Association of Filipinos in Victoria
PO BOX 606 Laverton Victoria, Australia 3028
Phone: 1300 3666 74
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.migrante.org.au
Press Statement
01 November 2009
Migrante Sectoral Party (MSP) Disqualification
Oppresses 8 Million Overseas Filipinos
Migrante Melbourne’s letter to the Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) protests the disqualification of Migrante Sectoral Party from participating in the 2010 election. Copies of the letter were also sent to the Philippine President Arroyo, Philippine ambassador to Australia and to the Philippine consulate in Melbourne.
MSP is the best hope of Filipinos living and working overseas to truly represent them, raise and legislate their issues in Congress. Overseas Filipinos and their dependent families represent more than ten percent of the total population of the Philippines. They are the most reliable, consistent and largest contributor to the Philippine economy; yet they are among the most marginalized members of Philippine society whose rights are often unprotected abroad. There is not a single day that we do not hear a Filipino worker abroad in distress. Calls to the Philippine government by various organizations and advocates to attend to the plight of Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) often remain inadequately addressed.
Migrante International and its member organizations around the world attend and address the issues of Overseas Filipino workers regularly. Migrante International and the Migrante Sectoral Party represent the genuine interest and concerns of Overseas Filipinos, workers and their families.
Despite tremendous obstacles posed their way, [such as residency (of at least six months in the Philippines) requirements, citizenship proof, lack of information on electoral procedures, availability and accessibility of polling places], Filipinos living and working abroad who were allowed to vote in 2004 delivered .8 percent of party-list votes to the Migrante Sectoral Party.
Many overseas Filipinos were unable to vote in 2004 election due to these stringent conditions.
The Party List System Act states that a Party List can be delisted if it did not garner at least 2% votes in the last two succeeding elections or if it did not participate in the last two succeeding elections. It also states that prior to the issuance of resolutions removing a party form the registry of sectoral party list, this party is notified and a hearing is conducted. None of these prerequisites was met in removing Migrante Sectoral Party from the registration and preventing it to participate in the 2010 election.
Migrante Melbourne, a member organization of Migrante International, sees this as another attempt by the Arroyo government to disenfranchise the more than 10% of marginalized Filipinos. This is also a manifestation of the government’s aim to continue ignoring the appalling conditions of many OFW’s and only maintain them as unsung heroes and milking cows filling government coffers and keeping the Philippine economy afloat.
If Comelec wants to abide by the Act and remain true to the spirit of the Party List System it should delist Bantay of Jovito Palparan, ANAD of Jun Alcover and Kasangga of Ma. Lourdes Arroyo. These parties are in no way representing any marginalized sector of Philippine society.
If the Comelec is faithful to the objective of the Party List System which is giving representation of the marginalized Filipinos in the Congress then it will rectify its mistakes and restore the listing of Migrante Sectoral Party which advocates on behalf of more than eight million Overseas Filipinos.
Migrante Melbourne is joining the hundreds of groups and organizations and thousands of Filipinos in protesting this grave injustice to Overseas Filipinos.
We ask for fairness and enjoin all peace loving and Filipinos here in Australia and our supporters to make their opposition to the Comelec’s action be known by sending protest letters to the Comelec and to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Let your voices be heard. ###
Reference:
George Kotsakis
Chairperson
Migrante Melbourne
PO BOX 606 Laverton Victoria, Australia 3028
Phone: 1300 3666 74
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.migrante.org.au
Press Statement
01 November 2009
Migrante Sectoral Party (MSP) Disqualification
Oppresses 8 Million Overseas Filipinos
Migrante Melbourne’s letter to the Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) protests the disqualification of Migrante Sectoral Party from participating in the 2010 election. Copies of the letter were also sent to the Philippine President Arroyo, Philippine ambassador to Australia and to the Philippine consulate in Melbourne.
MSP is the best hope of Filipinos living and working overseas to truly represent them, raise and legislate their issues in Congress. Overseas Filipinos and their dependent families represent more than ten percent of the total population of the Philippines. They are the most reliable, consistent and largest contributor to the Philippine economy; yet they are among the most marginalized members of Philippine society whose rights are often unprotected abroad. There is not a single day that we do not hear a Filipino worker abroad in distress. Calls to the Philippine government by various organizations and advocates to attend to the plight of Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) often remain inadequately addressed.
Migrante International and its member organizations around the world attend and address the issues of Overseas Filipino workers regularly. Migrante International and the Migrante Sectoral Party represent the genuine interest and concerns of Overseas Filipinos, workers and their families.
Despite tremendous obstacles posed their way, [such as residency (of at least six months in the Philippines) requirements, citizenship proof, lack of information on electoral procedures, availability and accessibility of polling places], Filipinos living and working abroad who were allowed to vote in 2004 delivered .8 percent of party-list votes to the Migrante Sectoral Party.
Many overseas Filipinos were unable to vote in 2004 election due to these stringent conditions.
The Party List System Act states that a Party List can be delisted if it did not garner at least 2% votes in the last two succeeding elections or if it did not participate in the last two succeeding elections. It also states that prior to the issuance of resolutions removing a party form the registry of sectoral party list, this party is notified and a hearing is conducted. None of these prerequisites was met in removing Migrante Sectoral Party from the registration and preventing it to participate in the 2010 election.
Migrante Melbourne, a member organization of Migrante International, sees this as another attempt by the Arroyo government to disenfranchise the more than 10% of marginalized Filipinos. This is also a manifestation of the government’s aim to continue ignoring the appalling conditions of many OFW’s and only maintain them as unsung heroes and milking cows filling government coffers and keeping the Philippine economy afloat.
If Comelec wants to abide by the Act and remain true to the spirit of the Party List System it should delist Bantay of Jovito Palparan, ANAD of Jun Alcover and Kasangga of Ma. Lourdes Arroyo. These parties are in no way representing any marginalized sector of Philippine society.
If the Comelec is faithful to the objective of the Party List System which is giving representation of the marginalized Filipinos in the Congress then it will rectify its mistakes and restore the listing of Migrante Sectoral Party which advocates on behalf of more than eight million Overseas Filipinos.
Migrante Melbourne is joining the hundreds of groups and organizations and thousands of Filipinos in protesting this grave injustice to Overseas Filipinos.
We ask for fairness and enjoin all peace loving and Filipinos here in Australia and our supporters to make their opposition to the Comelec’s action be known by sending protest letters to the Comelec and to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Let your voices be heard. ###
Reference:
George Kotsakis
Chairperson
Migrante Melbourne
RSS Feed