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| Plug for the online rally tomorrow, Jul 26, by leaders of Migrante International in Asia-Pacific |
Filipino community groups in Hong Kong have staged a series
of activities which they say present the true state of freedom and justice in
the country, ahead of President Rodrigo Duterte’s 5th State of the Nation
Address, or SONA, this coming Monday, Jul 27.
The events kicked off on Jul 22 with an online showing of “Aswang”,
a film that takes a critical look at Duterte’s war on drugs that led to the
killings of an estimated 30,000 suspects, while leaving drug lords known to be his
cronies at large.
It culminates tomorrow morning with a “kalampagan” or a noise
barrage against the Anti-Terror Bill on Chater Road in Central, followed by an
online protest in the afternoon by leaders of Migrante International in the Asia-Pacific
region titled “Speak Up Na!”
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| Heads of big religious organizations gathered for the online prayer for justice |
On Friday, Jul 24, there were also two separate events: an
online prayer session in the morning, and a musical and cultural show in the
evening.
The prayer rally dubbed “Panalanging Bayan (para sa
Katarungan, Kabuhayan at Kagalingan) was joined by the Filipino Chaplain of the
Catholic Church, Philippine Independent Church, and various Christian groups, who
jointly expressed hope for a better future for the Philippines and its people.
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In the evening, several artists, both in Hong Kong and the
Philippines, expressed through music, poems, speeches and messages, their
opposition to one-man rule and the stifling of dissent in a fun event titled “Musika’t
Sining Laban sa Tiranya.”
Special guest was theater actress and singer Monique Wilson,
who expressed solidarity with Filipinos in Hong Kong in their quest for peace,
justice and democracy in the country.
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| Stage actress Monique Wilson and singer William Elvin joined the artists' call against tyranny |
One of the event organizers, Dolores Balladares, chairperson
of United Filipinos in Hong Kong, claimed overseas Filipino workers and their
families are in their worst conditions ever due to Duterte’s “foolish and false
promises” and laws and policies.
“Duterte is the greediest and most unscrupulous president to
extort excessive mandatory fees through government agencies … before a Filipino
can leave for work abroad,” Balladares said.
She cited the costly exactions on OFWs by various government
agencies, including the Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine Overseas
Employment Administration, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Social
Security System, Pag-IBIG, PhilHealth, apart from what they pay for police
clearance and travel insurance.
Balladares said contribution to PhilHealth under the new Universal
Health Care Law is one of the most crippling charges under the Duterte regime
as it is mandatory, and imposes a very high premium rate starting at 3% of the
worker’s monthly salary.
Ironically, despite paying these onerous charges, OFWs are
deprived of protection, service and care when they need these in their country
of destination, she said.
“The coronavirus pandemic has worsened this situation as
thousands of OFWs who lost their jobs are left stranded without food and health
care, resulting in illness or even death,” said Balladares, who asked where the
Duterte government’s promised financial assistance and health care had gone.
She accused Duterte’s officials of enjoying the hard-earned
money of the OFWs while the workers’ families go hungry.
She said OFWs need to unite as Duterte is uncontrollable like
Covid-19 as he spreads his rule of fear and terrorism in places where OFWs
reside.
“We cannot allow deranged Duterte to mock democracy and
plunge our country into its worst condition in our history. The people united
will never be defeated! This is our vow!” Balladares concluded.
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