Toronto groups rally behind Migrante Partylist, Colmenares
Toronto groups rally behind Migrante Partylist, Colmenares
Caregivers and advocates support Migrante Sectoral Partylist and Colmenares. (PHOTOS: V. C. SILVA)
By Veronica C. Silva
Migrants groups in Toronto recently organized a campaign to rally behind some candidates running in the upcoming national and local elections in the Philippines.
The groups are supporting Migrante Sectoral Partylist (MSP) in Congress and Neri Colmenares for senator. MSP first nominee Garry Martinez joined the groups via Skype at the campaign rally held last Feb. 27 at the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education in downtown Toronto.
Martinez was himself a overseas Filipino worker, having worked as a factory worker in South Korea for 12 years then returned to the Philippines in 2004.
Martinez said MSP was established so that the OFWs can be truly represented in the the House of Representatives in the Philippines.
Maru Maesa and Lesley Valiente
“Sa mahabang panahon po, marami na sa ating mga namumuno sa loob mataas at mababang kapulungan na nagsasabi na ‘Mahal naming ang mga OFW; mahal naming ang mga immigrants’ pero sila iyon. Sila ang nagsasalita. Sa panahong ito, dapat ang nagsasalita naman ang mga migrante para sa kanilang sarili sa pamamagitan ng MSP, (For so many years, representatives in the lower and upper chamber (of the House of Representatives) have said that they love the OFWs, but that is them talking. It’s about time that it’s the migrants themselves who speak on their own behalf through the MSP),” said Martinez.
Martinez said MSP’s platform is based on the sentiments of migrants all over the world, therefore, they can easily identify with the platform. “Ito ang partido ko na magsusulong sa kagalingan, karapatan at interes ng mga migranteng Pilipino sa buong mundo. (This is my party that will advance the welfare, rights and interests of migrant Filipinos throughout the world.)”
In a statement, MSP said among its priorities include sustainable job creation; end to plunder and corruption, particularly where funds for OFWs are concerned; provision of basic services for OFWs and their families; and the enactment of a genuine Overseas Workers Welfare Administration charter.
At the kickoff, Toronto-based migrant groups, led by Migrante Canadhttp://philippinereporter.patatay.com/wp-admin/post-new.phpa asked for volunteers who can help them conduct door-to-door and outreach campaigns to get the minimum of enough votes to enable at least one of the five MSP candidates to sit in Congress.
Bern Jagunos
Aside from campaigning here in Canada among registered overseas absentee voters, MSP allies, like Migrante Canada and its member organizations, are reaching out to qualified Filipino voters back home through Filipino-Canadians in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond.
“Bahagi po ng ating kampanya ay yung paghingi ng mga contacts ng mga pamilya sa Pilipinas ng sa gayon ay makatulong ito sa mga kampanya sa home front at ganun na rin po e maibilang sila bilang botante ng MSP (Part of our campaign is to get the contacts of families in the Philippines so they can help in the campaign at home and vote for MSP.),” said Maru Maesa, representative of Migrante Canada.
Under Philippine election rules, some sectors in the Philippines – like youth, OFWs, farmers, veterans, etc. — can be represented in Congress if they can gather enough votes equivalent to two per cent of the total number of votes. Sectoral parties may have more than one nominee since they can occupy more than one seat in Congress up to a maximum of three seats.
Connie Sorio
Overseas absentee voting, which allows registered and qualified Filipinos abroad to vote in elections, is from April 9 to May 9, 5 p.m., Philippine time.
Thirty consular offices, including Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa, have been chosen to offer both manual and automated voting.
MSP allies are urging qualified voters to contact the Philippine consular offices in Canada to make sure they can participate in this year’s elections.
The websites of the Philippine consular offices in Canada have a list of certified overseas voters in its area of coverage. There are also announcements for claiming voter’s IDs.
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Jesson Reyes
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