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| Jerome Adonis addresses the crowd |
A visiting labor leader from the Philippines has called on United Filipinos in Hong Kong (Unifil Migrante-HK) to continue expanding so it can further strengthen its advocacy of advancing the interests of Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong.
Jerome Adonis, chairperson
of Kilusang Mayo, the largest trade union in the Philippines and a National Council
member of the Makabayan Coalition, made his remarks at the 41st
anniversary celebration of Unifil-Migrante held at Chater Road on Sunday.
While hailing
Unifil’s long legacy of promoting the interests and welfare of Filipino
migrants in Hong Kong, Adonis said much still needs to be done, considering the
continuing exodus of Filipinos looking for work abroad.
He said there are
not enough industries in the Philippines so millions of Filipinos have to work
outside the country to sustain their families’ needs. If there are jobs at all
in the country, the salary is well below what they need to be able to live
decently.
“Sigurado kung may nakakabuhay na kita ang
mga Pilipino hindi na sila mag o OFW (I am sure if Filipinos are paid a
living wage they would not want to work abroad anymore), said Adonis.
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| Adonis and Unifil chair Dolores Balladares (behind him) join a Cordillera dance |
“Kaya ito ang hamon ko sa Unifil. Palakasin
pa ninyo ang hanay ninyo.” (This is my challenge to you. Continue to
strengthen your ranks).
As it is, the
already dire situation in the Philippines has gotten worse because of the fuel
crisis sparked by the Middle East conflict, he said.
He cited latest
statistics showing three million Filipinos are now unemployed, with the inflation
rate hitting a three-year high of 7.2%.
The peso has also
sunk to its lowest level in history, which though it may sound favourable to
dollar-earning Filipinos, is actually harmful to the country’s economy as it
raises the costs of imports, and as a consequence leads to higher food prices.
Low-income earners
suffer the most, he said, considering that the daily pay of Php411 (HK$53) that
farmers make will never allow them to make ends meet.
“Sadsad sa hirap at sadsad sa gutom ang mga
Pilipino,” (Filipinos have hit rock-bottom, overworked and hungry).
Despite these
problems, the Philippine government is just doing patch-up (patse-patse) work
instead of coming up with concrete solutions to the problem.
Since oil is the
main driver for the economy now, what the government should do is to suspend
oil deregulation and resume control over pump prices, said Adonis. It should also
do away with the value added tax and the excise tax on fuel so the benefits from
this would cascade down to lower prices of basic commodities.
Over and above all
these, he said the government should stop corruption and ensure the economy is
not left at the mercy of big businesses.
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| Cultural group 'Likha' takes a bow after a play on OFWs' travails |
The day-long event
on Chater Road featured dances, songs, and a play that dealt with the
challenges faced by OFWs before leaving the country, and once they start
working in Hong Kong.
Various leaders of
Filipino community groups and migrant support organizations also praised
Unifil-Migrante’s four decades of active engagement in pursuit of better work
conditions for migrants, and expressed continued support.
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| MFMW general manager Cynthia Tellez holds a poster in support of migrant mothers |
As the day fell on Mother's Day, there was also extensive reference to the sacrifices made by migrant mothers who are forced to leave the country so they could provide for a better life for their family, especially their children, back home.
Also held on the
same day was Care to Caregivers, a regular program organized by the Mission for
Migrant Workers, to provide various services for free to MDWs, including
massage therapy, blood pressure and glucose tests, acupuncture, consultations
for legal and work-related concerns, and many others.
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