalog, she told Bulatlat that she is responsible for equally dividing among the four of them the amount they collected for the day. They normally bring home around P20 to P50 ($0.47 to $1.17 at an exchange rate of $1=P42.48) a day. The biggest amount she has ever had was P100 ($2.35) but it only sufficed for buying their food.

Other than begging for money from church goers and terminal passengers, Rosalinda said market vendors sometimes give them food. “Kung meron salamat, kung wala, salamat rin,” (If they give us something, we say thanks. If they don’t, we still thank them.) she added.

Rosalinda could not identify the exact place where she came from or where she grew up. She didn’t also know her family name. When asked where her parents were, she sadly told Bulatlat that she didn’t know their location, nor was she interested to find them. She didn’t want to elaborate on where she lives, how and when they arrived in Balayan, and who her companion is.

She shared that she wants to study but “Hindi ako marunong dahil Badjao ako. Pero kapag malaki na ako, gusto ko.” (I don’t know how because I’m a Badjao but when I grow up, I would like to study.)

Salma, around 9-11 years old, was more eager in answering questions than Rosalinda. She said she lived with her mother near the shoreline while her older brother and sister are already in Manila. She claims that her father was gunned down by the Abu Sayaff while fishing in the seas of Basilan. After her father’s death, her mother decided that they find another place to live in.

Her mother does laundry for other people in order to earn a living. Because the money her mother gets paid for doing laundry is not enough to sustain them, she is obliged to roam the streets and ask for money. “Mahirap. Nakakapagod pero magagalit si Nanay (kapag hindi nanlimos.)” (It’s hard and tiring but I have to do it or my mother will get mad,) she sadly told Bulatlat.

Like Rosalinda, she could not tell her age nor her date of birth. Salma shared that she used to attend classes in Basilan but since they took refuge in Balayan, she never went back to school. Actually, she no longer dreams of attending classes again. “Ayaw na rin ni nanay (na mag-aral ako),” (Mother doesn’t also want me to go to school.) she said flatly. Her only dream is to marry and to never again roam the streets asking strangers for alms.

Rosamia, one of the shortest among the four girls, had a hard time conversing in Tagalog. Salma had to translate the questions in their native language so Rosamia could understand. Like the other two girls, her age, date of birth and family name were unknown to her. She lives with her grandmother while her parents worked in a place she couldn’t specify. Salma said Rosamia cries everyday and complains that she doesn’t want to beg anymore. But because her grandmother couldn’t sustain them both, she still has to ask for money from strangers to be able to bring home food on the table.

Rosamia didn’t want to study as well. “Hindi ako marunong.” (I don’t know how) was all she told Bulatlat when asked if she’s interested to study. There was a sense of inferiority in the manner she answered, and the way she reacted.

Marica, the smallest among the four girls, is around 4-6 years old. When asked, all she gave was a smile, nod or a blank face. When Bulatlat asked if she’s interested to look for her parents, she immediately turned to Rosalinda and shrugged. She just sat beside the other girls during the interview, speaking in their native language for sometime, but too shy to answer the questions or share her thoughts.

Mayor Manny Fronda said the Badjao population in Balayan has increased through the years. Now, there are around 200 families living in the shores of the municipality. “Galing sila sa Mindanao and according to them, magulo sa kanilang bayan kaya sila umalis doon. Naghanap sila ng tahimik na bayan upang sila ay mamuhay ng tahimk,” (According to them, they came from Mindanao. They said they decided to find a more peaceful place to live in because of the on going armed conflict in Mindanao.) said Mayor Fronda.

The local government talked to the parents that in exchange for being allowed to live in the municipality, their children should not roam the streets and beg. Police officers would usually warn the children whenever they are seen begging. Mayor Fronda said the local government has plans of providing the Badjao community a permanent and better residential area. Unfortunately, there are no government-owned lands available for their resettlement.

Despite the fact that some children from the Badjao community ask for alms, Mayor Fronda said, “Ang nakakatuwa sa kanila, hindi sila nagpupunta sa munisipyo para humingi ng pambili ng bigas at gamot. Masipag sila. Naghahanapbuhay sila. Yung hindi nakakapag dagat, nagtitinda ng mga perlas.” (They’ don’t go to the municipal hall to ask for money to buy rice or medicine. They are industrious; they try to earn a living. Those who can’t go out to fish sells pearls.)

Childhood for Rosalinda, Salma, Rosamia and Marica means asking for money and bringing home food. They may be considered victims of unequal development in the country: development benefiting a few and showcased by infrastructures but does not uplift the quality of life of majority of the people, including the indigenous peoples who live along the fringes of society. These children, like any other children should be enjoying their childhood; they must be in schools where they are taught not only to read and write, but also to dream beyond getting enough alms or marrying as the only way out of poverty. Bulatlat

For the people in Balayan, Batangas, paggagapak (cutting sugar cane) is the only job available that does not require qualifications such as educational attainment and work-related experiences. This is the only job available for young people who had to work at a young age due to poverty. The work is hard, the pay is low, and there is no future in working as a manggagapak. If only they had a choice, these young people should be in school instead of toiling under the hot sun and carrying heavy loads just to be able to bring food to the family’s table.

BY HANNAH FAITH S. DORMIDO AND JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat
Vol. VIII, No. 14, May 11-17, 2008

Not all youth may be seen inside the four walls of the classroom. Some of them have opted to, due to poverty, try to earn a living at an early age and in the process, learning the realities of life first hand. They did not choose to tire their young bodies with heavy work. But the dire need to provide for the family has forced them to earn money the hard way.

For the people in Balayan, Batangas, paggagapak (cutting sugar cane) is the only job available that does not require qualifications such as educational attainment and work-related experiences. Anyone could work as a manggagapak (sugar cane cutter) as long as one can endure the hard work, rain or shine.

It was four years ago when 17-year-old Mar Baldrias started to work as a manggagapak to earn a living for the family. As the third among five children, he felt obliged to help his family financially. Mar buys rice for the family, while his older brother, a regular employee of Batangas Electric Company (BATELEC) is responsible for their bills, viand and other necessities.

Mar’s father used to be a farmer and a barangay captain but ever since one of his legs was amputated because of diabetes, he became incapable of working. His mother stays at home to take care of household chores. They are still sending the youngest sibling to school.

One can see in his young face the heavy burden he has been carrying, literally and figuratively. Despite his wit and smiles, lies a young soul forcefully molded by the times to cope with the family’s situation and to do something about it. Mar’s young body has been molded by the heavy work he has been doing; one can see the well-developed muscles in his arms and his dark sunburned skin.

Pagagapak is a seasonal job, usually from December to June, when sugarcanes are ripe for harvest. Other than pagagapak, they are also expected to gather the sugarcanes and pile them on the truck. They would walk to the plantation early in the morning so that they arrive before 7 a.m.. Mar jokingly said they wore “uniforms” to work. “Pantalon, long sleeves, sombrero, pamunas, backpack, guantes.” (pants, long sleeves, hat, towel, backpack, gloves)

When they arrive at the plantation, Mar shared “tatabasin naming yung tubo, iipunin at ikakarga sa trak. Minsan sinusunog kasi mabaging.” (We cut the sugar cane, gather it and load it on the truck. Sometimes we have to burn the wild grass first to be able to cut the cane without any obstructions. ) During rainy times, it’s more difficult because they can’t burn the wild grass in the field, making it more difficult to cut the sugarcane.

“Swerte pa,” (I am still lucky.) Mar replied when asked about work-related accidents. He has not been involved in any accident ever since he started working as a manggagapak. Mar shared that one of the worst accidents he has seen while working in the field was when the ladder fell on one of his co-workers because the soil where the ladder was situated was soft because of the rain. His co-worker didn’t suffer any grave injuries other than body pain due to the impact caused by the falling ladder.

“May mga natataga pero wala pa namang napuputulan (ng parte ng katawan) sa mga kasamahan ko,” (Some are hacked accidentally but no one has yet experienced having a limb cut off.) he added.

When asked about his other experiences in the field, he said they don’t eat meals on time because they have to wait for the truck, or they try to get the job done as fast as they could. The more sugarcane they cut and pile in the truck, the more income they get.

“Ang swelduhan, P180 ($4.23 at an exchange rate of $1=P42.48) sa mga taga-Balayan, P200 ($4.70) sa mga dayo bawat isang tonelada,” (Locals get P180 per ton while outsiders get P200.) he said. They are paid every six months based on the number of tons they were able to cut and load. Mar also shared that there is a system called “open bale”, which allows them to borrow money from the management before the harvesting is completed. The total amount lent to them is deducted after computing what is due to them after six months.

“May mga bata kaming kasama. Ang pinakabata ay trese,” (There are young people working here, some as young as 13 years old.) Mar said. The payment for the younger workers is relatively lower because their job is lighter and easier. “Namumulot sila nung mga pinaglinisan.” (They clear the fields.)

Last year, he brought home P2000 ($47.08) after his cash advances were deducted by the management. However, bringing home P2000 may be impossible this time. “Dati kasi, pera lang pero ngayon pati bigas (ang kailangan kong ibigay sa bahay),” (I used to just bring home money but now I also had to borrow for rice,) he said explaining that he had to advance bigger amounts this year.

Mar worriedly shared that he has already incurred a P3000 ($70.62) debt from the management. He fears that he might not be able to bring home money after all his advances are deducted after six months of work. He said it is possible that he may have borrowed more than what he will earn.

In the event that his debt is bigger than what he earned, he jokingly said, “see you next year,” which means that he will have to pay for it next year.

Next year, Mar will be turning 18 and he hopes he’ll be able to get another job other than pagagapak. “Wala,” (None) was his reply when asked if he sees a brighter future for him if he continues working as a manggagapak.

Mar, like all his co-workers are not ashamed of being a manggagapak because this has helped bring food to their homes. But Mar does not intend to remain a manggagapak all his life. He dreams of finding a better paying job, to bring home more than what he earns now. Bulatlat

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She left the country full of dreams not for herself but for her family. Because of the dearth of jobs in the country and the lack of attention given to the working sector by the Arroyo government, she was tempted to try her luck as a domestic helper in Saudi Arabia. But in less than a year, Genia Baja ended dead from mysterious circumstances, a story all too familiar to hundreds of OFWs and their families.

BY HANNAH FAITH DORMIDO
BULATLAT
Vol. VIII, No. 13, May 4-10, 2008

She left the country full of dreams not for herself but for her family. Because of the dearth of jobs in the country and the lack of attention given to the working sector by the Arroyo government, she was tempted to try her luck as a domestic helper in Saudi Arabia. She, like a lot of our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), suffered in the hands of her foreign employer. Worse, she’s dead and her lifeless body remains in a territory distant from her family.

Eugenia Baja, 25, had to work right after graduating from high school because she wanted to help her parents send her younger siblings to school. As the fourth among seven children, she felt responsible for the three younger siblings, especially since their parents are already old and they barely survived with their income as farmers. Lilybeth Garcia, her eldest sister, told Bulatlat that farming used to be the only source of livelihood for their family in Sierra Bullones, Bohol. They paid rent to the landlord, spent for seeds, fertilizers, and other production inputs, to get half of the harvest. Otherwise, the sharing would be 70-30 in favor of the landlord. Garcia also said she and her other siblings had to work as household helpers to augment their parents’ income. It came to point that their parents could no longer farm because of old age.

Eugenia, or “Genia” to her family, worked as a saleslady in a department store, as a server at a burger machine stand, and as household helper before going abroad. Her older siblings who used to support the family already had their own families so she felt it was her time to shoulder the responsibility of bringing rice and food to the table. Genia also decided to work abroad because, Lilybeth said, “Ayaw niyang maging katulong lang din yung mga kapatid namin (She didn’t want our siblings to end up as household helpers.)”

She was supposed to leave for Lebanon in 2005 as a domestic helper, but wasn’t able to because war erupted in the said country. Genia left the country in May 2007 to work as a domestic helper, this time in Riyadh. During her first month in Riyadh, she usually told her Ate Lilybeth through text messages that work was difficult. “Nagugutom daw siya dahil tinapay lang yung kinakain dun” (She was always hungry because they only ate bread), Lilybeth told Bulatlat, tears streaming from her eyes.

Despite the heavy work, Genia would always assure her Ate Lilybeth that she was alright. Lilybeth said, “Maraming pangarap si Genia. Sabi niya sa isa naming kapatid, umuwi nalang sa probinsiya at tulungan sina tatay magsaka dun. Nagpadala siya ng pera para ibili ng kalabaw” (Genia had dreams. She told one of our siblings to go home to the province and help our father in farming. She gave money to buy a carabao.)

“Kapag kinakausap niya yung mga bata naming kapatid, lagi niyang sinasabi na ‘para sa inyo’ itong pagtratrabaho ko.” (Every time she talked with our younger siblings, she constantly told them that she was working in a foreign land for their sake)

Around December 2007, Genia called her family to deliver sad news; that she can’t send them money for the holidays because her salary for the months of October, November and December were not given to her.

By the first week of January, Genia’s family became worried because of a text message she sent “Nong, tabangi ko ninju, malooy mo nako. Pangetaa ko ninju” (Big brother, help me. Please find me.)”

Another text message alarmed the family. “Hindi daw po niya alam kung anong nangyari sa kanya. Basta may naamoy daw siyang mabaho. Tapos lamig na lamig daw po siya at parang mababaliw na. Lagi daw po niyang naririnig ang ‘allah’ pero di niya alam kung ano ginagawa sa kanya,” (She said she did not know what was happening to her. She smelled something noxious. She felt terribly cold and seemed to be losing control of her mind. All she heard was “allah” but she did not know what was being done to her.) Lilybeth recounted. Her family felt scared for her, but all they could do was to console her through text messages.

By the end of January, the family became more worried about Genia’s situation when she failed to reply to their text messages. Around February 27, they were shattered by the news that Genia died last February 24 and that her remains are at the Shumeisy Hospital. In a written statement, Genia’s employer claimed that she got sick and was brought to the hospital and later died.

“Hindi na namin alam kung kanino kami lalapit. Kahit ang DFA hindi alam na may namatay na OFW doon sa Saudi Arabia. Kaya lumapit kami sa Migrante” (We didn’t know whom to approach for assistance. Even the DFA [Department of Foreign Affairs] didn’t know that an OFW died in Saudi Arabia. So we decided to ask help from Migrante) said Liliybeth. Migrante International is an alliance of organizations of OFWs and their families.

Migrante vowed to continue pursuing justice for Genia, together will all the other cases of OFWs. Migrante is demanding that the Arroyo government gives due attention to the plight of OFWs . As of now, the remains of Genia is still at the Shumeisy Hospital. “Mag-aapat na buwan na, hindi parin makauwi dito sa Pilipinas (ang bangkay ni Genia),” It has been four months now and her remains have not yet been brought home.) said Liliybeth.

“Sabi sa amin ng mga ahensiya ng gobyerno, unahin daw ang buhay kaysa sa patay. Diyos ko naman, huwag naman ganoon. Yung nanay nito (Genia) nagkasakit na. Tatay din nito pumunta na dito sa Maynila upang makatulong sa pag follow up ung kaso” (Government agencies told us that thy are prioritizing the repatriation of OFWs who are alive rather than those who are already dead. Why are they like that? Genia’s mother is sick already. Her father went to Manila just to follow-up her case,)” said Roque Magdula, Genia’s uncle.

“Gusto ko lang sanang iparating sa gobyerno na gawan naman nila ng paraan ang kaso ng pagkamatay ng kapatid ko” (I just want to tell the government to follow up the case of my sister’s death.) Lilybeth said.

Lilybeth and the entire family aren’t convinced that Genia committed suicide, as claimed by some sources. “Marami siyang pangarap. Hindi niya magagawa iyong iuntog ang sarili sa tiles” (She had a lot of dreams. She would not hit her head on the tiles) said Lilybeth, gripping her handkerchief tightly.

For the Baja family, Genia’s death is not just another OFW case. “Kapamilya po namin yun, kapatid ko. May mga pamilya din po sila, sana maintindihan nila ang nararamdaman namin” (She’s part of our family, she’s my sister. They have their own families and I hope they understand how we feel.)

The call for justice for Genia still continues. And as long as her body isn’t brought home and the real reason for her death is revealed, her family, together with Migrante and other OFW families will continue the fight for justice.

Genia’s death is not an isolated case. A lot of OFWs in other countries suffer the same fate. The Arroyo government needs to address this national problem, or the call “Gloria Palayasin” (Oust Gloria) will continue to resonate louder and louder from Migrante, OFWs, and their families. Bulatlat

International Labor Day was protest day for migrant workers all over the world who are continuously struggling and fighting for their rights, just wages, benefits and humane treatment from employers and capitalists.

BY HANNAH FAITH DORMIDO
MIGRANT WATCH
Bulatlat
Vol. VIII, No. 13, May 4-10, 2008

International Labor Day was protest day for migrant workers all over the world who are continuously struggling and fighting for their rights, just wages, benefits and humane treatment from employers and capitalists.

The worsening food and oil crisis in the country, the global economic slowdown and the plunging power of the dollar is a “triple whammy” that hit overseas Filipino workers and their families hard, said Connie Bragas-Regalado, chairperson of Migrante International.

“We are practically in a state of calamity and urgent measures are needed in order to alleviate our situation,” said Regalado during the May 1 rally in Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila led by the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU or May 1st Movement).

Regalado said the Arroyo government should scrap the “OFW (overseas Filipino workers) remittance tax” and the documentary stamp tax, which is collected for every OFW remittance transaction. She also stressed that it is unjust for the government to continue collecting astronomical amounts from OFWs but distressed OFWs are forced to beg for services like repatriation medical and legal assistance.

More than 2000 migrant workers in the Middle East await their repatriation, while seven OFWs were unjustly arrested for allegedly leading a migrant workers’ strike at the Al Jassim Trucking Company in Riyadh.

“Their arrest not only highlights the height of exploitation suffered by our OFWs, but is also proof that OFWs are still being sent to Iraq despite the so called deployment ban,” said Regalado.

In the United States, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance)-USA “joins over 12 million undocumented immigrants across United States in struggling for full legalization, workers rights, family reunification, and genuine comprehensive immigration reform.”

“Immigrants contribute richly to the social and economic fabric of the United States. Aside from paying taxes and not availing of social services, or taking on jobs most U.S. citizens shun, immigrants care for our children, our elderly, construct our buildings, plant our food, grow our gardens, and maintain our homes. Without them, our society would fail to function,” BAYAN-USAsaid in a statement.

The U.S. business sector thrives on cheap labor, and capitalists take advantage of the desperation of the OFWs by “driving down workers' wages and stripping them of rights and benefits. This ensures that the capitalist turns in higher profits year after year, at the cost of human dignity for immigrant workers. From this framework arises a modern-day slave class in the US.”

Bayan-USA said that the U.S. government is assisted by the puppet Arroyo government in carrying its interventionist agenda in the country. By being an export-oriented, import dependent economy, which means bringing out of the country labor and natural resources while putting aside genuine agrarian reform and national industrialization, the Philippines has become one of the top three labor exporting countries in the world. This has also made the Philippines a remittance dependent economy.

“It (Philippines) also remains a heavily-impoverished nation with no plausible prospect of reaching first world status any time in the future, despite the claims of the Arroyo government,” said Bayan-USA.

In the U.S., more Filipino immigrants are falling victim to raids, detentions, deportations, family disunity, lack of social services, and lack of civil and human rights. BAYAN-USA,together with migrant workers, demand changes in the US immigration system and an end to neoliberal globalization that perpetuates forced migration to the U.S.

“OFWs are hailed as Modern Heroes by the Arroyo administration and yet we hear nothing from her administration to ease OFWs woes in time of soaring prices of food and economic crisis,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante Middle East coordinator.

OFWs in the Middle East urged the Arroyo government to have “gifts” for them too. This include “lowering of OFW membership fee, removal of documentary stamp tax on OFW remittances and exemption of OFWs from service fees on their remittances,” said Monterona.

He stressed that Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) charging and collection of membership fee amounting to US$25.00 per OFW is too burdensome and unbearable for returning OFWs and aspiring alike in time of soaring prices of food and economic crisis.

Monterona added that it is in violation of Section 2 paragraph (l) of RA 8042 which states: “Government fees and other administrative costs of recruitment, introduction, placement and assistance to migrant workers shall be rendered free without prejudice to the provision of Section 36 hereof.”

“The OWWA fund now reaching to almost P10 billion ($236,183,278 at an exchange rate of $1=P42.34) held in trust by the government has been subjected to numerous misuse, as manifested by the diversion of funds such as the transfer of P4B ($94,473,311) from OWWA to Philippine Health and Insurance Corporation by virtue of a secret issuance of Executive Order 182 by Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo where Philhealth cards have been distributed during her 2004 presidential sorties, among many other misuses of OWWA fund,” Monterona said.

Monterona added that lowering of OWWA membership fee and removal of other unnecessary government fees charged and collected from OFWs and aspiring alike would surely ease the burden of OFWs and their families in time of economic crisis.

Filipino migrant workers in Canada, despite being highly-skilled and highly educated, are Canada’s lowest paid workers, said Migrante-Ontario in a statement. ”Their skills and education are not recognized, forcing them into low-paid, difficult and dangerous jobs that no Canadian wants. “

Migrante- Ontario said migrant workers in Canada suffer from lay-offs, contractualization, racism and other forms of exploitation. The rice and food crisis suffered in the Philippines adds burden to the migrant workers to abroad because they have to earn more in order to support their families back home.

“The working class becomes more oppressed than ever under the mantra of economic practices such as privatization, deregulation, trade liberalization and contractualization imposed by global corporate rulers. Using the ploy of corporate efficiency, the capitalists have been trying to reduce, if not eliminate labour rights such as collective bargaining, minimum wage, right to unionize, benefits and safe working environment,” stated Migrante-Ontario.

Migrante- Ontario added that “the U.S. "war on terror" intensifies racist attacks and discriminatory measures against migrant and immigrant workers. Migrant workers have been illegally arrested and deported, without due process, on the grounds that they are a threat to national security.”

OWWA funds (mis)used and (mis)managed

“The admission maid by Labor Sec. Marianito Roque that OWWA has incurred losses of about Php.70 million ($1,653,282) in pre-departure loans availed by OFWs if found to be true indeed validates suspicions that OWWA has been mismanaging the OWWA fund, which is a compulsory collection of US$25.0 per OFWs on a yearly basis believed to have reached Php.10-B held in trust to the government,” said John Leonard Monterona, coordinator of Migrante-Middle East.

Monterona added that this admission from Secretary Roque might be used as a justification for stopping OWWA welfare programs and services to OFWs and families.

“We challenge Sec. Roque to re-implement all the welfare programs OWWA has been removed due to the implementation of OWWA Omnibus Policies and consider the lowering of OWWA membership fee from US$25.0 (Php-1,050 if exchange rate is 1:42) to PhP500 ($11.80) per OFW,” Monterona said. Bulatlat

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BY HANNAH FAITH DORMIDO
Bulatlat
Posted 2:51 p.m., April 25, 2008

“There is an ongoing call for the repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who remain stranded in Saudi Arabia, including the most vocal leaders who are at the forefront of the campaign to expose the lies and inhumanity they now endure,” said Connie Bragas-Regalado, Migrante International Chairperson.

Families of OFWs and Migrante, an alliance of organizations composed of overseas Filipinos, staged a picket this morning in front of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) office, calling on the Arroyo government to do its job of bringing the stranded OFWs home.

Regalado said a number of the most vocal leaders among the stranded OFWs remain imprisoned in Saudi Arabia. “It appears as if this may be another case of the Arroyo government trying to stifle the truth (about the OFWs’ situation) by hiding it,” she said.

Stranded OFW Joel Agana’s aunt, Anita Manota, said she fears her nephew’s return home was being delayed on purpose. Agana’s mother died last Feb. 11 and DFA officials promised to prioritize his repatriation so he could see his mother before she is buried. Agana remains imprisoned in a Saudi Arabian deportation center, said Manota.

Regalado at the same time hit the DFA for not being able to reimburse the plane tickets of at least four stranded OFWs forced to buy their own tickets.

Despite public statements by the DFA that it released $36,000 for repatriation of OFWs and promises by the DFA including RP Consul-General Ezzedin Tago that the Arroyo government would shoulder their fares home, the OFW had to pay around P20, 000 for their own tickets.

Regalado said it is completely unjust that only those who are deemed to be “active Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) members” are reimbursed. She added that according to Republic Act No. 8042, or the Migrant Workers Act of 1995, there should be a P100-million Emergency Repatriation Fund.

She said Migrante will stage higher forms of protest, like locking the gates of the DFA, if ever the government would fail to help the stranded OFWs.

Migrante will also take its campaign to the Senate on Monday to pursue efforts for immediate assistance for the stranded OFWs and long term policy changes regarding OFW repatriation. Bulatlat

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