Stop Paying Nuke Plant Debt, SC Justice Urges Gov't

Posted 11:46pm (Mla time) April 20, 2005
By Vincent Cabreza
Inquirer News Service
Published on page A1 of the Apr. 21, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

BAGUIO CITY, Benguet, Philippines -- Supreme Court Associate Justice Reynato Puno has urged the government to consider stopping payments for loans that the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos borrowed to build the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.

Speaking at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines' 10th national convention here Tuesday night, Puno said international experts had taken the position that foreign bankers, who knowingly lent to corrupt governments, were liable for graft.

"[Several foreign creditors] knew or had no reason not to know that the loans will be used for some illegitimate purpose like supporting notoriously brazen and kleptocratic military regimes," Puno said at the convention whose theme is "Alleviating Poverty and Resolving the Fiscal Crisis."

Puno said these creditors need not be paid because they were parties to the crime. Citing Noreen Hertz, an economist at the University of Cambridge,

Puno said "there are debts which should be considered illegitimate and therefore should not be paid."
"Nearer home, the finger points to the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, which was built in 1976 and which cost us $1.9 billion in loans," he said. [Some reports placed the total cost of the plant at $2.3 billion.]

Puno noted that the Philippines was shelling out $170,000 daily (P9.35 million a day or P3.4 billion a year) for the BNPP loans and that the payments would continue until 2018.

Servicing the country's debts now accounts for the largest government expenditure, overtaking salaries of government workers in the national budget of P907.56 billion for 2005, according to Puno.

The tragedy is that Filipinos have not benefited from a single watt of electricity from the nuclear plant, which was constructed on a known earthquake fault, according to former National Treasurer Leonor Briones.

Debt repudiation

Puno said debt repudiation was nothing new. The United States repudiated Cuba's debts to Spain in 1898 at about the time it acquired the Philippines from Spain at the end of the Spanish-American War, according to the justice.

Today, he said South Africa, which is under black majority rule, had started questioning its obligation to repay loans acquired during the apartheid government.

He also said activists in the Iraqi government were questioning their foreign debts, which were secured by Saddam Hussein "to buy the knives that slaughtered them."

Making accountable businessmen, who were parties to a crime, also has a precedent, according to Puno.

Nuremberg Trials

He said the Nuremberg Trials at the end of World War II, which tried Nazi leaders for war crimes, also convicted businessmen who knowingly collaborated with the Nazis and were therefore as guilty as the people who brutalized the Jews in gas chambers.

Puno suggested that the government seek either a payment scheme similar to the Section 11 clause in the United States for bankrupt taxpayers, or a federal debt protection scheme covering American towns.

He said these schemes shield bankrupt individuals or entities from the forfeiture of their assets, protect their ability to earn, and in the case of the Philippines, its ability to continue supplying public services.

A federal law grants American municipal towns protection from creditors, enabling them to continue restructuring debts without sacrificing the quality of public service.

But Puno points out that the US law bars the towns from issuing new taxes to pay for their debts.

Puno said Hertz's proposal to put up a system patterned after the US bankruptcy laws to help developing countries could be applicable to most Asian nations burdened by debts, which were obtained by graft-ridden governments.

He said government should seek international support for an independent "ad hoc intermediary group" that would assist heavily indebted Third World countries.

Three Mile Island

It was another Puno who stopped the BNPP project. Former Justice Secretary Ricardo Puno was tasked by Marcos with assessing the condition of the plant in light of the 1979 breakdown at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania.

International experts have listed the BNPP's safety violations, including its susceptibility to an earthquake-induced damage. The Puno Commission eventually declared the plant unsafe.

But despite its mothballing, the administration of former President Corazon Aquino decided to continue paying the loans after the 1986 EDSA Revolution.

©2005 www.inq7.net all rights reserved

Summary Points on Rehab Leave and Related Benefits

Notes: The following are summaries of points agreed upon by the Systemwide Ad Hoc Committee to Study Rehabilitation Leave (and Related Benefits) for Job Related Injuries during its last meeting today, April 21, 2005, 9:30 AM at the UP Manila Board. Recommendations of the Committee will be forwarded to the Office of President Emerlinda Roman for consideration by the EXECOM and of the BOR.

The present Ad Hoc Committee was already the second created, after the first committee formed on October 16, 2003 failed to came up with a substantial recommendation. It was created in response to Section 2, Article X of the Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) executed on April 19, 2002 between UP and the All UP Workers Union.

1. The Rehabilitation Leave with pay up to six months (to include monthly salary and ACA/PERA) shall cover all employees sector and all position levels. It shall also include expenses for transportation and immediate medical treatment for work-related injuries and diseases that shall be borne-out by the University.
2. Each Constituent University/Campus shall establish a commmunications hotline so that a University Official capable of deciding on necessary immediate assistance to an employees who suffered an accident or injuries in line of duty will be readily available.
3. It must be noted that all throughout the UP System, only employees of the Philippine General Hospital has been enjoying the rehabilitation leave with pay (without assistance for transportation and immediate medical expenses) provided under CSC Memorandum Circular No. 41 s. of 1988 prompting the Union to include said benefit in the CNA Negotiation, to add more weight in its implementation.
4. The List of Occupational and Compensable Diseasese prescribed by the Employees Compensation Commission shall be used in determining those covered for service-related illnesses. In such case, records in the Employees Clinic for Employment and Annual Physical Examinations will be immensely utilized to determine whether a disease condition is work-related or not. Note: For UP Manila/PGH Employees, it was already established that all laboratory and radiologic examinations that are available in PGH shall be available to both UP Manila/PGH employees chargeable against UP Manila/PGH and not to individual employees.

Corollary issue of increasing government contributions to the SIF from P30 to P100 per employee per month (Per ECC Board Resolution No. 02-04-235 s. 2002 and GSIS Board Resolution No. 166 s. 2004) will be closely monitored by the Union so that such adjust ment will be included in the 2006 Budget Proposal of UP (General Fund).

State Terrorism Today: Comparable To Or Even Worse Than Marcos-era Martial Law

Press Statement/April 16, 2005
NDF-EV Media Liaison Office
Karlos Manuel, Spokesperson
Efren Martires Command
New People’s Army-Eastern Visasyas

The people’s ordeal is fast worsening. They continue to suffer under the grave political and economic crisis. It is not only the common people who cry out against such harsh exploitation and oppression, but even the middle classes and the small business people. This has come about because of the inhumane and anti-Filipino way that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo runs the government. Instead of the interest of the Filipino people, it prioritizes and protects the interest of the big landlords, comprador bourgeoisie, and the foreigners led by US imperialism.

Arroyo has completely abandoned her honeyed promises to the masses of the people when she was just jockeying to be in power. Whatever grievances, criticisms and calls of the people for genuine reforms have only been met with the grimness of fascism and militarization.

Today the people suffer the brunt of state terrorism that is comparable to or even worse than Marcos-era martial law. Military authority overshadows civilian supremacy. Fascist laws that are being churned out disregard democratic processes and trample on basic human rights. The blind and reckless “anti-terrorism” campaign of the Arroyo government gives license to grave military abuses.

The choice of the “Butcher of Mindoro”, Brig. Gen. Jovito Palparan, as the new commanding general of the 8th ID PA is unsurprising. The Arroyo regime believes that the likes of Palparan – a master of abductions and extra-judicial killings – will be able to silence the legal opposition and subdue the revolutionary movement. This is one of the many desperate measures of the Arroyo regime to forestall the people’s resistance and to remain in power. Palparan quickly strutted his stuff as Arroyo’s favorite butcher. After publicly announcingthat he would subdue the opposition within six months, there has been continuing killings of leaders of militant groups,especially Bayan Muna.

Abductions and wholesale harassment were also extensive. Military campaigns in the barrios intensified, resulting in grave military abuses. They do not realize that through such means, they are pushing the people to the wall and convincing them, who have long been hungry and desperate, to bear arms and wage revolution.

The military’s grave human rights violations are inseparable from Arroyo’s general counter-insurgency program that is anchored on her support of Bush’s “war on terrorism” throughout the world. The cases of human rights violations in the country have been increasing since Arroyo declared support for the “war on terror” of Bush, which prods the Arroyo government to launch militarist and fascist attacks on the people who have done nothing but stand up for genuine freedom and democracy.

In this situation, the Efren Martires Command of the NPA-EasternVisayas calls on those who love genuine democracy and freedom to stand up and be fearless in the face of the terrorism of the present state. Let us struggle to defend our civil liberties and democratic rights. Let us be unafraid of struggling against the abuses of the military led by Palparan. Let us launch a powerful protest movement to unseat the inhumane and anti-Filipino Arroyo regime.//

Taxes Under GMA Administration Becoming More Regressive

Press Release/April 19, 2005
Reference: Mr. Paul Quintos, Executive Director, EILER, Inc.
Office Number: 02 9130326
Mobile Number: 09178867286


"The tax policy of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is becoming more and more regressive. The ordinary wage-earners are being taxed more compared to local and foreign big business and is clearly geared against the poor of this country."

This was according to Mr. Paul Quintos, Executive Director of the Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research, Incorporated or EILER, Inc. Based on the data gathered by EILER, Inc., the ordinary Filipino bears the burden of paying more taxes.

"Since President Arroyo assumed power in 2001, the ordinary wage-earners are increasingly being taxed more compared to the business sector. In the year 2001, P75.19B came from wage-earners, while P147.3B came from the business sector," added Quintos. "But in 2003, contributions from wage-earners increase to P121B or an increase of 61% from the previous level, while contributions from the business sector decreased by 17%."

Comparison Between Individual Income and Business Taxes (in PhP Millions)

Income Tax on Business
2001 - 147,334
2002 - 110,800
2003 - 122,101

Income Tax on Individual
2001 - 75,195
2002 - 102,300
2003 - 121,077

Source: Basic data from the NSCB "National Accounts"

"The divide further widens when we compare the percentage of taxes paid by ordinary Filipinos to big multi-national corporations (MNC) which enjoy generous tax breaks and other incentives from the government," opined Quintos.

Based on the EILER research, Fujitsu Philippines, a Japanese electronics company, pays a measly .6% of their gross income in 2001, while Toshiba Information Equipment, paid an even lower amount of .05% of their gross income in the same year.

"While in 2001, an average of 8.2% of the gross income of ordinary Filipinos are being eaten away by taxes, this big MNC's are not even paying 1%," asserted Quintos. "Those who earn less paid more, while those earning billions paid less. Now that is what we call a regressive tax policy."

In 2003 alone, the government's foregone revenues due to VAT exemptions – which benefit big corporations most of all – amounted to P195 billion or more than twice the expected additional revenues to be raised by increasing the VAT rate to 12%.

Mr. Quintos added that such a dire situation for ordinary taxpayers, are bound to go from bad to worse when the additional VAT is implemented. ##

A Mandate for Growth is a Mandate for Greater State Subsidy and a Democratic System of Governance

Response to President Emerlinda Roman’s Memorandum “A Mandate for Growth”
UP-WIDEM 2 (University of the Philippines-Wide Democratization Movement 2)
05 April 2005

Through this statement, the UP-Wide Democratization Movement 2 would like to make manifest its reaction to “A Mandate for Growth. A Report to the Community on the UP Charter,” which is Memorandum No. PERR-05-07 by President Emerlinda R. Roman to all chancellors and deans of the University of the Philippines System.
In this memorandum, Pres. Roman (1) presents a report on the status of the UP Charter bills at the Senate (Senate Bill 1833) and the House of Representatives (still at the level of the Technical Working Group) (2) enumerates what she considers “the most alarming” of the provisions being recommended for inclusion in the UP Charter, and (3) calls on the chancellors and deans of the University to consult their “constituencies” and send the reactions to the memorandum to the Office of the UP President by April 15.

UP WIDEM 2 has been consistent in calling for the creation of a new UP Charter that will embody the changes that the University has undergone after almost 100 years and will make the University more responsive to the times. We take issue, however, with what Pres. Roman considers to be “the most alarming provisions” being proposed in changing the UP Charter. Such classification leans towards changes that are not progressive and will not advance the interests of the sectors of the UP Community.

“THE MOST ALARMING PROVISIONS”

After enumerating the provisions being recommended for inclusion in the UP Charter at the Senate and the House of Representatives, Pres. Roman enumerates the following as “the most alarming provisions” in the UP Charter bills. We quote her in full:

(1) the establishment of an oversight committee to review UP’s financial transactions, which will simply make it more difficult for the University to utilize its properties to generate revenues;
(2) the removal of the University’s corporate powers, which will substantially deprive the University of its ability to raise supplemental funds and protect its own resources, thus making it fully dependent on the political processes that lead to the enactment of appropriations acts or on the priorities of bureaucracies of other departments of government;
(3) the creation of Consultative Assemblies at the college, university and system levels with a representative from the various sectors;
(4) interference with the faculty’s prerogative to decide on admission standards and policies, which is part of its academic mandate; and
(5) the granting to students of the right to “exercise their established religious beliefs” even when these should interfere with scheduled classes or examinations.

She goes on to say that “Moreover, the substitution of ‘premier state university’ for ‘national university’ may seem like a minor cosmetic change but actually betrays a failure to appreciate the symbolic and substantive significance of official designation as the country’s national university.” In short, Pres. Roman considers six (6), not only five (5), provisions as “the most alarming” of those proposed for inclusion in the UP Charter.

It is understandable that UP constituents and officials should express concern, and even be alarmed, over Proposed Provisions (4) and (5). The UP Community after all defends and upholds the secular character and academic freedom of the University.

It is equally alarming, however, that Pres. Roman lumps these proposed provisions – which are unpopular with the UP Community – with Proposed Provisions (1), (2), (3) and (6). This manner of presentation could only cast a negative light on proposed provisions that arise from concerns and calls of members and sectors of the UP Community against the intensification of commercialization of the University, against state abandonment of UP, and for the democratization of structures of governance of the University.

AGAINST COMMERCIALIZATION, AGAINST STATE ABANDONMENT

We believe that in the concrete, Pres. Roman’s concern over proposals that will cause the “removal of the University’s corporate powers,” are directed against the following:

(1) The proposal of Senator Manuel Roxas III “to remove the corporate powers of the University,” and
(2) The proposed consolidated UP Charter bill at the House of Representatives which (a) deletes from Senate Bill 2587 the power of the Board of Regents (BOR) to plan, design, approve and/or cause the implementation of financial mechanisms such as “fully-owned subsidiaries, securitization and outright sale” of UP’s properties and (b) formulates the power of the BOR on these matters as such:

The Board of Regents shall plan, design, approve and/or cause the implementation of financial mechanisms, such as joint ventures and long-term leases, to give the University the most advantageous position in generating revenues and other resources from the land grants and other real property entrusted by the Filipino people to their national university: Provided, That such mechanisms and arrangements shall not conflict with the University’s academic mission as well as sustain and protect the environment: Provided, further, That the plans shall preserve the academic core zone of each constituent campus which shall be delineated in consultation with all sectors of the constituent university concerned; Provided, finally, that funds generated from the various financial plans shall not be meant to replace, in part or in whole, the annual appropriation provided by the national government to the University.

We, members of UP-WIDEM 2, reiterate our strong opposition to the inclusion to the UP Charter of any provision that will give corporate powers to the Board of Regents.

In the context of the decreasing yearly government subsidy given to UP, as well as government policies which explicitly mandate the systematic reduction of government subsidy to State Colleges and Universities – especially UP – in tandem with the granting of such corporate powers to the BORs of SCUs to generate the income projected to replace government subsidy, the inclusion of such provisions will only attack the character of UP as a state university. The inclusion of such provisions will only push the government to further abandon its responsibility of funding UP, and is a big step towards UP’s eventual privatization. It embodies an attack on the task of the government to give quality education to the Filipino youth and people through the UP System.

Government policies on education are likewise explicit in pushing State Colleges and Universities to generate income not only through commercializing their assets but also in increasing the fees their students pay. We oppose the granting of corporate powers to the BOR because in the context of decreasing government subsidy to UP and education, as well as government policies on education which mandate the systematic reduction of government subsidy to education, comes the power and the pressure to increase the fees of UP students we traditionally call iskolars ng bayan. This could only mean intensifying the attack on the right of the Filipino students, youth and people to quality education.

It is therefore alarming that Pres. Roman considers as one of “the most alarming provisions” the proposal to remove the corporate powers of the BOR (as proposed by Sen. Roxas) or reduce it significantly and balance it with a provision that guarantees government subsidy to UP (as contained in the proposed consolidated version at the House of Representatives). It is likewise alarming that Pres. Roman argues for the granting of corporate powers to the BOR, but considers alarming the proposal to establish an oversight committee to review UP’s financial transactions – stressing the technical difficulties that will be encountered in generating income for UP and ignoring the more important point of safeguarding UP from corruption. Pres. Roman seems to be living up to expectations that her administration will implement full-throttle commercialization.

The experience of the country with privatization clearly shows that with privatization comes corruption. Senator Joker Arroyo seems to have this in mind when he raised points relevant to this matter in the January 28, 2004 session on Senate Bill 2587 of the 12th Senate. We quote from the minutes of the Senate: “Given the temptation to sell properties, Senator Arroyo asked how the properties can be preserved. Senator (Francis) Pangilinan said that at the proper time, he would propose the deletion of the provisions on outright sale and put in a requirement of two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members of the Board before a sale or lease could be affected. Senator Arroyo said that he was thinking more of internal safeguards within the Act, noting that UP has been free of scandals so far, probably until it sells real estate assets. He further noted that throughout the deliberations, no satisfactory answers have been provided by representatives of UP.”

We reiterate our strong opposition to granting the BOR the corporate powers for transforming UP into a commercialized university that is on the way to privatization.

FOR DEMOCRATIZATION OF THE U.P. SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE

We believe that in the concrete, Pres. Roman’s concern over the proposal to create “Consultative Assemblies at the college, university and system levels with a representative from the various sectors” is directed against the proposed consolidated UP Charter bill at the House of Representatives. This document defines such Consultative Assemblies as “consultative, consensus-building, democratic and collegial bodies.” It defines the functions of such Consultative Assemblies as follows:

(1) To serve as the principal forum where faculty, students, REPS, and administrative personnel shall address non-academic issues affecting the university, its thrust and directions, and issues relating to long/medium term development plans for the university.
(2) To promote direct interaction among the various unit constituencies of the university (faculty, REPS, administrative personnel and students) in the discussion of issues and grievances which heretofore have been mainly sectoral.
(3) To serve as a multi-sectoral forum to recommend policies on administrative and non-academic matters in consultation with the Chancellors for approval by the Board of Regents.
(4) To act as a consultative body in the search process for Deans, directors and equivalent positions in the units of the University, as may be necessary.

We, members of UP WIDEM 2, reiterate our critique of the present system of governance in the University at the apex of which is the BOR. We believe that the BOR, a creation of American colonial rule in the country, has retained its colonial character as a small body not accountable to the principal university constituencies. After almost 100 years, UP has grown from one campus in Padre Faura to a University System with seven (7) constituent units in various parts of the country and with over 50,000 students. At present, there are only two representatives from the direct constituents of the University, the Student Regent and the Faculty Regent. It is only in the selection of these two regents that various constituent units such as UP Visayas or UP Mindanao is taken into account. The BOR, clearly, is an outmoded structure of governance that is undemocratic in nature and is as such unfit for a university that should uphold academic freedom and critical thinking.

It is therefore alarming that Pres. Roman considers as one of “the most alarming provisions” the proposal to create consultative assemblies at the college, university and system levels of the University. While the creation of such consultative assemblies broadens the base for consultations on administrative matters and other multi-sectoral concerns – and is as such more democratic than retaining the BOR – it is in fact a far cry from the proposed democratization of structures of governance of the University contained in the UP Charter proposed by UP WIDEM 2. Pres. Roman’s opposition to this proposed provision, when conjoined with her endorsement of corporate powers for the BOR, is most alarming. An undemocratic structure of governance which is unaccountable to the UP Community is after all essential in pushing for commercialization programs which are unpopular among the UP Community and are widely opposed by the latter.

We reiterate our call for democratic structures of governance in the University, as embodied in our proposal for a University System Assembly. We reiterate our vehement opposition to the colonial and undemocratic structure of governance that is the BOR.

FOR A DEMOCRATIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE

On the question of changing the status of the University through the UP Charter, we members of UP WIDEM 2 reiterate our earlier proposal: for UP to be called a “democratic university of the people.” The “national university” status being lobbied for by the previous UP Administration – and the present one as well – substitutes appearance for essence, form for content. It means a university that is “national” in status but commercialized in essence, with meager and decreasing government subsidy. It means a university that is “national” in status but a small kingdom in operations, with a few deciding for a vast majority of a vibrant and dynamic community of various sectors.

That, clearly, is not a mandate for growth but a mandate for betrayal of the university’s character and mission as a state university, for betrayal of the right to quality education of the iskolars ng bayan, the Filipino youth and people. It is a mandate for commercialization and undemocratic structures of governance. Against a deceptive status, we call for a real change in the relationship between UP and the government and in the UP system of governance. We believe that a genuine mandate for growth for UP is a mandate for greater state subsidy and for democratic structures of governance. UP-WIDEM 2 remains steadfast in our vision for a democratic university of the people.

The UP Wide Democratization Movement 2 (UP-Widem 2), composed of the ALL-UP WORKERS UNION, ALL-UP ACADEMIC EMPLOYEES UNION, Katipunan ng mga Sangguniang Mag-aaral sa UP (KASAMA-UP) and the Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (STAND-UP) believe that give the financial constraints and resource pressures facing the University because of the continuing state abandonment of education, it is important for the University Administration, in particular U.P. President Emerlinda R. Roman to engage the University's faculty, staff and students in open, sincere dialogues. We urge the University Administration, through Dr. Roman, to meet with the leaders of the workers and academic unions, the students through their councils, and other constituents for this purpose.

GU Protesters Savor Win - And a Meal

By: Susan Kinzie
The Washington Post
Friday 25 March 2005

Nine-day hunger strike resulted in better compensation for contract workers.

After nine days of water, dizziness, vomiting and protest, Georgetown University freshman Jack Mahoney ate a strawberry yesterday just before noon. "It was great," he said, beaming. "It was amazing."

More than 20 students ended their nine-day hunger strike for higher wages and better benefits for university contract workers yesterday, dancing in a ring, singing along with a guitar, cheering and eating strawberries, one slow bite at a time. They had duct-taped a blue banner over their huge "Living Wage" sign: The new one announced "We all won!"

The fight for better working conditions on campus has resonated across the country, said Jamin B. Raskin, chairman of the Maryland State Higher Education Labor Relations Board, and some experts expect to see more clashes.

"We're living in an era where a lot of universities are acting just like corporations," Raskin said, "and students are insisting the universities stay true to their intellectual and moral heritage."

Yesterday, after more than a week without food, the Georgetown protesters thought they had hit a brick wall with administrators. "We had a long conversation about whether we could continue," Mahoney said, and he steeled himself for a much longer fast, more weakness, more discomfort. Two students had already gone to the hospital.

But last night, Georgetown President John J. DeGioia approved a proposal to increase total compensation for contract workers from a minimum of $11.33 an hour to $13 by July and to $14 by July 2007, according to university officials. The proposal also affirms workers' right to organize without intimidation and offers access to benefits, such as English as a Second Language classes and university transportation shuttles.

"We were stunned," said protester Liam Stack. "This is a real victory."

Students hugged and cheered and then went to find workers to tell them they would be getting a raise. Silvia Garcia was cleaning a bathroom in the Intercultural Center on campus when a group of students burst in sometime before midnight and told her, in Spanish, "We won! We won!"

Workers were jumping up and down, clapping, smiling and thanking students while students thanked them, Mahoney said.

Garcia, a native of El Salvador who has been a cleaner at Georgetown since May, said yesterday afternoon, "We were all very, very happy."

Yesterday, administrators, students, union members and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), who is a professor at Georgetown's law school, met to finalize the deal.

DeGioia said the change for the 450 or so contract janitors and food-service and security workers "is an appropriate next step for us" in ongoing efforts to ensure good working conditions.

He taught some of the protesters in classes on human rights, he said, and has repeatedly urged students to engage in social justice issues. "There is an irony there," he said, and laughed.

A few years ago, some Georgetown students began meeting contract workers. They offered makeshift English classes for some and brought breakfast at 6 a.m. Fridays for workers getting off the night shift. They talked to them about higher wages - students initially asked for nearly $15 an hour from the university - and encouraged them to think about unionizing.

Similar conversations are taking place across the country, said Tom Juravich, director of the Labor Relations and Research Center at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, often growing out of the anti-sweatshop movements of the past decade.

As students protested over the working conditions of overseas employees making university gear, they also began to look at workers closer to home, he said.

At Georgetown, workers stopped by late most nights during the hunger strike, Mahoney said, to check on them. He spent much of his time having vivid daydreams of eating a vegetable samosa from an M Street restaurant. He lost 10 pounds, dropping to 135 on his 5-foot-8-inch frame.

"They gave everything to solve our problems before they [graduated], by the grace of God," Garcia said. "Without them, we would have gotten nothing."

Philippine Government Pushing to Get US$9 Billion in Remittances from Overseas Workers

Media Statement
National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada/SIKLAB (OverseasFilipino Workers Group)
For immediate release: March 24, 2005

The National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada (NAPWC/national alliance of Filipino women advocacy groups) is critical of a recent release by the office of the Philippine President which projects that overseas Filipino workers (OFW) will remit a whopping US$9 billion for 2005.

The Philippine economy, currently in an extreme fiscal crisis and burdened by an insurmountable foreign debt, is unable to absorb its workers. The Philippine government developed the Labour Export Policy(LEP) – a means of selling its own people to countries abroad in orderto ensure foreign remittances. This policy guarantees the Philippines as the world’s largest migrant nation.

“Already, ten percent of the population of the Philippines live and work abroad, that accounts for about eight million Filipinos worldwide sending money home to the Philippines,” says Cecilia Diocson, Chairperson of NAPWC. “It is convenient for the Philippine government to set such a projection for Filipino workers around the world while their basic human rights go unprotected”, states Diocson.

“As OFW’s, we also see the intensifying militarization and human rights violations against our fellow progressive Filipino compatriots. These increasing violations put OFW’s in a compromising and uncomfortable position as they continue to send remittances home to ensure the survival of their families.”

“As overseas workers, we remitted $8.5 billion last year alone. This enormous amount being sent back to the Philippines helps prop up thePhilippine economy, encouraging the government to keep on sending more and more Filipinos abroad", asserts Diocson.

According to Migrante International, an alliance of people's organizations composed of overseas Filipinos and their families, every hour, around 100 Filipino workers are forced to work overseas and approximately 60 to 70 of them are women. In 2004, there were 894,661 Filipino workers exported to do the cheap and dangerous jobs.

“These workers are forced to leave the Philippines to work abroad and support their poverty-stricken families, yet the Philippine government does little to protect their rights,” states Glecy Duran of SIKLAB (Overseas Filipino workers organization), which is a member of NAPWC. “We come to countries like Canada where we end up doing the dirty and treacherous jobs that no one else wants,” continues Duran.

The Filipino community is the fourth largest visible minority group inCanada and the third largest in B.C. where they number about 60,000. It is estimated that there are over 8,000 domestic workers in B.C. and 93% are Filipino women.

Canada’s Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) is a perfect fit to the Philippines’s LEP. Under this program, domestic workers are forced to live-in their employer’s homes and are only granted temporary immigration status as “foreign workers.”

Earlier this month, several progressive members of the Philippineb Congress introduced a resolution calling for an investigation into the LCP after groups like NAPWC and SIKLAB have been actively calling for the Canadian government to scrap the LCP. The resolution recommended measures to protect the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) working as caregivers in Canada as well as in other countries.

SIKLAB will be gathering the Filipino community during a day-long consultation to celebrate its tenth anniversary on April 16, 2005 under the theme, “Halina at sama sama nating itaguyod ang karapatan at kapakanan ng migranteng Pilipino” (Come! Join us in upholding our rights and welfare as overseas Filipino workers). This day long event will bring the Filipino community together to share their experiences of migration and struggle.

For more information, contact Glecy Duran at #604-215-1103
or e-mail: siklab@kalayaancentre.net