By Vir B. Lumicao
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| Protesters showed Duterte's wrapped 'gifts' to Filipinos |
Christmas gifts the Filipino people have received from
President Rodrigo Duterte since he came to power in July 2016 are nothing but
unfulfilled promises, excessive exactions on workers, and more human rights
violations.
This was according to Hong Kong-based activists who say that
as a result, life in the Philippines
has become more difficult than ever, resulting in more workers being forced to
leave the country just to earn money to support their families.
Speaking at a rally on Sunday, Dec. 8 on Chater Road to mark International Human
Rights Day, United Filipinos in Hong Kong
chair Dolores Balladares-Pelaez blasted Duterte for failing to fulfill a
promise to bring back OFWs by creating jobs at home.
“Nito ngang nagkakagulo sa Hong Kong,
ayaw nating umuwi hindi dahil gusto natin ang gulo, kundi dahil wala naman
tayong trabaho,” Pelaez said. “Yung mga problema sa Pilipinas ay hindi
nareresolba, iyon pa rin at lumalala,” she said.
The Unifil leader said Duterte does not care even if a big
chunk of migrant workers’ pay will go to excessive government fees due to be
imposed from next year, such as mandatory insurance and increased Pag-IBIG, Philhealth
and SSS contributions.
She said that as the exactions are all mandatory, migrant
workers have no choice but to pay up so they can work overseas.
“Ito ba ang ating hiniling noong mga nagdaang Pasko?” she
asked.
She recalled that during his 2016 election campaign Duterte
promised a safer and corrupt-free Philippines but the exact opposite
of these have happened since he took power.
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| Tebia enumerates Duterte's 'gifts' of suffering |
Gabriela Hong Kong & Macau chairperson Sheila Tebia enumerated
the so-called “gifts” of the President to the Filipino people: his disrespect
of women, high prices and low salaries; increased rice imports that have pulled
down local grain prices; demolition of informal settlers’ homes; expanded
mining operations and dam constructions by foreign companies; his giving up the
country’s claim over the West Philippine Sea; and closure of schools for lumad
children.
Further, Duterte has reneged on his promise to end the labor
scourge called job contractualization, or “endo,” which according to Tebia, has
undermined Filipino workers’ right to job security.
Tebia also noted the 27,000 extrajudicial killings since
“Operation Tokhang,” Duterte’s anti-drug campaign, began in July 2016.
She said the anti-drug campaign has targeted small-time drug
pushers and even innocent people, such as 17-year-old student Kian delos Santos, who was taken from his home and shot dead by Caloocan City policemen on Aug 17, 2017.
Those who condemn human rights abuses under the Duterte
government are branded as terrorists, face trumped up charges and suffer
persecution, Tebia said.
“Iyan ang mga regalo sa atin ni President Duterte… Kung
hindi natin ito pinag-usapan, kung hindi natin ilalaban at ite-table sa
gobyerno, sino ang magpaparating sa kanila na hindi tama ang mga polisiya?”
Tebia said.
She said it is not wrong to be an activist and to protest. As
a fitting celebration of International Human Rights Day, she said Filipinos should
assert their rights as promoters not just of migrant rights but also those of
the Filipino masses.
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