Atty. Valera also recalled the 2004 election scandal that exposed billions in OWWA funds extorted for Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s presidential candidacy ticket. He warned a repeat episode should not be allowed to happen.
“There should be an auditing of the POEA, OWWA, and DFA budgets, so we know exactly how much is earmarked for actual services for overseas Filipinos. This community campaign is falling on another election season, hence we should be even more on guard of plunder of these government agency budgets by political candidates to buy votes,” Valera added.
“Fely’s case has opened and exposed a Pandora’s box of ills in the Philippine government’s labor export policy when it comes to distressed overseas Filipinos,” states Rico Foz of the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON), the national rights and welfare alliance of which Philippine Forum-KABALIKAT is a founding member-affiliate. Foz visited the Philippine Consulate last week on behalf of the entire membership of NAFCON, prior to the Consulate’s announcement that it would offer repatriation funds, to address the case with Philippine Consul General Cecilia Rebong face to face.
“The overseas Filipino community has the right and moral ascendancy to engage the Philippine government to create genuine rights and welfare protections and policies when it comes to the systemic and multi-billion dollar labor export industry of Filipino workers,” Foz added.
Over $12 billion US dollars were remitted last year by overseas Filipino workers, a significant percentage of which is yielded from Filipinos in the US.
As a result of Philippine Forum-KABALIKAT’s efforts to raise funds to alleviate the financial burden on Garcia’s family, Philippine Forum-KABALIKAT Co-Coordinator Shirley Cuyugan-O’Brien announced over $3000 raised last week through the Justice for Fely Fund. “This proves the the power of our kababayan (compatriots) united, even though we are thousands of miles away from our homeland, to support for each other in dark and trying times.”
The Philippine Forum formally launched its domestic workers organizing project KABALIKAT in celebration of International Women’s Day last March 4, 2007. The Justice for Fely Garcia campaign was launched by Philippine Forum-KABALIKAT shortly after Garcia’s death and the Garcia family authorized the network to advocate on their behalf.
To make a donation to the Justice for Fely Campaign, make checks to Philippine Forum, write Justice for Fely on the memo, and mail to Philippine Forum at 54-05 Seabury Street, Elmhurst, New York 11373.
To sign the Justice for Fely Garcia online petition, visit http://www.petitiononline.com/J4FG2007/petition.html
For more information on the Justice for Fely Campaign, call the Philippine Forum-KABALIKAT at 718.565.8862 or email pf_kabalikat@yahoo.com ###
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Pinoy Life Abroad
