Isa sa bawat apat na biktima ng Human Trafficking: Pinoy

ni Mac Ramirez
Philippine Correspondent

Ito ang katotohanang isiniwalat ng International Justice Mission (IJM) in the Philippines sa isang pulong balitaan kamakailan lamang.

Ayon sa grupo, tinatayang aabot sa 2.5 milyon katao ang nabibiktima ng human trafficking sa buong mundo taun-taon at kumikita ng $32 bilyon ang pandaigdigang negosyong ito.
Mahigit 500,000 sa mga nagiging biktima ay mga kababaihan at kabataang Pilipino, ayon sa IJM.

Sa kabila ng pagkakapasa ng Republic Act 9208, o ang Anti- Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, napakaliit lamang ang bilang ng mga kasong nai-uulat sa mga kinauukulan, anang IJM.

Dagdag pa nila, mula 2003 hanggang 2005, 109 lamang ang kaso ng human trafficking na napaulat sa mga otoridad at sasampu (10) lamang sa mga akusado ang naparusahan.

Samatala, nagpahayag din ng pagkabahala ang Gabriela Women’s Partylist (GWP) sa lomolobong bilang ng mga kababaihan at kabataang nagiging biktima ng trafficking.

Ayon kay Luz Ilagan, kinatawan ng GWP sa kongreso, matinding kahirapan sa Pilipinas ang ugat ng lumalalang kaso ng human trafficking sa bansa. “”Sa tindi ng desperasyong makalabas ng bansa para lamang makaahon sa kahirapan, napakaraming babae at bata ang nabibiktima ng mga manlolokong rekruter at nahuhulog sa prostitusyon sa ibayong dagat,” ani Ilagan

Dagdag pa niya: “ Marami ring mga nangingibang-bayan ang mga nagogoyo ng ‘palit-kontrata’, kung saan pagbebenta ng laman ang kanilang kinasasadlakan at hindi ang mga trabahong orihinal na nakasaad sa kanilang mga kontrata.”

Nanawagan ang Gabriela sa pangulong Gloria Arroyo at sa Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) na saklolohan sa lalong madaling panahon ang mga Pilipinang biktima ng human trafficking sa buong daigdig.

Sa pakikipagtulungan sa grupong MIGRANTE International, ang Gabriela ay nakatakdang maglunsad ng isang pandaigdigang kampanya laban sa lumalalang human trafficking sa mga kababaihan at kabataang Pilipino.

Exchange rate for OFWs

by Mac Ramirez
Philippine Correspondent

“There’s definitely something wrong with a country when only its government rejoices while its people mourns every time its currency becomes strong,” thus declared Migrante International, the largest global alliance of overseas Filipino groups and their families.

The militant alliance is reacting to recent developments brought about by the strengthening Philippine peso. Just recently, overseas Filipino workers (OFW) from Saudi Arabia have petitioned the Arroyo government to impose a fixed P50 to $1 exchange rate against the current P45 to a dollar, saying that the money they send home are cut drastically every time the peso gains more strength against the dollar.

While recognizing that special exchange rates would surely benefit the millions of OFWs and their families, Migrante International chairperson Connie Bragas Regalado said, “This only betrays the sad state of affairs our nation is currently in.”

Fundraise your dead, says consulate in Canada

by Jonathan Canchela
Canada Correspondent

Repatriation is one of the benefits due her as a migrant worker and an OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) member. Yet when Elenita “Beng-Beng” Pallanan, the family’s sole breadwinner, finally went home for interment from Toronto, Canada, to her home in Bgy Sinikway, Lapuz in the district of La Paz, Iloilo City last July 17, the Philippine Consulate, when asked how to bring her body back to the Philippines merely said, “fundraise” and seek help from Filipino organizations.

That said as much for the treatment of one of the country’s “modern heroes.”

Elenita was the youngest in a brood of four. Her father died years ago. Her mother, 60, has a heart ailment and is dependent on a minimal Social Security System (SSS) monthly pension. Elenita left her family in 2005 to work in Hong Kong. She had dreams of affording her mother and a brother who suffers from illness in his spinal column, proper treatment in a hospital. In the long run, she had hoped to bring them to Canada. With Elenita gone, what does the future hold for her family?

In the end it was still the Filipino migrants who took action— took care of her remains as well as a trust fund for her family’s immediate needs arising from the loss of a breadwinner.

Upon Siklab-Ontario’s insistence, Elenita’s remains were brought to the Philippines by the work agency which brought her from Canada to Hong Kong. All the while, the Philiipine Consulate took no action, when by law it is tasked to inform or provide step by step guidance for the repatriation of the dead, especially when no next of kin is immediately available to take charge.

Siklab-Ontario also set up a Friends of Elenita Pallanan Committee and initially raised $700 from friends, supporter s and anonymous donors and sent to the Pallanan family. Migrante-Iloilo is also helping the Pallanan family to claim Elenita’s benefits from OWWA.

Mike Arroyo: the Mystery Man Behind the NBN Bribery, Corruption Case

In what is quickly turning out to be the biggest corruption and bribery case against president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Jose “Joey” de Venecia III, told Senate that Mike Arroyo, husband of GMA, was the one who threatened him to back off in the bidding for the multi-million dollar National Broadband Network (NBN) Project, after refusing COMELEC Chairman Benjamin Abalos’s USD10 million bribe in December 2006.

In his affidavit JDV III said that in the reconciliatory meeting in mid-March this year at the exclusive Wack Wack Country Gulf Club the First Gentleman Mike Arroyo cut short the meeting by pointing a scolding finger two inches against JDV III’s face and shouted “BACK OFF!!”

JDV III is beneficiary and partner of the Amsterdam Holdings carrier of various multi-interests companies including Information Technology companies which submitted their unsolicited proposal to the government’s Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) headed by former General Leandro Mendoza early December 2006.

Mid-December 2006, JDV III received an invitation from Chairman Abalos’s office where during their breakfast meeting Chairman Abalos offered JDV III USD10 million bribe to JDV III, which he flatly refused.

Subsequently at a meeting in Xiandong, China with ZTE and China’s (?) Vice President Zhou Yung in February 2007, Chairman Abalos demanded the “balance” of the initially agreed “deposit fee” or commission to ensure the project award, at this juncture ZTE Finance officer then asked Abalos what happened to the funds earlier released to him.

In April this year DOTC’s Secretary Mendoza signed along with Vice President Zhou Yung the contract awarding ZTE the USD329 Million NBN contract. This event in China was witnessed by no less than President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The JDV III disclosures seem to imply that GMA has knowledge of the deal and took part in the effort to dispatch the awarding of the project to ZTE. The fact that husband Mike Arroyo arrogantly muscled out, in a fashion not unlike a Mafia Boss, JDV III and the Amsterdam Holdings’ proposal, gives everybody little to doubt that the Mendoza, Abalos and Arroyo clique stand to gain millions of dollars from this deal.

Moreover, the ZTE contract which initially amounted to USD262 Million was overpriced as observed by JDV III and the Amsterdam Holdings yet it came as a big surprise when the signed contract exceeded this amount by USD67 Million. It takes no genius to conclude that the “brokers” of the deal stands to gain more than a USD100 million in kickbacks.

litrato ni C-ann Reyes

NCLEX sa Pinas na!

ni Mac Ramirez
Philippine Correspondent

Magandang balita para sa libo- libong mga Pilipinong nars na nangangarap makapagtrabaho sa Estados Unidos. Simula Agosto 23 hanggang Disyembre ngayong taon, maaari nang makuha sa bansa ang National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) sa Pearson Professional Center sa Makati City.

Ayon kay Dante Ang, pinuno ng Presidential Task Force on the NCLEX at ng Commission for Filipinos Overseas (CFO), napili ng United States’ National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) ang Maynila bilang isa sa mga lunsaran ng eksaminasyong NCLEX sa mundo matapos itong imungkahi ng pamahalaan ng Pilipinas.

Dahil dito, makatitipid ng aabot sa P100,000 ang kada isang Pilipinong nars na nagnanais kumuha ng examination ayon kay Ang. Hindi na nila kailangang pumunta sa mga international NCLEX testing sites gaya ng Hong Kong, Singapore, at Saipan.

“Kailangan lamang nilang magbayad ng $200 examination fee at karagdagang $150 kapag naitakda na ang shedule ng kanilang pagsusulit” sabi ni Ang.

Sa unang araw ng exam sa Pearson Professional Center, 90 Pilipinong nars ang kumuha ng pagsusulit at ang karamihan sa kanila ay nagmula sa Metro Manila.

GMA's mandatory SSS coverage, a systematized extortion for OFWs

by Maita Santiago
Philippine Correspondent

“The unbelievable greed of the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo government for the money of OFWs is again shown by its effort to corner our earnings through the Social Security System.”

This was declared by Dolores Balladares, chairperson of the United Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL-MIGRANTE-HK) following GMA’s order for the SSS to expand its membership base by covering all overseas Filipino workers.

“Not content with the additional fees that the POEA guidelines imposed of migrant workers, GMA is now gearing to make SSS mandatory on tope of the OWWA and the long list of fees that we are already paying,” she added.

According to the group, the said proposal is another money-making scheme of the government to finance GMA’s “illusory” economic progress.

“While she gloats over the ‘strong peso’ that is largely due to OFW remittances, the burden that it has put on us is going to be aggravated by an additional fee that shall put a dent to our already depleted financial support to our families,” Balladares said.

Recently, OFWs have raised serious concerns on the continuing decline of the dollar that they said does not come with reduction of prices of basic commodities and other social services.

“Prices are now too high and services in the country are inaccessible even to families of OFWs. Abroad, government services to migrant workers are also negligible as opposed to the promises the new POEA Guidelines made,” Balladares reported.

Balladares believes that the proposal for mandatory membership of OFWs to the SSS will become another cornerstone of state exaction to OFWs.

“OFWs in Hong Kong will surely oppose this move and we’ll encourage our compatriots in other countries to create a global movement of Filipino migrants against policies that make us milking cows of GMA,” she concluded.

Dutch gov't frees Joma

by Jon-Jon Magtanggol
Philippine Correspondent

The Dutch government frees Professor Jose Maria Sison, founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and a consultant to the National Democratic Front (NDF) Peace Panel after two weeks of unjust incarceration. This developed after the Dutch court found the charges against Prof. Joma were trumpped-up.

Moreover, the decision came after protests rained on Dutch consulates and embassies in many countries (see related stories in page 2, 3 and 10) in the wake of the formation of a new alliance of organizations composed of overseas Filipinos and their families. The alliance spearheaded theglobal protest actions by Filipinos and allied groups abroad and in the country demanding the immediate freedom of ILPS Chair Prof. Jose Maria Sison.

“Overseas Filipinos and their local allies organised the protest actions across the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, the US and other countries. We are indignant over the brutal arrest and raids conducted by Dutch authorities against Prof. Jose Maria Sison and other progressive Filipinos in the Netherlands,” says Connie Bragas-Regalado, Migrante International Chair.

Already, emergency pickets abroad for Prof. Sison’s immediate release were held yesterday in Hong Kong and Vancouver. In Hong Kong, the rally was led by the HK Committee to Defend the Rights of Prof. Sison and UNIFIL-Migrante-HK while in Vancouver, the BC Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines organized a picket with progressive Filipinos and their local supporters. For their part, Filipinos in Australia and other Australians barraged the fax line of the local Dutch Consulate with protest letters.

Statements denouncing the baseless arrest were also issued by overseas Filipino groups: KASAMMAKO-Korea (alliance of OFW groups in Korea); Migrante-Australia; SIKLAB-Canada (organization of OFWs and their families); Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance-Canada; Migrante-Europe; Damayan Migrant Education and Resource Center; Filipino Worker’s Support Committee-Toronto; Philippine Network for Justice and Peace (PNJP); Philippine Solidarity Group of Toronto; SIKLAB-Ontario; Ugnayan ng Kabataan Pilipino sa Canada - Toronto (UKPC-Toronto); United Filipinos for Nationalism and Democracy (UFiND); and BAYAN-USA.
According to Migrante, these actions are in addition to the many other protests led by the International League of People’s Struggles, DEFEND the Rights of Prof. Sison Committees and other solidarity formations around the world.

“Prof. Sison and the other progressive Filipinos that are being politically persecuted by the Dutch-Philippine-US triad are legitimate political refugees and in some cases, even Dutch citizens. The brutal arrest and raids conducted are brazen violations of their rights and relevant UN conventions on political refugees,” added Bragas-Regalado.

In Manila, Migrante International joined the BAYAN-led rally in front of the Dutch embassy and the multi-sectoral rally to mark the International Day of the Disappeared.

“Today we pay tribute to the almost 200 victims of political abductions under the Arroyo regime. Arroyo’s desperate destruction of the peace process in Mindanao and now of peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines will only heighten her atrocity of unabated abductions and political killings,” she concluded.

Fil-Am group slams POEA's support for illegal employment

by Rico Foz
United States Correspondent

The Filipino-American alliance Nafcon (National Alliance for Filipino Concerns) welcomed the Philippine senate probe (date?) on the case of Sentosa 27. Senator Panfilo Lacson also moved that the POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Agency) be investigated for delayed action on the matter.

More urgently, Nafcon also demanded that all criminal and civil charges be dropped against 27 healthcare professionals falsely contracted to work in various facilities in New York.

The alliance took charge of the case this year, along with the Sentosa 27 themselves and their lawyer, Felix Vinluan. An international campaign for justice and shutdown of both Sentosa Care LLC in Long Island, New York, and Sentosa Recruitment Agency at the Ortigas Center , Pasig, is being coordinated with various nurses associations, labor groups, immigrant rights advocates and Philippine-based groups. In particular, the campaign has generated the support of the National Federation ofFilipino American Associations (NaFFAA), the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), the American Nurses Association (ANA) as well as the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA).

The Sentosa 27 (26 nurses and 1 physical therapist) moved to work in New York in (date?) but realized that none of the terms of their contracts were being followed. When they filed a case with the Labor Attache in Washington, D.C., this prompted a fierce backlash from Sentosa owner and manager Bent Philipson. He countered civil charges against the 27 for breach of contract.

Ten of the Sentosa 27 resigned from their posts after months of deplorable working conditions and violations of contract. Philipson promptly pressed criminal charges against the 10 for “patient endangerment.” The 10 nurses denied this including the alleged collective walkout. They said they made sure that nurses from the next shift were on hand when they left their posts. They also said that working conditions under Sentosa required inhumane and impossible patient to nurse ratio that reached 100:1. A court date for the criminally charged was set August 23 in Riverhead, NY.

Optimum nurse performance and patient care is already jeopardized under conditions of long hours, no overtime, no backwages, and a high patient-to-nurse ratio, opined Nafcon.

Nafcon is also pushing for another investigation on justice obstruction and political interference by former Philippine Cabinet member Mike Defensor and US Senator Charles Schumer. In 2006, both officials urged POEA Administrator Rosalinda Baldoz to life the suspension issued on Sentosa after the Sentosa 27 filed a case against the said agency.

The Sentosa 27 shows not just another case of rampant contract violations but also the support and protection by US and Philippine government officials of criminal agencies.

For support signatures log on @ www.justiceforsentosa27.blogspot.com

No to another Flor Contemplacion!

This is the battle cry of the alliance of organizations composed of overseas Filipinos and their families during the launch of its Save the Life of Marilou Ranario Campaign this morning.

Marilou, 33 years old, languishes on death row after a Kuwaiti Court sentenced her to death by hanging in September 2005 for killing her female employer. An appeals court upheld this decision in February 2007.

Marilou’s case is under final appeal with Kuwait ’s highest court, the Court of Cassation. Oral arguments are set for October to December this year with the final decision expected by January or February 2008.

“Marilou is today’s Flor Contemplacion. She is a young mother and former teacher who wanted little more than a better life for herself and her family. This campaign is a life and death one for her and the young family she will leave behind. It’s also a virtual countdown since less than 16 weeks remain till a possible January decision,” says Connie Bragas-Regalado, Migrante International Chairperson during a press conference in Quezon City with members of Marilou’s family and friends.

Marilou hails from Tubod, Surigao del Norte and has two children, 13 yrs old and 9 years old. Her husband is a jeepney driver in Quezon City . Before going to Kuwait as a domestic worker, she was an elementary school teacher in a public school. In phone calls home after her arrival in Kuwait , Marilou sometimes told her family about the difficult and abusive conditions she endured under her employer, Najat Mahmoud Faraj Mobarak.

“This campaign aims to raise public awareness about the greatest heights of exploitation and injustice Marilou and other OFWs on death row suffer. The struggle to save their lives will involve a broad range of actions at the local, national and international level. We also seek to expose and make accountable the Arroyo administration over its criminal neglect of their plight,” added Bragas-Regalado.

According to the DFA, there are approximately 35 OFWs on death row, mostly in the Middle East . Earlier this June, OFW Rey Cortez was beheaded in Saudi Arabia for allegedly killing a Pakistani taxi driver.

To kick-off the campaign, Migrante unveiled a tarpaulin poster with an image of Marilou and the words “Save the life of Marilou Ranario!” The poster image will be used throughout the campaign and distributed across the Philippines and around the world through Migrante’s member organizations and international network.