Manila: A Filipino migrant workers' group lamented what they said was the government's inaction concerning plight of distressed guest workers.
The concern was voiced as the workers' group said it had organised a coordinated action to rattle the current administration into action.
Migrante International, in a statement, said overseas Filipinos would mark International Migrants' Day on December 18, by holding off their remittances for at least that day.
"Overseas Filipinos in at least 20 countries today vowed to participate in the Zero Remittance Day on December 18, International Migrants' Day. Led by Migrante International, this act of protest marks overseas Filipinos' disgust, dissent, anger and frustrations over the magnitude of problems that the Filipino migrant labour sector continues to face, and escalating, under the Aquino regime," Migrante International said.
Remittances
The Philippine economy is heavily dependent of remittances from Filipinos overseas and Migrante International said that the current administration under President Benigno Aquino III seems unable to appreciate how important Filipino migrant workers are to the country.
"While President Aquino acted with surprising and remarkable dispatch to have Gloria Arroyo arrested and Chief Justice Renato Corona impeached," said Migrante International chairperson Garry Martinez, "the same cannot be said of his regime as hundreds and thousands of remittance-sending Filipinos languish in jail, are stranded, abused, duped, raped, violated and scurrying for their own lives and safety during crises, wars, conflicts and disasters."
Martinez said that while Aquino has already spent a year and a half in office, "nothing has come off its promise to ease the burdens of OFWs (overseas Filipino workers), much less create jobs at home or raise wages.
Martinez said while Aquino may be applauded for initiating moves to put Arroyo behind bars or impeaching Corona, "the fact remains that Aquino's labour export programme has all the imprint of an Arroyo presidency - cheap labour, abused persons, slaughtered dignity.
"Nothing short of the reversal of Aquino's present economic policies - including the labour export policy - can make OFWs believe that what is unfolding before their eyes, Aquino vs. Arroyo, is not just plain power play of one faction lording it over the other, or of vindictiveness clashing with thievery," Martinez said.
Migrante International added that overseas Filipinos from Australia, HK, Japan, South Korea, Macau, New Zealand, Taiwan, KSA, Qatar, Libya, UAE, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, UK, Canada and the United States will hold off for a day, December 18, the sending of remittances.
