Overseas Filipinos also spearheading anti-Arroyo protests

By ANTHONY IAN CRUZ
Unpublished
February 25, 2008

Filipinos abroad are also all set to hold rallies “for truth and accountability” starting Sunday in Hong Kong and later in the week in key US, Canada and Middle East cities.

At Hong Kong’s Chater Road, the Gloria Step Down Movement (GSM-HK) said “several thousands” of Filipino domestic helpers and professionals turned out for an interfaith rally expressing support for witness Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada.

Joining the rally-cum-protest were the United Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL), Gabriela Women’s Party (GWP-HK), Abra Tinguian Ilocano Society (ATIS), Cordillera Alliance (CORALL), United Pangasinan in Hong Kong (UPHK) and the Filipino Migrant Workers Union (FMWU), said GSM-HK spokesperson Dolores Balladares.

The Hong Kong protest offered no reprieve for First Gentleman Mike Arroyo who went there purportedly “for acupuncture”.

Filipino-Americans are set to stage demonstrations in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and other major US cities to demand President Arroyo’s resignation.

Bayan USA chair Chito Quijano said “even second-generation Fil-Ams can smell what is rotten about Arroyo from 30,000 miles away and know that the Philippine system needs to change.”

Set to take part in mass actions are Americans who are actively campaigning against extrajudicial executions, an effort that has resulted in the US Congress imposing “human rights preconditions” on US military aid for 2008, according to Arn Lou Mutia, a Filipino church leader in California.

Protest actions are also slated to be held in Ottawa and Toronto in Canada.

Migrante Middle East regional coordinator John Monterona said “various protest actions including petition-signing events, forums, distribution of leaflets are now under way” in Riyadh, Jeddah, Kuwait, Dubai, Jordan, Bahrain and Doha.

“Simultaneous demonstrations in front of Philippine consulates and embassies are also being planned for Feb. 29 or March 8 to show our support to the call for Arroyo’s resignation,” said Monterona

Monterona said that Migrante is also encouraging OFWs in the region to contribute to the “Patriotic Fund” initiated by Senate Majority LeaderFrancis Pangilinan in support of Lozada and other witnesses in the NBN-ZTE scandal.

Monterona also revealed that OFWs in Migrante’s global network are now busy texting relatives in the Philippines to urge them to join Monday’s protest rally at Mendiola Bridge in Manila.

“We are certain that our sons and daughter and our entire families will not fail us. We want them to join the protests,” said Monterona.

2 Comments

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lestercavestany says:

February 25, 2008 at 7:50 pm

I personally believe that many of the OFW’s were outraged by MC-04 and now they are taking action against the government’s greed.

Dati marami sa mga OFW wala masyadong reaksyon sa mga nangyayari sa pinas, pero noong naramdaman nila ang pagkagahaman ng pamahalaan nang dahil sa MC-04, wala silang nagawa kundi umaksyon.

I wonder if Pres Arroyo will do any kind of action against Sec Brion and POEA Administrator Baldoz for implementing MC-04.

Salamat,
Lester
tonyo says:

February 26, 2008 at 2:24 am

When the POEA and the DOLE implemented MC-04, OFWs just said “puno na ang salop” and so they protested. Even the telecommuting professionals protested as it would have erased any prospect of being hired AND actually brought abroad.

It as is the government has no mandate or no revenues to ensure the repatriation of its citizens who the state encourages to go abroad by virtue of its policy of “exporting excess labor and then siphoning away their dollar earnings”.

And since “impunity” is the hallmark of this regime, I think Arroyo wouldn’t mind Baldoz staying at the POEA.