Editor's Note |
20 years of service to the community
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Time flies.
Exactly 20 years ago this month, The SUN shone for the Filipinos in Hong Kong. It was
the fulfillment of a dream that took shape years earlier, or shortly after I arrived here in 1987 and
realized there was no reliable information channel serving the community.
But turning that dream into reality proved to be difficult. Several people offered to fund
the publication of a news-paper, but everyone wanted a business model different from what we had
in mind.
Details...
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Anak Araw |
Pagpapabaya
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Nitong nakaraang buwan ay naging saksi tayo sa nangyari kay Manang Gloria Ortinez,
ang OFW na biktima ng tanim-bala sa Manila airport. Halos buong araw kasi ay naglagi siya sa
opisina ng The SUN, kasama ang mga naghatid sa kanya na sina Susan "Toots" Ople na tagataguyod ng
mga OFW, at ang abogado niyang si Atty Spocky Farolan, kaya nasaksihan namin siya nang malapitan.
Details...
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Migrant's Forum |
Nanay Gloria's journey to HK
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President Benigno Simeon Aquino III recently told the media that cases of tanim-bala
were sensationalized, citing figures to prove his point. As an OFW advocate, I respectfully
disagree. Looking at this from a purely numbers perspective could lead one to overlook the deep trauma
that such incidents have caused its innocent victims.
Had he met and spoken to 56-year old OFW Gloria Ortinez, our President would have
learned the following:
Details...
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Know Your Rights |
The Mission
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This was the speech delivered by the Mission for Migrant Workers' general manager,
Cynthia Tellez, at the launch of the 10-year Impact Evaluation Report of the Mission's work held on
December 5, 2015 at the Li Hall of St. John's Cathedral.
Details...
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With at least one -- and possibly two disqualification cases in the presidential race --
the Supreme Court has assured the nation politics will not dictate its decisions.
See this month's stories...
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Staff and volunteers at the Mission for Migrant Workers had reason to celebrate when
they launched the non-government organization's 10-year Impact Evaluation Report at Li Hall of St
John's Cathedral on Dec. 4. Nearly all, or 97% of migrants who sought assistance said that they were
helped by the Mission, and more than half of them (57%) said they would recommend the NGO to others.
See this month's stories...
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August 2015
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Editor's Note
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It is a story that never ceases to amaze. Everyone who has heard of how our government
is made to spend $460,000 on the spanking new quarters of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office
in Admiralty Center cannot help but get shocked, if not mad.
And for good reason.
When all that we can offer to our distressed migrants is a shelter that can barely
accommodate 10 people at a time, how could we in all conscience let our labor officers here work in such
luxurious surroundings?'
When we see thousands of our workers line up for hours in sweltering heat just to be fleeced
of $20 for a document that they absolutely don't need to prove their status as OFW, how could we
not get angry?
When we hear of so many OFWs working virtually without pay for monhs just so they
could repay money they borrowed for their illegal placement fees, how could we not feel sickened?
This unsonscionable extravagance becomes even more shocking when we learn that POLO
paid only for utilities when whey were in their shared space at the Consulate.
From being rent-free, they now spend nearly Php3 million every single month for premises
they could hardly afford, given that it's money that came from the sweat and tears of our OFWs.
To make matters worse, half of the luxurious new quaters could not be occupied on time
because, as our new labor attache candidly admitted in an interview, they had run out of funds
for renovation.
For nearly half a year, the 16th floor space lay unoccupied, while rent of more than
$200,000 (Php1.1million) monthly was being paid. By the time it was ready to be used as a one-stop shop
for OFW-related services, more than Php5 million of precious taxpayer's money had ended down
the drain.
Why in the first place did the Department of Labor decide to move its offices from the
Consulate in United Centre?
Secretary Linda Baldoz said it was to provide a bigger space for our poor OFWs seeking
help, but this did not make sense, and was hardly the solution to the regular congestion at the old POLO.
Many OFWs line up for help because they want to complain or seek reimbursement for
the illegal fees collected from them by their recruitment agencies.
To resolve this, the obvious solution is not to expand the place where they ask for help, but
to crack down on agencies that flout our laws and cause untold suffering to our OFWs..
Right now, the biggest queues are for the OEC, and again, giving OFWs more room to line
up in does not solve the problem. Stop requiring this worthless piece of paper and you will find
no reason to move to plushy offices and make your staff work beyond limits.
The real reason for this foolhardy decision was nothing more than labor's desire to get out
from under the Consulate's wings, especially in the wake of Congen Bernie Catalla's decision to
investigate the excesses of former labor attache Manuel Roldan.
That such a commendable act prompted this profligate spending speaks volumes about
our labor officials' priorities.
It is oneupmanship that is like a slap on the face of our hardworking and long-suffering
OFWs. It should be exposed, and stopped.
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