Press Release
7 June 2007
On the occasion of Migrant Workers Day
OFWs in HK assail government neglect, call to save life of OFW in death row and for services to all OFWs
While the life of OFW Rey Cortez hangs in the balance, while the government's responsibility for services and protection to Filipino migrants is denied, while dereliction of duty for Filipinos abroad of government officials in the Philippines and abroad persists - the government-declared Migrant Worker's Day shall remain shallow, hypocritical and pointless.
This was declared today by the United Filipinos in
According to Eman Villanueva, UNIFIL-HK secretary general, the action was held as a part of the International Day of Protest to Save the Life of OFW Rey Cortez, scheduled to be executed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), called by Migrante International.
Cortez was given the death sentence by the
"OFW Cortez, reported MSP-HK chairperson Vicky Cabantac, "was denied assistance by the Philippine Embassy in KSA. On his last hearing, it was reported that the Philippine Embassy did not provide him with a lawyer nor an interpreter for the whole proceeding."
The groups assailed the Philippine government's inaction on the case of Cortez. They said that his case reflects the sorry state of distressed overseas Filipinos in the hands of the government.
"Ten years after, the Philippine government continues to neglect the plight of OFWs and their families. Thousands of OFWs continue to languish in jails all over the world and many are in death row. Meanwhile, those who need immediate medical attention end up waiting until they die," said Cabantac.
Villanueva stated that the lack of services and protection from the Philippine government can be traced to its policies for OFWs such as the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Omnibus Policy. This, he said, was even revealed in a leaders' forum organized by the Philippine Consulate General on Sunday, June 5, where OWWA Administrator Marianito Roque was a guest.
"How can the Philippine government claim of services to OFWs when in the OWWA Omnibus Policy they have decided that only those paying the OWWA fees can avail of the OWWA programs? Even this contradicts the Migrants Act of 1995 that explicitly stated the duty of the government to provide services and protection to ALL overseas Filipinos," he furthered.
Additionally, Villanueva said that they were not impressed by Administrator Roque's positive picture of his plans for the OWWA.
"The real benefits to all OFWs of the plans he presented are still in question. Also, these are just coming soon. How about the now? What are they going to do with Cortez and the numerous more who are in need of direct and on-site services? Will they just wait until they die while the government comes up with more hullabaloo schemes, or worse, continue to squander the OFW money in the OWWA on corruption and anomalous investments?," he said.
Villanueva also raised the issue of transparency of the OWWA Fund. He reported that government moves such as the transfer of the OWWA Medicare to PhilHealth or the transfer of the OWWA money to the Landbank even without prior consultation nor information have been criticized by OFWs. Under the OWWA Omnibus Policy, he said that such secret deals are sanctioned.
Cabantac reported that MSP and its allied groups are still actively lobbying to scrap the OWWA Omnibus Policy. She urged OFWs who have been denied assistance to come out in order to make stronger the case against the said policy.
"The OWWA Omnibus Policy is a bane for all migrant workers and our families. What we need is fast and comprehensive services for all. What we demand is total protection of rights and wellbeing. Until then, the Migrant Workers Day shall only be an exercise in futility," Villanueva concluded.#
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