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| Bayan president Renato Reyes jr. keynotes celebration |
United Filipinos in Hong Kong (Unifil)-Migrante celebrated its 40th anniversary with a program that highlighted its accomplishments in its fight for the welfare of migrant workers in Hong Kong.
“In the last four decades, Unifil has fought against exploitation,
abuse and attacks on our rights and welfare as migrant workers,” Unifil
chairman Dolores Baladares Pelaez told the crowd of more than 300 representatives
of member-organizations who gathered Sunday (July 13) at Eaton Hotel in Jordan.
She cited the group’s victories which have benefited migrant workers, including opening the Consulate on Sundays to serve migrant
workers on their day off and the ban on window-cleaning.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
An audio-visual presentation elaborated on Unifil’s other
gains, such as the “laglag-bala” scam that victimized OFWs at Philippine airports,
illegal charges by employment agencies, opening of Balikbayan boxes by Philippine
Customs and excessive exactions by government agencies such as Philhealth.
In his keynote address, Bayan Party president Renato Reyes Jr. underlined
the role that Unifil-Migrante plays in the lives of migrant workers.
He said politicians who run the country have no idea what
migrant workers are going through. “That is why we can only depend on our fellow
migrants for genuine help when we need it,” he explined.
“We need Unifil because there we still have migrant workers,
because the economic system in the Philippines has not been fixed, which has pushed
Filipinos to work abroad,” he said.
Ramon Bultron, secretary general of Migrante International, urged
members to learn from the experiences in the last 40 years because it is the
key to real change, in their life not only in Hong Kong but especially in the
Philippines.
Cynthia Abdon-Tellez, general manager of Mission for Migrant
Workers, said she looks forward to the day when her organization as well as the
Bethune House shelter for migrant workers in distress, wil not longer
be needed because there are no more workers needing protection from abuse and
unfair labor practices.
Allied organizations also took part in the celebration, by
presenting songs, folk dances, a karate demonstration, a skit and a Balagtasan
on the question of whether the country benefits better from its people working in
the Philippines or abroad.
