MANILA — Taking its cue from the results of an independent exit poll by a local Hong Kong paper, an alliance of organizations composed of OFWs and their families expressed confidence that the Gabriela Womens Partylist will lead partylist elections among OFWs and their families.
The exit poll by The Sun was conducted among nearly 600 OFW voters outside the Bayanihan Center polling place on April 15 and 22, the first two Sundays of OAV voting.
Gabriela came in first with a total of 240 votes while CIBAC was a far second with only 21 votes.
Were certain that OAV voters and their families will vote for Gabriela because it has a long track record of fighting for the rights and welfare of OFWs both inside and outside Congress. It is the consistent voice in the House for those OFWs, especially women migrants, who cant be at home, says Connie Bragas-Regalado, Migrante International Chairperson.
Among the resolutions filed by Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza are ones that call for investigations into the anti-migrant new POEA Guidelines for Household Service Workers; the abuses under Canadas Live-in Caregiver Program; the rape and unsolved murder cases of OFW domestic workers and the allegations of corruption surrounding the billion peso OFW Trust Fund at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
She was also at the forefront of the creation of the 2003 Anti-Trafficking in Women and Children Act.
Other partylists that received votes in The Sun exit poll were Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Ahon Pinoy, Batas, Buhay and Abante Ilonggo and An-Waray.
GO bets lead same exit poll: 9-2-1
In the same exit poll, Genuine Opposition bets also took 9 spots in the Magic 12 leaving only two for Team Unity and one for Independent candidate Francis Kiko Pangilinan.
The top 12 in The Suns exit poll are: Loren Legarda (GO) with 427 votes; Francis Kiko Pangilinan (Ind) with 310 votes; Manuel Villar (GO) with 290 votes; Allan Cayetano (GO) with 273 votes; Ralph Recto (TU) with 262 votes; Ninoy Aquino (GO) with 258 votes; Panfilo Lacson with 232 votes; Koko Pimentel (GO) with 214 votes; Edgardo Angara with 205 votes; Francis Chiz Escudero with 189 votes; Sonia Roco (GO) with 187 votes; and Nikki Coseteng with 168 votes.
These results mirror other surveys and even the results of Global Mock Senatorial Elections held by Migrante. In this light, the other exit poll in HK that shows Team Unity taking 8 spots is highly doubtful. The dubious results of the Team Unity exit poll may well be part of Arroyos grand scheme to manipulate election results in her favor, said Maita Santiago, MigrantsWatch.Net Spokesperson.
MigrantsWatch.Net is a network of OFWs, their families and their advocates committed to exposing cases of electoral fraud and violence especially in the OAV polls. Santiago also noted that Migrantes mock elections held April 8 to 15 gave GO candidates 9 spots out of 12 with only one going to Team Unity and two to independent candidates.
The exit poll commissioned by Team Unity surveyed 200 OFWs and was conducted April 15 to 29 in the Philippine Consulate by a private firm.
The MigrantsWatch.Net maintains an on-line journal for reports about cheating and violence in the elections. It can be found at http://migrantswatch.wordpress.com #
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2007 Elections, Pinoy Life Abroad
