Kindly take note of our our new e-mail address: ofwmanifesto@
This is our contact address effective immediately. Thank you for your kind attention.
OVERSEAS FILIPINOS WORLDWIDE
Sunday, March 11, 2007
NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS
Dear Friends,
Kindly take note of our our new e-mail address: ofwmanifesto@gmail.com
This is our contact address effective immediately. Thank you for your kind attention.
OVERSEAS FILIPINOS WORLDWIDE
Kindly take note of our our new e-mail address: ofwmanifesto@
This is our contact address effective immediately. Thank you for your kind attention.
OVERSEAS FILIPINOS WORLDWIDE
Monday, March 5, 2007
AN OPEN LETTER FOR THE DEBATE
March 5, 2007
AN OPEN LETTER FOR THE DEBATE
Overseas Filipinos' legitimate aspirations glaringly absent in electoral debates
First of all, congratulations! This letter comes with our deepest anticipation for the forthcoming debate billed as "2007 Senatorial Debate — Moving the Economy Forward," in the forum organized by Philippines Inc. together with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, the Philippine Exporters Confederation, and the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry this coming March 14, 2007.
We are elated at the prospect of our future senators tackling the issues crucial to our survival as a nation and hopefully an opportunity to have a glimpse of their platform in moving our economy forward. We understand that the topics for the debate will include social issues such as management-labor relations, taxes, power and energy, peace and order, small and medium enterprise promotion, and foreign investments.
The topics of the debate are understandably geared towards the interest of the business sector as it undoubtedly affects the whole nation for better or worse. Unfortunately, legitimate aspirations and issues that matter most to Overseas Filipinos are not covered in the coming debate.
TODAY, as in EVERY SINGLE DAY, 3,000 Filipino families will be broken up so that their parents or older siblings can work abroad and bring food to the table. Overseas Filipinos now numbering close to 10 million comprise 10% of the nation’s population, scattered in at least 192 countries toiling under the scorching desert sun or bitterly cold winter. Some of them work in different levels of position and in various sectors: from domestic helpers in Hong Kong to high technology experts in Silicon Valley, California. Overseas Filipinos suffer family separation with dire social consequences, leaving communities that are mired in poverty, continually sliding into the abyss of desperation with no hope in sight. In some countries, they live in constant fear of being kidnapped or hit by bullets like in the case of Nigeria, Iraq, and Lebanon while women are subject of physical and sexual abuse.
In 2006 alone, the Central Bank of the Philippines officially recorded remittances at S$12.8 billion; that is, equivalent to almost 15% of our gross domestic product (GDP). This figure excludes substantive remittances made through informal channels as well as goods and services sent by Overseas Filipinos throughout the year. Assuming an average family size of 4 to 5, and that 4 million of the 7.3 overseas Filipinos are able to remit regularly, it might be said that about 16 to 20 million Filipinos are able to benefit directly from overseas labor migration. In general, remittances are often described as "the new form of development aid" and they are "the biggest source of foreign inflows" surpassing foreign direct investments (US$ 2 billion in 2006) and official development aid.
In addition, there has been a trend towards the repatriation of remittances, resources, as well as skills and technology, beyond what directly benefits Overseas Filipinos and migrant families in the form of diaspora philanthropy. It is an indication of an individual’s or group’s economic achievement or an expression of a sincere desire to contribute to uplift economic conditions of the Philippines to which Overseas Filipinos and migrants may wish to return to and retire in the future. These resources have gone into various community projects of needy and depressed areas in the country.
The Overseas Filipinos’/migrants’ achievements in terms of fueling the Philippine economy in the concrete form of remittances and diaspora philanthropy translate into a substantive political clout as a group or sector. At the same time, this sector represents the big consumers of products – communications, travels, nostalgic products (patronizing Made in the Philippines products), housing, insurance, food, luxury products, etc. - of the various business enterprises which are organizers of this debate. The Overseas Filipinos are de facto the biggest investors in our country and while direct and portfolio investments fell dramatically in time of financial crisis or when conflict arises, remittances generally increase. However, behind these billions of dollars are hard-working men and women who left their homes to earn a living whose regular remittances have become a lifeline for millions of poor people. Perhaps, it is not reasonable to request that our legitimate aspirations and our voices be heard, in the context of advocating for the necessary reforms and influencing public policy that directly affect the lives of millions of Overseas Filipinos, their families, and the country as a whole.
As we specifically challenge the candidates to include and articulate issues directly affecting the migrant sector:
1. We want to hear how our senatorial aspirants will tackle the issue of lost opportunities and wasted resources that could have been channeled towards development measures to spur economic growth with job-generating industries for the blighted communities we left behind.
2. We want to know how our senatorial candidates can help in formulating relevant enabling legislation for transparent and cohesive policies capturing a share of remittances for development in recognition and appreciation of the positive contributions of migrants to the development of our dear Philippines whilst also addressing the rights, interests and welfare of migrants before, during and after migration.
3. We reiterate what is described in the attached Migrants' Manifesto for Issue-based Electoral Contest: “We challenge those who want to become legitimate servants and leaders to articulate a concrete and doable developmental plan aimed at the Filipino migrant workers around the world. We pledge to support legitimate servants of the people running for any public position who aggressively promote the interest of our sector. We pledge to support legitimate servants of the people running for any public position that aggressively promote the interest of our sector on the issues we have previously enumerated in the manifesto.
It is sad to note that our policy makers are more focused on deploying greater number of expatriates to toil in foreign lands while big business conglomerates keep us in awe with bigger malls and extravagant media blitzes that only perpetuate a consumer society but lacking the positive trickle down effects on large scale job generation. Thus, missing out on the opportunities for the Philippines to be propelled out of the bottom ranks of the thriving Asian economy.
Lastly, while we see the issue of the opposition candidates on the need to debate the Garci scandal, vote tampering, impeachment, and other hot issues of the day, we want to hear a cohesive electoral reform on how we can have a clean, honest, and highly transparent electoral contest, and clear workable commitments to which we could hold parties and candidates accountable should they be elected to public office. Scandals used for grandstanding and garnering votes that will only be sidelined only to resurface next time around with different personalities involved is not solving the problem but only exacerbate a flawed electoral system that needs to be revamped in the first place.
We thank you in advance for your consideration on the above points in relation to the format and substance of the forthcoming debate.
Respectfully yours,
Overseas Filipinos Worldwide (OFW)
Contact address: Leila Rispens-Noel
Tel.: +31 (0182 514475
E-mail: leila@rispens.tweakdsl.nl
Blogspot: http://www.filipinosworldwide.blogspot.com/
Online Petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/OFWMan/petition-sign.html
E-mail: ofwmanifesto@gmail.com
AN OPEN LETTER FOR THE DEBATE
Overseas Filipinos' legitimate aspirations glaringly absent in electoral debates
First of all, congratulations! This letter comes with our deepest anticipation for the forthcoming debate billed as "2007 Senatorial Debate — Moving the Economy Forward," in the forum organized by Philippines Inc. together with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, the Philippine Exporters Confederation, and the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry this coming March 14, 2007.
We are elated at the prospect of our future senators tackling the issues crucial to our survival as a nation and hopefully an opportunity to have a glimpse of their platform in moving our economy forward. We understand that the topics for the debate will include social issues such as management-labor relations, taxes, power and energy, peace and order, small and medium enterprise promotion, and foreign investments.
The topics of the debate are understandably geared towards the interest of the business sector as it undoubtedly affects the whole nation for better or worse. Unfortunately, legitimate aspirations and issues that matter most to Overseas Filipinos are not covered in the coming debate.
TODAY, as in EVERY SINGLE DAY, 3,000 Filipino families will be broken up so that their parents or older siblings can work abroad and bring food to the table. Overseas Filipinos now numbering close to 10 million comprise 10% of the nation’s population, scattered in at least 192 countries toiling under the scorching desert sun or bitterly cold winter. Some of them work in different levels of position and in various sectors: from domestic helpers in Hong Kong to high technology experts in Silicon Valley, California. Overseas Filipinos suffer family separation with dire social consequences, leaving communities that are mired in poverty, continually sliding into the abyss of desperation with no hope in sight. In some countries, they live in constant fear of being kidnapped or hit by bullets like in the case of Nigeria, Iraq, and Lebanon while women are subject of physical and sexual abuse.
In 2006 alone, the Central Bank of the Philippines officially recorded remittances at S$12.8 billion; that is, equivalent to almost 15% of our gross domestic product (GDP). This figure excludes substantive remittances made through informal channels as well as goods and services sent by Overseas Filipinos throughout the year. Assuming an average family size of 4 to 5, and that 4 million of the 7.3 overseas Filipinos are able to remit regularly, it might be said that about 16 to 20 million Filipinos are able to benefit directly from overseas labor migration. In general, remittances are often described as "the new form of development aid" and they are "the biggest source of foreign inflows" surpassing foreign direct investments (US$ 2 billion in 2006) and official development aid.
In addition, there has been a trend towards the repatriation of remittances, resources, as well as skills and technology, beyond what directly benefits Overseas Filipinos and migrant families in the form of diaspora philanthropy. It is an indication of an individual’s or group’s economic achievement or an expression of a sincere desire to contribute to uplift economic conditions of the Philippines to which Overseas Filipinos and migrants may wish to return to and retire in the future. These resources have gone into various community projects of needy and depressed areas in the country.
The Overseas Filipinos’/migrants’ achievements in terms of fueling the Philippine economy in the concrete form of remittances and diaspora philanthropy translate into a substantive political clout as a group or sector. At the same time, this sector represents the big consumers of products – communications, travels, nostalgic products (patronizing Made in the Philippines products), housing, insurance, food, luxury products, etc. - of the various business enterprises which are organizers of this debate. The Overseas Filipinos are de facto the biggest investors in our country and while direct and portfolio investments fell dramatically in time of financial crisis or when conflict arises, remittances generally increase. However, behind these billions of dollars are hard-working men and women who left their homes to earn a living whose regular remittances have become a lifeline for millions of poor people. Perhaps, it is not reasonable to request that our legitimate aspirations and our voices be heard, in the context of advocating for the necessary reforms and influencing public policy that directly affect the lives of millions of Overseas Filipinos, their families, and the country as a whole.
As we specifically challenge the candidates to include and articulate issues directly affecting the migrant sector:
1. We want to hear how our senatorial aspirants will tackle the issue of lost opportunities and wasted resources that could have been channeled towards development measures to spur economic growth with job-generating industries for the blighted communities we left behind.
2. We want to know how our senatorial candidates can help in formulating relevant enabling legislation for transparent and cohesive policies capturing a share of remittances for development in recognition and appreciation of the positive contributions of migrants to the development of our dear Philippines whilst also addressing the rights, interests and welfare of migrants before, during and after migration.
3. We reiterate what is described in the attached Migrants' Manifesto for Issue-based Electoral Contest: “We challenge those who want to become legitimate servants and leaders to articulate a concrete and doable developmental plan aimed at the Filipino migrant workers around the world. We pledge to support legitimate servants of the people running for any public position who aggressively promote the interest of our sector. We pledge to support legitimate servants of the people running for any public position that aggressively promote the interest of our sector on the issues we have previously enumerated in the manifesto.
It is sad to note that our policy makers are more focused on deploying greater number of expatriates to toil in foreign lands while big business conglomerates keep us in awe with bigger malls and extravagant media blitzes that only perpetuate a consumer society but lacking the positive trickle down effects on large scale job generation. Thus, missing out on the opportunities for the Philippines to be propelled out of the bottom ranks of the thriving Asian economy.
Lastly, while we see the issue of the opposition candidates on the need to debate the Garci scandal, vote tampering, impeachment, and other hot issues of the day, we want to hear a cohesive electoral reform on how we can have a clean, honest, and highly transparent electoral contest, and clear workable commitments to which we could hold parties and candidates accountable should they be elected to public office. Scandals used for grandstanding and garnering votes that will only be sidelined only to resurface next time around with different personalities involved is not solving the problem but only exacerbate a flawed electoral system that needs to be revamped in the first place.
We thank you in advance for your consideration on the above points in relation to the format and substance of the forthcoming debate.
Respectfully yours,
Overseas Filipinos Worldwide (OFW)
Contact address: Leila Rispens-Noel
Tel.: +31 (0182 514475
E-mail: leila@rispens.tweakdsl.nl
Blogspot: http://www.filipinosworldwide.blogspot.com/
Online Petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/OFWMan/petition-sign.html
E-mail: ofwmanifesto@
Friday, February 23, 2007
REACTIONS
Please read below the message we received from Mr. Silvestre Berso:
From: silvester berso
To: OFW Manifesto
Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2007 11:46:52 PM
Subject: Re: Thank you
Congratulations! for this timely message. In fact I already send it to all my friend and colleagues from all over the world and I put you in Cc:, however your first email address that I used was wrong, my email bounced back. But this time I got it right.
I have read the Migrants Manifesto on PetionOnLine website. Indeed this would be a good venue to voice out OFWs opinion on the present crisis that our country is undertaking today. I dream that someday all OFWs will form a group in the internet to share their views and solutions to the current problems in our country. I am thinking of organizing a centralized email group among all OFWs. All issues concerning the Philippines will be disseminated to all members of the group and share everybody's opinion.
I am sure we can think of many ways to improve not only the condition of the migrant workers but also the majority of our poor countrymen. As an OFW here in US of A, I have worked in different part of the world and I have seen many good examples of government policy that can easily be implemented in our country.
By the way, which organization do your group belong to?
Best regards and more power to you,
Silvestre Berso
Response from Joy Puyat, OFW Blogspot
Dear Mr. Berso,
Thanks for your email. This is very encouraging! We all share the same dream to make the Philippines a better place and to help every Filipino. I am glad that thisgmail.com address works out in terms of sifting through reactions and suggestions especially for those who have this strong genuine desire to give back to the country. Actually, you are our first respondent! If you don't mind, can we feature your comments to our blogspot at: http://filipinosworldwide.blogspot.com
It seems that you have extensive networks across the globe. Perhaps you can help us build the email directory/database of OFWs. There are certain technical limitations to the current online petition website that we use. Perhaps later, we can create a more sophisticated OFW website when we have more substantive material. In the meantime, we use the blogspot. We also use this focussed e-group for brainstorming purposes and post the finished products on the blogspot.
I am copying the authors of the manifesto and our initial collaborators. To answer your question, we all belong to different organizations and live in different countries. We all wear different hats but for the OFW purpose, most of us are there on our personal capacity. In my case, I work for an international organization and I am involved in the NY-NJ Filipino orgs/coalitions/communities. Considering that we all carry certain platforms, the entry point is on migrant issues which links back to making a better Philippines. To focus our interventions, we are undertaking a strategic planning activity -- all done online considering our geographic locations. So far, I've only met 3 persons on this list - i.e. Lalay Rispens-Noel, Doris Alfafara and Basco Fernandez of the Netherlands here in New York, on various occasions/circumstances. The amazing part is, the OFW group is still very young -- discussions on the manifesto started only in February and yet I can say that this is one of the most productive groups I've seen so far.
We look forward to your suggestions.
With best wishes,
Joy Puyat
Reaction from JOHNNY PECAYO, Chairman, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Manila-U.S. Times, Glendale, California
E-mail: johnnypecayo@yahoo.com
Johnny Pecayo was the first editor who published our Migrants' Manifesto
________________________________________
From: Johnny Pecayo [mailto:johnnypecayo@yahoo.com]
Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2007 4:35 AM
To: Nerissa Fernandez; Leila RispensNoel; Fil-Ams Houston; FilAm Forum; Patricia Ann V. Paez
Subject: ABS-CBN; Manifesto on Page 7 of the MANILA-U.S. TIMES
Please enjoy reading.
Johnny
-----------
February 12 - February 18, 2006 Manila - U.S. Times 7
We, the Overseas Filipinos worldwide, urge each and everyone in the coming May electoral contest to implore all political parties, emerging parties and their respective candidates to bring forth a platform-based campaign so that the electorate can choose credible persons who are worthy to lead the nation.
In order to advance democratic governance in the Philippines, there should be a structure or process of reform that promotes increasingly participatory and accountable governance. In this context, the will and voice of the people should
be respected at all times and the sanctity of the ballots must be safeguarded.
The root causes of human insecurity in the Philippines -- and thus, threats to overall peace and development -- include conditions of inequity, with an elite few controlling power and economic resources; abject poverty; poor governance; injustice, abuse of authority and violations of human rights; and marginalization of minority groups.
And yet, squandering of billions of pesos from legitimate and illegitimate sources had been a common scenario in a personality and patronage-based electoral contest.
The proposed platform-based campaign is envisioned to change this bad practice. In order to sustain poverty reduction, there must be equitable growth and the poor people who are in the majority must have political power – i.e., with a real voice and space. The powerful and/or the elites—whether political leaders, corporations or
other influential actors—must be held accountable for their actions; more specifically, they must be held accountable for their success or failure in their individual or party platform of promised good governance.
We are calling for robust, transparent, internally democratic and accountable political parties in order to develop a stronger democratic culture in the Philippines. Otherwise, the right to choose will remain to be pre-empted by the elites that own the political process, including the political organizations.
We challenge those who want to become legitimate servants and leaders to articulate a concrete and doable developmental plan aimed at the Filipino migrant workers around the world.
We pledge to support legitimate servants of the people running for any public position that aggressively promote the interest of our sector on the following issues:
1) Institute meaningful comprehensive electoral reforms starting with the removal of the residency requirement inserted at the last minute by congress in the Absentee Voting Law. Introduce laws that will create a transparent campaign expenditures and verifiable financial source imposing a limit to individual, group, and corporate campaign donations;
2) Creation of an office with a Cabinet status such as the Ministry of Migration and Development that will truly work for the interests of migrant workers. This office must be led by a Minister whose primary task is to manage orderly labor migration, harness the development potentials of migration and development (co-development). Set up an advisory board composed of qualified, dedicated, and credible Overseas Filipinos to advice the Ministry.
In addition, the Ministry must:
- See to it that the rights of migrants are protected;
- Facilitate return migration and in such a way that overseas Filipinos who wish to return voluntarily remain active in the labor force or has the necessary means to secure his or her financial future including their families;
- Monitor the performance of government agencies in charge of migrant workers (OWWA,etc.) and particularly to review structures relating to the migrant workers trust fund to enable migrants to have an effective voice and meaningful representation in policy formation, and to ensure proper administration and management of their fund;
- Explore ways to address present gaps and barriers that hinder the effective mobilization, distribution, monitoring, and accountability procedures, in order to achieve economies of scale in current Filipino diaspora giving;
- Facilitate creation of an enabling environment (investments, provide financial services including housing, insurance, education, savings, etc. for migrants) that fully harness the development potentials of Philippine migration;
- Encourage multi-stakeholder approach to development and promote public-private partnerships; and
- Support and stimulate the transnational role of Overseas Filipinos so that they can contribute to the country’s development; while the government on the other hand, should establish a systematic way of tapping these skills (not only waiting for
their remittances);
3) Strengthen the capacity of Philippine consulates and representative offices worldwide to better serve the needs of migrant Filipino workers
4) Promote good governance, honesty, and accountability of our government servants
from the highest to lowest position. The virtue of servant-leadership must be practised;
5) Promote the welfare of our women, elderly and children; and
6) Access to a better education for all.
We urge government groups, media facilities, civil society, church organizations, and other responsible citizens, to organize and support pre-election public forums and other similar initiatives requiring candidates or party representatives to debate and publicly present their platforms on where they stand regarding these migrant issues.
This will enable the citizenry, including eligible overseas voters and members of their families in the Philippines, in making informed decisions and to help ensure that only those candidates with clear and sincere intentions of promoting the welfare of the migrant sector, their families, and millions of poor people in our country are
elected to public office.
Editor’s note: This move was initiated by Lalay Rispens-Noel of The Netherlands, and the manifesto is gaining support from Filipinos all over.
From: silvester berso
To: OFW Manifesto
Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2007 11:46:52 PM
Subject: Re: Thank you
Congratulations! for this timely message. In fact I already send it to all my friend and colleagues from all over the world and I put you in Cc:, however your first email address that I used was wrong, my email bounced back. But this time I got it right.
I have read the Migrants Manifesto on PetionOnLine website. Indeed this would be a good venue to voice out OFWs opinion on the present crisis that our country is undertaking today. I dream that someday all OFWs will form a group in the internet to share their views and solutions to the current problems in our country. I am thinking of organizing a centralized email group among all OFWs. All issues concerning the Philippines will be disseminated to all members of the group and share everybody's opinion.
I am sure we can think of many ways to improve not only the condition of the migrant workers but also the majority of our poor countrymen. As an OFW here in US of A, I have worked in different part of the world and I have seen many good examples of government policy that can easily be implemented in our country.
By the way, which organization do your group belong to?
Best regards and more power to you,
Silvestre Berso
Response from Joy Puyat, OFW Blogspot
Dear Mr. Berso,
Thanks for your email. This is very encouraging! We all share the same dream to make the Philippines a better place and to help every Filipino. I am glad that this
It seems that you have extensive networks across the globe. Perhaps you can help us build the email directory/database of OFWs. There are certain technical limitations to the current online petition website that we use. Perhaps later, we can create a more sophisticated OFW website when we have more substantive material. In the meantime, we use the blogspot. We also use this focussed e-group for brainstorming purposes and post the finished products on the blogspot.
I am copying the authors of the manifesto and our initial collaborators. To answer your question, we all belong to different organizations and live in different countries. We all wear different hats but for the OFW purpose, most of us are there on our personal capacity. In my case, I work for an international organization and I am involved in the NY-NJ Filipino orgs/coalitions/communities. Considering that we all carry certain platforms, the entry point is on migrant issues which links back to making a better Philippines. To focus our interventions, we are undertaking a strategic planning activity -- all done online considering our geographic locations. So far, I've only met 3 persons on this list - i.e. Lalay Rispens-Noel, Doris Alfafara and Basco Fernandez of the Netherlands here in New York, on various occasions/circumstances. The amazing part is, the OFW group is still very young -- discussions on the manifesto started only in February and yet I can say that this is one of the most productive groups I've seen so far.
We look forward to your suggestions.
With best wishes,
Joy Puyat
Reaction from JOHNNY PECAYO, Chairman, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Manila-U.S. Times, Glendale, California
E-mail: johnnypecayo@yahoo.com
Johnny Pecayo was the first editor who published our Migrants' Manifesto
________________________________________
From: Johnny Pecayo [mailto:johnnypecayo@yahoo.com]
Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2007 4:35 AM
To: Nerissa Fernandez; Leila RispensNoel; Fil-Ams Houston; FilAm Forum; Patricia Ann V. Paez
Subject: ABS-CBN; Manifesto on Page 7 of the MANILA-U.S. TIMES
Please enjoy reading.
Johnny
-----------
February 12 - February 18, 2006 Manila - U.S. Times 7
We, the Overseas Filipinos worldwide, urge each and everyone in the coming May electoral contest to implore all political parties, emerging parties and their respective candidates to bring forth a platform-based campaign so that the electorate can choose credible persons who are worthy to lead the nation.
In order to advance democratic governance in the Philippines, there should be a structure or process of reform that promotes increasingly participatory and accountable governance. In this context, the will and voice of the people should
be respected at all times and the sanctity of the ballots must be safeguarded.
The root causes of human insecurity in the Philippines -- and thus, threats to overall peace and development -- include conditions of inequity, with an elite few controlling power and economic resources; abject poverty; poor governance; injustice, abuse of authority and violations of human rights; and marginalization of minority groups.
And yet, squandering of billions of pesos from legitimate and illegitimate sources had been a common scenario in a personality and patronage-based electoral contest.
The proposed platform-based campaign is envisioned to change this bad practice. In order to sustain poverty reduction, there must be equitable growth and the poor people who are in the majority must have political power – i.e., with a real voice and space. The powerful and/or the elites—whether political leaders, corporations or
other influential actors—must be held accountable for their actions; more specifically, they must be held accountable for their success or failure in their individual or party platform of promised good governance.
We are calling for robust, transparent, internally democratic and accountable political parties in order to develop a stronger democratic culture in the Philippines. Otherwise, the right to choose will remain to be pre-empted by the elites that own the political process, including the political organizations.
We challenge those who want to become legitimate servants and leaders to articulate a concrete and doable developmental plan aimed at the Filipino migrant workers around the world.
We pledge to support legitimate servants of the people running for any public position that aggressively promote the interest of our sector on the following issues:
1) Institute meaningful comprehensive electoral reforms starting with the removal of the residency requirement inserted at the last minute by congress in the Absentee Voting Law. Introduce laws that will create a transparent campaign expenditures and verifiable financial source imposing a limit to individual, group, and corporate campaign donations;
2) Creation of an office with a Cabinet status such as the Ministry of Migration and Development that will truly work for the interests of migrant workers. This office must be led by a Minister whose primary task is to manage orderly labor migration, harness the development potentials of migration and development (co-development). Set up an advisory board composed of qualified, dedicated, and credible Overseas Filipinos to advice the Ministry.
In addition, the Ministry must:
- See to it that the rights of migrants are protected;
- Facilitate return migration and in such a way that overseas Filipinos who wish to return voluntarily remain active in the labor force or has the necessary means to secure his or her financial future including their families;
- Monitor the performance of government agencies in charge of migrant workers (OWWA,etc.) and particularly to review structures relating to the migrant workers trust fund to enable migrants to have an effective voice and meaningful representation in policy formation, and to ensure proper administration and management of their fund;
- Explore ways to address present gaps and barriers that hinder the effective mobilization, distribution, monitoring, and accountability procedures, in order to achieve economies of scale in current Filipino diaspora giving;
- Facilitate creation of an enabling environment (investments, provide financial services including housing, insurance, education, savings, etc. for migrants) that fully harness the development potentials of Philippine migration;
- Encourage multi-stakeholder approach to development and promote public-private partnerships; and
- Support and stimulate the transnational role of Overseas Filipinos so that they can contribute to the country’s development; while the government on the other hand, should establish a systematic way of tapping these skills (not only waiting for
their remittances);
3) Strengthen the capacity of Philippine consulates and representative offices worldwide to better serve the needs of migrant Filipino workers
4) Promote good governance, honesty, and accountability of our government servants
from the highest to lowest position. The virtue of servant-leadership must be practised;
5) Promote the welfare of our women, elderly and children; and
6) Access to a better education for all.
We urge government groups, media facilities, civil society, church organizations, and other responsible citizens, to organize and support pre-election public forums and other similar initiatives requiring candidates or party representatives to debate and publicly present their platforms on where they stand regarding these migrant issues.
This will enable the citizenry, including eligible overseas voters and members of their families in the Philippines, in making informed decisions and to help ensure that only those candidates with clear and sincere intentions of promoting the welfare of the migrant sector, their families, and millions of poor people in our country are
elected to public office.
Editor’s note: This move was initiated by Lalay Rispens-Noel of The Netherlands, and the manifesto is gaining support from Filipinos all over.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Only in the Philippines
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/OFWMan/
Here's the most sought after campaign jingle in the May 2007 elections:
Boom tarat tarat, boom tarat tarat
Tararat tararat, boom boom boom
English translation:
Boom tarat tarat, boom tarat tarat
Tararat tararat, boom boom boom
Yep, what you hear is what you get: catchy words but empty in substance!
In an election where bells and whistles dominate the "democratic space," we strongly appeal for an issue-based campaign in the 2007 elections.
Please sign our online petition:
Migrants' Manifesto for Issue-Based Electoral Contest
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/OFWMan/
Please forward to your distribution list. It's the least we can do to save a sinking Philippines.
Please send your comments and/or suggestions to ofwmanifestor@yahoo.com to ensure a continuous enrichment process
Here's the most sought after campaign jingle in the May 2007 elections:
Boom tarat tarat, boom tarat tarat
Tararat tararat, boom boom boom
English translation:
Boom tarat tarat, boom tarat tarat
Tararat tararat, boom boom boom
Yep, what you hear is what you get: catchy words but empty in substance!
In an election where bells and whistles dominate the "democratic space," we strongly appeal for an issue-based campaign in the 2007 elections.
Please sign our online petition:
Migrants' Manifesto for Issue-Based Electoral Contest
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/OFWMan/
Please forward to your distribution list. It's the least we can do to save a sinking Philippines.
Please send your comments and/or suggestions to ofwmanifestor@yahoo.com to ensure a continuous enrichment process
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Pinoys abroad plead for platform-based polls
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=67476
Filipinos abroad are circulating a petition letter asking their fellowmen in the Philippine voters to base their choices for the May mid-term polls on the candidates' platforms of government and not on personalities.
“We, the overseas Filipinos worldwide, urge each and everyone in the coming May electoral contest to implore all political parties, emerging parties and their respective candidates to bring forth a platform-based campaign so that the electorate can choose credible persons who are worthy to lead the nation,” the petiton said.
The letter was signed by Leila Rispens-Noel and Doris Alfafara who in the Netherlands; Basco Fernandez, Joy Puyat, Filipino-Americans Ren Arrieta, Johnny Pecayo and Cesar Torres; Dennis Yaun based in Luxembourg; and former expatriates Idelfonso Bagasao and James Zamora who are now in Manila.
The proponents of the petition said: “The proposed platform-based campaign is envisioned to change this bad practice [of having] a personality and patronage-based electoral contest.”
“We are encouraging everyone to endorse this manifesto by signing it. We have to be involved in the coming election and we feel this is the way – if not the only way - we can show our concerns and exercise our right as overseas Filipinos to participate in the decision-making process,” Noel said on behalf of the group.
The group said it is calling for robust, transparent, internally democratic and accountable political parties in order to develop a stronger democratic culture in the Philippines.
It also dared those who want to become legitimate servants and leaders to articulate a concrete and doable developmental plan aimed at the Filipino migrant workers around the world.
“We pledge to support legitimate servants of the people running for any public position that aggressively promote the interest of our sector,” the group said.
These are issues revolving around electoral reforms as contained in the Oversease Absente Voting Act, the creation of an office with a Cabinet status such as the ministry of migration and development that will truly work for the interests of migrant workers, among other proposals.
- Julie Javella-Santos, abs-cbnNEWS.com
Filipinos abroad are circulating a petition letter asking their fellowmen in the Philippine voters to base their choices for the May mid-term polls on the candidates' platforms of government and not on personalities.
“We, the overseas Filipinos worldwide, urge each and everyone in the coming May electoral contest to implore all political parties, emerging parties and their respective candidates to bring forth a platform-based campaign so that the electorate can choose credible persons who are worthy to lead the nation,” the petiton said.
The letter was signed by Leila Rispens-Noel and Doris Alfafara who in the Netherlands; Basco Fernandez, Joy Puyat, Filipino-Americans Ren Arrieta, Johnny Pecayo and Cesar Torres; Dennis Yaun based in Luxembourg; and former expatriates Idelfonso Bagasao and James Zamora who are now in Manila.
The proponents of the petition said: “The proposed platform-based campaign is envisioned to change this bad practice [of having] a personality and patronage-based electoral contest.”
“We are encouraging everyone to endorse this manifesto by signing it. We have to be involved in the coming election and we feel this is the way – if not the only way - we can show our concerns and exercise our right as overseas Filipinos to participate in the decision-making process,” Noel said on behalf of the group.
The group said it is calling for robust, transparent, internally democratic and accountable political parties in order to develop a stronger democratic culture in the Philippines.
It also dared those who want to become legitimate servants and leaders to articulate a concrete and doable developmental plan aimed at the Filipino migrant workers around the world.
“We pledge to support legitimate servants of the people running for any public position that aggressively promote the interest of our sector,” the group said.
These are issues revolving around electoral reforms as contained in the Oversease Absente Voting Act, the creation of an office with a Cabinet status such as the ministry of migration and development that will truly work for the interests of migrant workers, among other proposals.
- Julie Javella-Santos, abs-cbnNEWS.com
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Migrants Manifesto for Issue-based Electoral Contest
We, the Overseas Filipinos worldwide, urge each and everyone in the coming May electoral contest to implore all political parties, emerging parties and their respective candidates to bring forth a platform-based campaign so that the electorate can choose credible persons who are worthy to lead the nation.
In order to advance democratic governance in the Philippines, there should be a structure or process of reform that promotes increasingly participatory and accountable governance. In this context, the will and voice of the people should be respected at all times and the sanctity of the ballots must be safeguarded.
The root causes of human insecurity in the Philippines – and thus, threats to overall peace and development – include conditions of inequity, with an elite few controlling power and economic resources; abject poverty; poor governance; injustice, abuse of authority and violations of human rights; and marginalization of minority groups. And yet, squandering of billions of pesos from legitimate and illegitimate sources had been a common scenario in a personality and patronage based electoral contest. The proposed platform-based campaign is envisioned to change this bad practice. In order to sustain poverty reduction, there must be equitable growth and the poor people who are in the majority must have political power – i.e. with a real voice and space. The powerful and/or the elites—whether political leaders, corporations or other influential actors—must be held accountable for their actions; more specifically, they must be held accountable for their success or failure in their individual or party platform of promised good governance.
We are calling for robust, transparent, internally democratic and accountable political parties in order to develop a stronger democratic culture in the Philippines. Otherwise, the right to choose will remain to be pre-empted by the elites that own the political process, including the political organizations.
We challenge those who want to become legitimate servants and leaders to articulate a concrete and doable developmental plan aimed at the Filipino migrant workers around the world. We pledge to support legitimate servants of the people running for any public position that aggressively promote the interest of our sector on the following issues:
1) Institute meaningful comprehensive electoral reforms starting with the removal of the residency requirement inserted at the last minute by congress in the Absentee Voting Law. Introduce laws that will create a transparent campaign expenditures and verifiable financial source imposing a limit to individual, group, and corporate campaign donations.
2) Creation of an office with a Cabinet status such as the Ministry of Migration and Development that will truly work for the interests of migrant workers. This office must be led by a Minister whose primary task is to manage orderly labor migration, harness the development potentials of migration and development (co-development). Set up an advisory board composed of qualified, dedicated, and credible Overseas Filipinos to advice the Ministry. In addition, the Ministry must:
See to it that the rights of migrants are protected
Facilitate return migration and in such a way that overseas Filipinos who wish to return voluntarily remain active in the labor force or has the necessary means to secure his or her financial future including their families
Monitor the performance of government agencies in charge of migrant workers (OWWA, etc.) and particularly to review structures relating to the migrant workers trust fund to enable migrants to have an effective voice and meaningful representation in policy formation, and to ensure proper administration and management of their fund.
Explore ways to address present gaps and barriers that hinder the effective mobilization, distribution, monitoring, and accountability procedures, in order to achieve economies of scale in current Filipino diaspora giving, including possibilities of replicating the Mexican experience (3 x 1 program) [i]
Facilitate creation of an enabling environment (investments, provide financial services including housing, insurance, education, savings, etc. for migrants) that fully harness the development potentials of Philippine migration
Encourage multi-stakeholder approach to development and promote public-private partnerships [ii]
Support and stimulate the transnational role of Overseas Filipinos so that they can contribute to the country’s development; while the government on the other hand, should establish a systematic way of tapping these skills (not only waiting for their remittances) [iii]
Strengthen the capacity of Philippine consulates and representative offices worldwide to better serve the needs of migrant Filipino workers
3) Promote good governance, honesty, and accountability of our government servants from the highest to lowest position. The virtue of servant-leadership must be practiced.
4) Promote the welfare of our women, elderly and children.
5) Access to a better education for all. [iv]
We urge government groups, media facilities, civil society, church organizations, and other responsible citizens, to organize and support pre-election public forums and other similar initiatives requiring candidates or party representatives to debate and publicly present their platforms on where they stand regarding these migrant issues. This will enable the citizenry, including eligible overseas voters and members of their families in the Philippines, in making informed decisions and to help ensure that only those candidates with clear and sincere intentions of promoting the welfare of the migrant sector, their families, and millions of poor people in our country are elected to public office.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[i] The Mexican Hometown Association (HTA) experience through the Federación de Clubes de Zacatecanos del Sur de California is a good example. The Mexican government announced in July 2001 a "godfather program" that encourages Mexican-Americans to invest in Mexico. The state of Zacatecas depends heavily on remittances, but under the current 3-for-1 program, each dollar contributed by a migrant or HTA in the US for community development projects, is matched with an additional $3, one each from the federal, state and local governments. Under a new program, the Zacatecas state government and the InterAmerican Development Bank (IADB) provide infrastructure support and financing for returned migrants who invest their remittances in job-creating enterprises. The federación is composed of different clubs. Each club focuses on their respective hometown. The Federación speaks on behalf of the clubs in one voice and this becomes their strength. The federation becomes a mediator and negotiator on behalf of the member clubs. Organizations like the World Bank, IADB, UNDP, the Rockefeller Foundation and even the private sector relate with the Federación.
[ii] Private sector leadership in the Philippines and abroad should be developed in order to promote the Philippines as an investment destination.
[iii] An effective network should be developed to address this. On the strategy to collaborate with Diasporas: promoting knowledge networks and providing market access, there is the Philippine Brain Gain Network (BGN) among other networks. For example, further collaboration can be made between the BGN and the organizers of the Global Filipino Networking Conventions in order to come up with a more result-oriented agenda, more specifically to define a national policy for brain gain in order to harness overseas human resources more systematically.
[iv] Philippine education policy needs to be focused on technical skills and soft skills like scientific problem-solving, logical abstraction and teamwork. Greater collaboration must be undertaken by the DepEd and local authorities on technical academic reforms, particularly those pertaining to the curriculum and policy on language instruction.
In order to advance democratic governance in the Philippines, there should be a structure or process of reform that promotes increasingly participatory and accountable governance. In this context, the will and voice of the people should be respected at all times and the sanctity of the ballots must be safeguarded.
The root causes of human insecurity in the Philippines – and thus, threats to overall peace and development – include conditions of inequity, with an elite few controlling power and economic resources; abject poverty; poor governance; injustice, abuse of authority and violations of human rights; and marginalization of minority groups. And yet, squandering of billions of pesos from legitimate and illegitimate sources had been a common scenario in a personality and patronage based electoral contest. The proposed platform-based campaign is envisioned to change this bad practice. In order to sustain poverty reduction, there must be equitable growth and the poor people who are in the majority must have political power – i.e. with a real voice and space. The powerful and/or the elites—whether political leaders, corporations or other influential actors—must be held accountable for their actions; more specifically, they must be held accountable for their success or failure in their individual or party platform of promised good governance.
We are calling for robust, transparent, internally democratic and accountable political parties in order to develop a stronger democratic culture in the Philippines. Otherwise, the right to choose will remain to be pre-empted by the elites that own the political process, including the political organizations.
We challenge those who want to become legitimate servants and leaders to articulate a concrete and doable developmental plan aimed at the Filipino migrant workers around the world. We pledge to support legitimate servants of the people running for any public position that aggressively promote the interest of our sector on the following issues:
1) Institute meaningful comprehensive electoral reforms starting with the removal of the residency requirement inserted at the last minute by congress in the Absentee Voting Law. Introduce laws that will create a transparent campaign expenditures and verifiable financial source imposing a limit to individual, group, and corporate campaign donations.
2) Creation of an office with a Cabinet status such as the Ministry of Migration and Development that will truly work for the interests of migrant workers. This office must be led by a Minister whose primary task is to manage orderly labor migration, harness the development potentials of migration and development (co-development). Set up an advisory board composed of qualified, dedicated, and credible Overseas Filipinos to advice the Ministry. In addition, the Ministry must:
See to it that the rights of migrants are protected
Facilitate return migration and in such a way that overseas Filipinos who wish to return voluntarily remain active in the labor force or has the necessary means to secure his or her financial future including their families
Monitor the performance of government agencies in charge of migrant workers (OWWA, etc.) and particularly to review structures relating to the migrant workers trust fund to enable migrants to have an effective voice and meaningful representation in policy formation, and to ensure proper administration and management of their fund.
Explore ways to address present gaps and barriers that hinder the effective mobilization, distribution, monitoring, and accountability procedures, in order to achieve economies of scale in current Filipino diaspora giving, including possibilities of replicating the Mexican experience (3 x 1 program) [i]
Facilitate creation of an enabling environment (investments, provide financial services including housing, insurance, education, savings, etc. for migrants) that fully harness the development potentials of Philippine migration
Encourage multi-stakeholder approach to development and promote public-private partnerships [ii]
Support and stimulate the transnational role of Overseas Filipinos so that they can contribute to the country’s development; while the government on the other hand, should establish a systematic way of tapping these skills (not only waiting for their remittances) [iii]
Strengthen the capacity of Philippine consulates and representative offices worldwide to better serve the needs of migrant Filipino workers
3) Promote good governance, honesty, and accountability of our government servants from the highest to lowest position. The virtue of servant-leadership must be practiced.
4) Promote the welfare of our women, elderly and children.
5) Access to a better education for all. [iv]
We urge government groups, media facilities, civil society, church organizations, and other responsible citizens, to organize and support pre-election public forums and other similar initiatives requiring candidates or party representatives to debate and publicly present their platforms on where they stand regarding these migrant issues. This will enable the citizenry, including eligible overseas voters and members of their families in the Philippines, in making informed decisions and to help ensure that only those candidates with clear and sincere intentions of promoting the welfare of the migrant sector, their families, and millions of poor people in our country are elected to public office.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[i] The Mexican Hometown Association (HTA) experience through the Federación de Clubes de Zacatecanos del Sur de California is a good example. The Mexican government announced in July 2001 a "godfather program" that encourages Mexican-Americans to invest in Mexico. The state of Zacatecas depends heavily on remittances, but under the current 3-for-1 program, each dollar contributed by a migrant or HTA in the US for community development projects, is matched with an additional $3, one each from the federal, state and local governments. Under a new program, the Zacatecas state government and the InterAmerican Development Bank (IADB) provide infrastructure support and financing for returned migrants who invest their remittances in job-creating enterprises. The federación is composed of different clubs. Each club focuses on their respective hometown. The Federación speaks on behalf of the clubs in one voice and this becomes their strength. The federation becomes a mediator and negotiator on behalf of the member clubs. Organizations like the World Bank, IADB, UNDP, the Rockefeller Foundation and even the private sector relate with the Federación.
[ii] Private sector leadership in the Philippines and abroad should be developed in order to promote the Philippines as an investment destination.
[iii] An effective network should be developed to address this. On the strategy to collaborate with Diasporas: promoting knowledge networks and providing market access, there is the Philippine Brain Gain Network (BGN) among other networks. For example, further collaboration can be made between the BGN and the organizers of the Global Filipino Networking Conventions in order to come up with a more result-oriented agenda, more specifically to define a national policy for brain gain in order to harness overseas human resources more systematically.
[iv] Philippine education policy needs to be focused on technical skills and soft skills like scientific problem-solving, logical abstraction and teamwork. Greater collaboration must be undertaken by the DepEd and local authorities on technical academic reforms, particularly those pertaining to the curriculum and policy on language instruction.
Welcome to OVERSEAS FILIPINOS WORLDWIDE Blogspot
OVERSEAS FILIPINOS WORLDWIDE Blogspot leads you to a think tank of concerned individuals, migrant organizations, NGOs and other members of civil society working towards advancing the democratic governance culture in the Philippines, influencing public policy and/or the national development agenda, strengthening collaboration and solidarity amongst Filipinos worldwide and providing a beacon of hope to every Filipino.
The blogspot is created in honor of the 8 million overseas Filipinos who are supporting their families back home, to present both an opportunity and a challenge for them to effectively exercise their substantive political clout. In 2006 alone, the amount of US$ 14 billion of hard earned money was officially recorded in terms of remittances to the country, representing an equivalent of almost 15% of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This supports at least 16 to 20 million families and could fuel economic growth and fight poverty if properly harnessed. For this reason, we are compelled to exercise our right to say: to seek solidarity to all concerned citizens to support our advocacy.
The blogspot is created in honor of the 8 million overseas Filipinos who are supporting their families back home, to present both an opportunity and a challenge for them to effectively exercise their substantive political clout. In 2006 alone, the amount of US$ 14 billion of hard earned money was officially recorded in terms of remittances to the country, representing an equivalent of almost 15% of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This supports at least 16 to 20 million families and could fuel economic growth and fight poverty if properly harnessed. For this reason, we are compelled to exercise our right to say: to seek solidarity to all concerned citizens to support our advocacy.
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