PRESS STATEMENT
6 November 2007

Migrante-Ontario launched in Toronto:
Vows to Fight and Defend the Rights of Filipino Migrants


Migrante-Ontario, an alliance of Filipino migrant organizations in Ontario, Canada, was officially launched in Toronto last November 4.

On its founding day, Migrante-Ontario vows to lead in the active struggle to effectively and continuously uphold and defend the rights and welfare of Filipino migrants and their families. It also undertakes to implement a responsive and pro-active program of action that would uplift the conditions of Filipino migrants and their families in Ontario.

Migrante-ON is founded on and consistent with the vision and mission of its mother organization, the MIGRANTE INTERNATIONAL, a global alliance of more than 100 overseas Filipino organizations in 22 countries.

“Given the increasing numbers of overseas Filipino workers exported to Canada… the need for Migrante-Ontario is greater than ever,” the Executive Committee of the Migrante-International said in its solidarity message read during the launching.

“In 2006, the number of Filipinos exported to Canada reached 6,468 – that is almost double the 3,629 that went in 2005. For [dollar] remittances, Filipinos in Canada last year sent home around $591 million in remittances, which is a whopping 405% increase from the amount of $117 million they sent in 2005,” the statement further said.

The formation of Migrante-Ontario is very timely indeed. Jocelyn Dulnuan’s death has awakened a lot Filipino people in Toronto regarding the neglect that Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are subject to suffer under the Philippine government. Migrante-ON, in collaboration with other community organizations, declares to work hard to seek justice for Jocelyn, and to pursue reforms in the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP).

During the press conference called upon by the Jocelyn Dulnuan Support Committee (JDSC) right after the launching, the JDSC also declared its two pressing objectives: 1) to seek justice for Jocelyn; 2) to seek changes to improve the welfare and well-being of caregivers. Migrante-On is a member of the JDSC.

The justice for Jocelyn and the LCP reform issues have gotten the attention and support of two Canadian parliamentarians. Peggy Nash (MP-NDP) and Cheri DiNovo (MPP-NDP) have pledged during the press conference last Sunday to initiate legislative reforms including the enforcement of the Employment Standards Act (ESA) in the LCP. “A fundamental change in the live-in caregiver program is needed… for workers under this program to get their equal rights,” said Nash. MPP DiNovo, on her part, has given an assurance to call for an inquiry into Jocelyn’s case, and to ask government labour authorities to send work inspectors to employers’ homes of the live-in caregivers.

Migrante-ON salutes these two parliamentarians for their support to the plight of Filipino migrants here in Ontario. While considering the support of parliamentarians as a positive step, Migrante-ON still calls on to various organizations and community groups including people of colour to work together. The time has come for us to come together in forging the fight for change and basic equal rights for migrant workers especially for compatriots who are working under the live-in caregiver program.

Migrante-ON believes that persistent struggle, through responsive and pro-active organizing and mobilizing, will continue to thrive in spite of any hardships along the way. The strength of Migrante-On will definitely come from the strength Filipino migrants unified by the dream of having basic equal rights while working abroad, and the dream of a free, just, democratic and progressive Philippines.

An ecumenical remembrance for Jocelyn and all migrant victims of crimes and injustice punctuated the Sunday launching.

Members of Migrante-ON include the following organizations: DAMAYAN Migrant Education and Resource Center, United Filipinos For Nationalism and Democracy (UFiND), AWARE/GABAY, Philippine Advocacy Through Arts Canada (PATAC), Pilipinong Migrante Sa Canada (PMSC)-Ottawa, Migrant Workers Family resource Center – Hamilton, UKPC-Toronto, Siklab-Ontario

Reference: Maria Sol Pajadura: 6474487030; migrante.ontario@gmail.com
 

Dowmload press statement

Solidarity Message to launch of Migrante-Ontario

November 4, 2007

By the Executive Committee

Warmest greetings!  As an alliance of more than 100 organizations across 22 countries, Migrante International today salutes all the officers and members of the various organizations that have come together to form and launch Migrante-Ontario.  It is indeed an opportune time for UFIND, GABAY/AWARE, UKPC-Toronto, PATAC and SIKLAB-Ontario to unite given the rising challenges for overseas Filipinos and their families in your region.

We also congratulate your organizations for leading various successful campaigns, including the ones for justice for Elenita Pailanan and Jocelyn Dulnuan – two live-in caregivers who symbolize the heights of exploitation and criminal neglect that overseas Filipino workers are subject to under the Arroyo administration.

Although they died under different circumstances, the Philippine consulate responded to them in the same way:  they turned their backs on them.  Despite the billions of dollars in remittances that overseas Filipinos infuse into the economy, the Arroyo administration essentially left the families of Elenita and Jocelyn to fend for themselves.

Given the increasing numbers of overseas Filipino workers exported to Canada, we foresee a rise in such cases of government criminal neglect against overseas Filipinos.  As such, the need for Migrante-Ontario is greater than ever.

In 2006, the number of Filipinos exported to Canada reached 6,468 – that is almost double the 3,629 that went in 2005.  For remittances, Filipinos in Canada last year sent home around $591 million in remittances, which is a whopping 405% increase from the amount of $117 million they sent in 2005. 

This intensified export of Filipinos to Canada is mirrored in the record-high numbers of Filipinos forced to leave the country daily.  In 2006, an estimated 1.08 million Filipinos left the country to work in over 190 countries.  The majority still toil as domestic workers, laborers and seafarers.  Remittances last year reached US$12.8 billion while this year alone, remittances have consistently breached the US$1 billion mark monthly.

But in spite of how overseas Filipinos systematically prop up the ailing Philippine economy with their remittances, abuses against them still abound.  Last year, our Migrants Rights and Welfare Program documented more than 1,000 cases of OFWs who were illegally recruited, raped, imprisoned, murdered, maltreated or in need of repatriation.

Currently, the most extreme cases of injustice against Filipino migrants include the plight of Marilou Ranario and 34 other OFWs languishing on death row and the exploitation and criminalization of the nurses known collectively as the Sentosa 27++ in New York.

But while we are hit with various cases of human rights violations almost daily, our strong campaigns and coordinated global actions have allowed us to achieve many gains and victories throughout our history.

Among them are the successful scrapping of the double taxation and the non-implementation of a directive to almost double the forced membership fee for migrants at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.  Recently, we exposed the corruption of funds at the OWWA during the height of the Lebanon Crisis and we also continue to raise high the alarm over the government’s long neglect of OFWs in prison and on death row.

But as we mark our victories, there are also immediate tasks at hand:

• ■  In the immediate, let us assist in the formation of an anti-imperialist International Migrants Alliance (IMA).  By identifying and inviting progressive migrant organizations from other nationalities to the IMA, Migrante-Ontario can help maximize the capacity of grassroots migrant groups to mount a strong resistance against imperialist globalization.  The first IMA assembly is set for May 2008 in Malaysia.

• ■  We also need to arouse, organize and mobilize even greater ranks of overseas Filipinos and their families to ensure our amplified voices reach Malacanang and contribute to the unmasking of Mrs. Arroyo’s anti-people and dictatorial policies on the world stage.  In this regard, let us intensify our campaigns to expose and oust the anti-migrant and anti-people Arroyo administration.

In closing, let us maximize together the role that overseas Filipinos and their families play in attaining justice for our compatriots and in forging a Philippines that has national industrialization and genuine land reform – as part of our effort to attain a dream of a homeland wherein families are no longer torn apart because of the need to survive.

Migrante International again salutes all the members and officers of Migrante-Ontario!  Let us forge even greater heights of strength and unity – for overseas Filipinos and the Filipino people!

Mabuhay ang Migrante-Ontario!

Mabuhay ang migrante at pamilya!

Itaguyod ang pambansang demokratikong pakikibaka!

Download Solidarity Message

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