Pinoy migrant workers hold global online rally to mark International Workers Day

Pinoy migrant workers hold global online rally to mark International Workers Day

By Lea Luciano
The Philippine Reporter

On April 28, 2021, Migrante International organized a global online rally representing Filipino migrant workers all over the world in celebration of May Day and to commemorate World Health and Safety at Work Day.

Representatives from labour organizations and community groups from the Philippines, US, Australia, Europe and the Middle East gathered virtually to express their concerns and call out “the incompetence of the fascist regime of Rodrigo Duterte” that worsens the lives of  overseas Filipino workers and the public health care conditions of workers back home.

The Duterte government has implemented a militarized lockdown since April 16, 2020, one of the longest ones in the world.

Joanna Concepcion, Chairperson of Migrante International

Joanna Concepcion, Chairperson of Migrante International, spoke about the vulnerable situation of overseas Filipino workers and the failure of the government to provide medical services and economic aid during the pandemic.

“Pinakamalaking banta ngayon sa kalusugan, kabuhayan at kaligtasan ng ating mga migranteng manggagawa ay si Duterte mismo at ang kanyang mga isinusulong na pahirap at pasistang patakaran. (The biggest threat to the health, livelihood and safety of our migrant workers is Duterte himself and his oppressive and fascist policies.)”

Over half a million Filipino migrant workers were displaced or lost their jobs during the pandemic.  According to Concepcion, among the reported 14,000 COVID-19 cases of migrant workers abroad, 1000 died due to the neglect of the Duterte government.

“Malinaw po na hindi prioridad o binibigyan ng halaga ng rehimeng ito ang paglikha ng mga trabaho sa Pilipinas at mas lalo pang tinutulak ang ating mga kababayan na magtrabaho sa ibang bansa. (It’s clear that this regime does not give priority or importance to job creation in the Philippines and worse, pushes our countrymen to work in other countries.)”

Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog, Chairman of Kilusang Mayo Uno

Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog, Chairman of Kilusang Mayo Uno, shared his organization’s international statement in honour of International Workers Memorial Day and remembering the death of labour rights leader and national council member Dandy Miguel who was killed on March 28, three weeks after Bloody Sunday where nine were killed under Duterte’s watch.

“The government continues to implement militarist measures that do not at all respond to the problems at hand.”

Labog added that our health care workers are demoralized despite risking their lives everyday to serve and help save the Filipinos affected by COVID-19.

“They are called modern day heroes, but they are being treated like slaves.”

Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque failed to address the issues of our public health care workers and their demands for salary increases. Their call for regularization of nurses continues to fall on deaf ears, according to Labog.

Secretary General of the Filipino Nurses United, Jocelyn Andamo criticized Duterte’s inaction and lack of response towards our public health care workers at home and abroad. Instead of providing services and medical relief, Duterte has implemented a militarized lockdown, mass arresting and red-tagging of human rights defenders, and continues to ignore the call of the nation for mass testing and economic support, she added.

“Hindi lang COVID-19 ang salarin kundi ang pamahalaang manhid, pamahalaang matindi ang pagpapabaya sa ating mga kababayan kaya patuloy po ang ating paglaban [at] ang ating pakikibaka, (It’s not only COVID-19 that’s the villain but the callous government, a government  that severely neglects our countrymen. That’s why we must to continue to fight and our struggle),” said Andamo

Wilma Delo of Pilipinong Migrante sa Barrie

Wilma Delo of Pilipinong Migrante sa Barrie said that Migrante Canada continues to mobilize, organize, and unite its members in their fight for migrant workers’ rights especially during the pandemic and the campaign for Status for All and Health Care for all.

“Sa loob lamang ng isang taon, sunod-sunod na mutual aid program ang inilunsad ng Migrante katulong ang iba’t ibang people’s organization para ihatid ang pagkain, gamot, PPE at iba pa, sa mga kababayan nating kapos palad. (Within a year, a series of mutual aid programs were launched by Migrante with the help of other people’s organizations, to deliver food, medicine, PPE and others to our unfortunate compatriots.)”

On behalf of Malaya Movement Canada, Marissa Corpus expressed their solidarity towards Filipino workers in their struggle for decent jobs, basic labour and human rights amidst the worsening socioeconomic and political crisis under the Duterte Regime.

“The challenge for our overseas compatriots is to understand the socioeconomic conditions that tell them to migrate abroad and to arouse their patriotic sentiment towards improving the Filipino society,” she said.

Malaya Canada submitted an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to address and take action in the on-going human rights violations in the Philippines and to stop the Canadian government from supporting the Philippine military’s budget.

Arman Hernando, Chairperson of Migrante International and member of Migrante PH

Chairperson of Migrante International and member of Migrante Philippines, Arman Hernando, sums up the event by echoing the statement of everyone, “Ang pagsamasama natin ngayon ay nagpapakita ng tagumpay ng ating global online rally. Ang pagtitipon po natin ngayon ay nagmarka, nagpatunay na mayroon tayong pagkakaisa sa isip, sa tinig at sa pagkilos. (Our gathering here today shows the victory of our global online rally. Our gathering marks and proves that we have unity in mind, voice and action.)”

Hernando added, “Walang imposible sa isang mamamayan, sa isang sektor na nakikiisa sa mamamayan, walang imposible sa atin na matamo kung tayo ay nagkakaisa. (Nothing is impossible for a people, a sector that is uniting with the people, nothing is impossible for us to achieve if we are united.)”

The rest of the speakers were Shirley Atienza of Migrante New York, Yves Nibungco of Malaya Movement US National Secretary, Noel Tolentino of Migrante Qatar, Attorney Edwin Dela Cruz of Seafarers Representative, and Berlin Guerrero of Migrante Asia-Pacific and Chairperson of Bayan Australia, and Father Herbert Fadriquela Jr. of Migrante Europe.