Migrante Canada extends its warm solidarity greetings to all Sisters in struggle as we commemorate the International Women’s Day to honour the day of working class women.
One hundred years ago, on 8 March 1908, around 15,000 women marched through New York City to demand shorter work hours, just pay and the right to vote. In the same year in Europe, women also set up strikes, protested against welfare cuts and campaigned for equal pay and unionization.
Today, working class women from across the globe carry on the struggle at a time of worsening global economic and political.
Migrante Canada joins progressive organizations like Bayan Canada and other migrant and women's organizations from host countries that advocate for genuine social change and fight for the rights and welfare of migrant workers, who mostly are women.
Since the introduction of the Labour Export Policy (LEP) in the 1970's—the principal dollar earner to prop up the Philippines’ backward, semi-feudal and semi-colonial system of rule—more than 3,000 Filipinos leave the country everyday to search better opportunities abroad.
Canada has become one of the top destinations of Filipino migrant workers. In 2006, Canada welcomed 171,844 temporary foreign workers and live-in caregivers. More than half of them are women.
Many OFWs in Canada have been subject to utter neglect and abuses, sexual harassment, discrimination, contract violation or substitution, lack of basic services, among others. In most cases, the Philippine government in Canada has miserably failed and refused to address these issues.
The Philippines, which ranked fourth in the top remittance-receiving countries in 2010, earned some $6 billion in 2000 and almost $20 billion in 2009. In the 2010 data, the Philippines earned $21.3 billion from its human exports.
Despite being hailed as “modern heroes” for helping the otherwise weak and foreign-exchange dependent economy, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are one of the most neglected sectors in the country.
The Philippine government recently reduced the Legal Assistance Fund (LAF) and Assistance to Nationals (ATN) for OFWs. As a result, it becomes more difficult for Filipinos who are in death row and to those who are currently stranded in war-torn countries to avail of much-needed legal and financial assistance. Adding insult to injury, OFWs are also forced to pay unnecessary and excessive fees such as mandatory PAG-IBIG contribution, OWWA fees, overpriced e-Passport, PhilHealth and NBI documents.
Furthermore, the labor export policy legitimizes the trafficking of our women and children to precarious and exploitative situations in host countries. Without decent jobs and livelihood both in the urban and rural areas, Filipino women are lured, deceived and facilitated by profit-hungry syndicate recruiters and even government officials with promises of different jobs, good compensation, high wages and benefits.
In the face of intensified economic and political repression, we must remember the historic struggle and victory of the women’s movement as our own contribution to the intensifying struggle of the Filipino people. We will unleash a strong mass struggle of women against dire poverty, corruption and tyranny of the Aquino regime.
It is important that we must continue to strengthen our solidarity globally as we intensify our struggles against the labour-export policy that institutionalizes and legalizes the exploitation of Filipino migrant workers particularly women workers. We must put our strength together to end labor exploitation and violence against women here and abroad. We must stand united in our cause towards a strong Filipino militant movement here and abroad.
Sulong kababaihan, sulong!
Mabuhay ang migranteng kababaihang Pilipino!
Mabuhay ang sambayanang Pilipino!
8 March 2012
Reference:
Maru Maesa
ofwcmaru@yahoo.com
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