OFW group to PNoy: Lead by example, execute a waiver to open your bank accounts

Press Release

1 June 2012

OFW group to PNoy: Lead by example, execute a waiver to open your bank accounts

“Execute a waiver to open your bank account for public scrutiny. This is a clear demonstration of leading by example so that all the members of your cabinet and members of the Congress would follow the same,” thus urged today by a Filipino migrant rights group Migrante-Middle East (M-ME).

John Leonard Monterona, M-ME regional coordinator said though issuance of the waiver to publicly open his bank accounts is entirely a public officials’ prerogative as it is not required by any law, it is unarguably a good outcome of the Corona impeachment, which the government must totally support in the name of transparency and public accountability in its effort to root out prevalent graft and corruption in the country.

Yesterday, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said, like any other government officials, “the President's statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) already has a waiver that authorizes the Ombudsman to look into it”.

Reacting to it, M-ME’s Monterona said: “We would remind President Aquino III that he was once asked during his presidential campaign sorties if he would be amenable to issue a waiver and he answered on the affirmative. Now is the time to do so amid public cry for transparency and accountability.”

Monterona added if Mr. Aquino changed his position on issuing waiver to open his bank accounts now that he is the incumbent president, then he might not be leading the country by example and he is far from being a transformational leader our country needs.

“Somehow, the public may question his moral leadership as it will be perceived that he too is hiding huge amounts not declared in his SALN amid his stand against issuing a waiver to open his bank accounts,” Monterona opined.

“The President’s stand that there is no need to issue a waiver to open his bank accounts for public scrutiny is like a black eye to his administration’s campaign against graft and corruption, transparency and public accountability. PNoy should reconsider his stand on issuing a waiver and he should urge all his Cabinet members to do so. Doing this is leading the country by good examples,” Monterona concluded. # # #

Reference:

John Leonard Monterona

Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator

Mobile No. 00974 33 20 5565

Pinoys working at blazed Doha mall fear of losing jobs

Press Release

30 May 2012

Pinoys working at blazed Doha mall fear of losing jobs

As the mall in Doha, Qatar was gutted by a fire Monday that killed 19 people, including 3 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and caused scores of fatalities, a Filipino migrant rights group said Pinoy workers who reported work or working inside the Villagio Mall fear of losing their job.

On Tuesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed and identified the 3 OFWs killed in that tragic fire that gutted the Villagio Mall in Doha. Two other OFWs have been reported hurt and are now being treated in a hospital in Doha.

“As to our initial estimate, there are around 400 OFWs reporting work or working inside the Villagio Mall. Obviously, the mall has been closed due to that fire incident that broke out the other day,” said Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona.

Monterona added that 60% of the estimated 400 OFWs working inside the Villagio Mall are women performing sales-related jobs as sales ladies and cashiers. Some of the male OFWs work as store merchandisers.

“We were able to talk to a number of OFWs working inside the Villagio Mall who shared to us their horrifying experience when the fire gutted the mall. They shared their fears of losing jobs as the said mall has been closed and would not know when it will be opened so that they could report for work,” Monterona added.

Bobby, not his real name, who works as store merchandiser, aired his worries of the effect of the fire such as eventually losing his job. “We don’t know yet what will happen. We would be lucky if we will be transferred to another store,” Bobby conveyed to M-ME’s Monterona.

Monterona said the Philippine Overseas Labor office (POLO) in Doha must look into this and extend assistance to those who will be displaced from their job as a result of the fire that gutted the Villagio Mall.

He also calls on the Aquino government through the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to immediately provide assistance to the families of the 3 OFWs killed and other fatalities.

“Burial assistance and other financial assistance must be given to the families. Those who will be displaced from their job must be assisted,” concluded Monterona, who is now based in Doha, Qatar.


He said Migrante chapter in Doha is coordinating with the Filipino community to offer mass and prayers for the eternal repose of the 3 OFWs killed in Villagio Mall fire.

Reference:

John Leonard Monterona

Migrante-ME regional coordinator

Mobile No. 00974 33 20 5565

68 year old ailing OFW wants to be home

Press Release

27 May 2012

68-yr. old ailing OFW wants to be home; OFW group presses RP post to attend and work for his repatriation

(See attached OFW Nemencio Valencia's photo taken from the sofa of a flat where he is allowed to stay by concerned OFWs).

The Filipino migrant rights group, Migrante-Middle East (M-ME), today presses the Philippine embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to provide assistance and attend on the deplorable plight of an undocumented and ailing overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who wishes to be home.

“The deplorable situation of OFW Nemencio Valencia, 68 years old, from Lipa City, Batangas was reported to our Migrante officers in Riyadh by Leon Catameo, a concerned fellow OFW who happened had transfer to a flat where OFW Valencia is currently staying”, said M-ME regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona, who is now based in Doha, Qatar.

Monterona said, citing report from officers of the Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan (KGS), an affiliate of M-ME, OFW Valencia is ailing and his health condition is deteriorating.

“He stopped working for years. He managed to survive with his friends and fellow OFWs contributions for his food and medicines,” said Monterona.

OFW Valencia is an undocumented after he ran away from his employer ten years ago. He worked as a taxi driver but was forced to stop because being undocumented and for fear of being apprehended by local police.

“He tried to ask assistance from the PH embassy for his repatriation but he was told to raise 8,000 Saudi rials (roughly 90,000 pesos) as a penalty for overstaying,” Monterona added.

Monterona questioned the PH embassy in Riyadh why it failed to provide him the needed assistance. “For one, the PH embassy could endorse to OWWA or its main office in Manila requesting a budget for OFW Valencia’s repatriation. Or it could ask the Filipino community to donate so that it could raise the needed amount to pay for his penalty.”

“OFW Valencia’s status, of being undocumented, should not be cited as reason why the PH embassy did not extend a hand to help him and it continuously failed to provide assistance to him,” Monterona averred.

The OFW leader calls on the Aquino administration through Vice President Jejomar Binay, also presidential adviser of OFWs concern, to order the DFA and its post in Riyadh to immediately attend on OFW Valencia’s condition and work for his immediate repatriation.

‘I don’t think if the Saudi immigration authorities would object for OFW Valencia’s repatriation considering his deteriorating health condition. It’s just a matter of giving priority and properly attending his case so that he could be repatriated and join his loved ones in Batangas,” Monterona ended. # # #

Reference:

John Leonard Monterona

Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator

Mobile No. 00974 33 20 5565

Another OFW dies at PH Bahay Kalinga in Riyadh; group calls for probe over embassy’s possible neglect

As per our informant at the Bahay Kalinga in Riyadh, the OFW who died is identified as Alma Anastacio from Nueva Ecija.

We call on the PH embassy to properly inform her kin in the Philippines about her death. The OWWA must provide burial and other financial assistance to her family.

Thank you,

-John Leonard Monterona

Migrante-Middle East

Press Release

11 May 2012

Another OFW dies at PH Bahay Kalinga in Riyadh; group calls for probe over embassy’s possible neglect

A distressed and undocumented overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who is under the custody of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia died April 17, 2012 according to a Filipino migrants rights group Migrante-Middle East (M-ME).

“We were informed by an insider who works at the PH embassy’s Bahay Kalinga in Riyadh about the death of the unnamed OFW. Our informant said the OFW died due to an advance stage of breast cancer,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator.

Monterona added that it was known that the OFW ran away from her employer in 2009 due to alleged abuse and labor malpractice and since then became an undocumented.

“We were informed that she has been staying at the Bahay Kalinga quite some time as she appeal for her repatriation and attend on her medication,” Monterona adding that he wonders why the embassy and labor officials failed to repatriate her when her condition is not yet so critical.

“The PH embassy tried to conceal the OFW’s death from the knowledge of the Filipino communities and OFW group critical against it,” Monterona added.

“This is not the first time that an OFW died at the Bahay Kalinga. As per our monitoring, there were 3 other OFWs died there since 2008,” Monterona added.

Monterona revealed that there are still an undisclosed number of distressed OFWs with children at the Bahay Kalinga who are repeatedly pleading their repatriation from PH authorities in Riyadh.

“Unfortunately, they are still pleading hard for their repatriation until now after staying more than a year and still counting at the Bahay Kalinga,” the OFW leader added.

Monterona is not discounting the possibility that the OFW has not been properly attended by the embassy and welfare officials in Riyadh, thus he calls for Pres. Aquino III and Vice President Jejomar Binay, also presidential adviser on OFWs concern, to investigate not only this recent death of OFW in Bahay Kalinga but as well as the previous reported deaths.

“Onsite welfare services at various Bahay Kalinga or Filipino Workers Resource Centers (FWRCs) must be thoroughly look at with an aim of improving it. Welfare services and programs are meager but when it comes to imposing additional fees and charges the government is often too fast to impose burden on our already overburdened OFWs,” Monterona ended. # # #

Reference:

John Leonard Monterona

Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator

Mobile No. 00974 33205565

PH govt. dilly-dallying providing assistance to electrocuted OFW?

Press Release

5 May 2012

PH govt. dilly-dallying in providing assistance?

OFW group presses anew the PH govt to provide assistance to OFW electrocuted in Saudi Arabia

The activist migrant rights group Migrante-Middle East (M-ME) presses anew the Philippine government to immediately act to provide assistance to an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia who was electrocuted last year.

On a statement released on April 8, 2012, Migrante-Middle East (M-ME) regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona, citing report from Kaagapay Mo, an OFW welfare organization based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, identified the OFW as Alfredo Salmos, more than 50 years old, from Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija

“OFW Alfredo Salmos was accidentally electrocuted late last year while performing his work but so lucky to be alive though the accident rendered him unable to work and thus in dire condition,” said Monterona adding that he had immediately call the attention of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah to provide assistance to OFW Salmos.

OFW Salmos accidentally electrocuted by about 14,000 electric volts while performing his work.

“He had been unconscious for 1 month because of the strong electric voltage that struck him down,” Monterona during a talked with OFW Salmos.

Unfortunately, Monterona added, until now they have not yet receive a clear response from the PH consulate and POLO-OWWA officials in Jeddah regarding the assistance for OFW Salmos.

“The PH consulate must locate the employer and sponsor of OFW Salmos and convince it to issue a final exit clearance to OFW Salmos while working to get a police clearance as he was not cleared yet for the car accidently he was involved 10 years ago,” Monterona adding that this is the first thing to do by the PH consulate in Jeddah.

Monterona added the POLO-OWWA officials in Jeddah must secure his continued medication ‘til his full recovery so that a medical clearance ascertaining his fitness to travel will be issued in time that his final exit clearance will be issued.’

Monterona said Nueva Ecija Governor Aurelio M. Umali’s staff had called him last week and conveyed that the latter’s office will attend to OFW Salmos, who is an Ecijanos, and would be willing to extend assistance to the OFW while trying to locate his family in Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija.

“If we are dead serious in our campaign saving the lives of OFWs in death row, then we too must press hard the PH govt. and concerned agencies to provide assistance to OFW Salmos and others like him under similar condition who are pleading for help and to be repatriated to be with their families,” Monterona opined.

Monterona added there are several OFWs who called him, too, and conveyed that they are willing to shoulder OFW Salmos airfare going to Manila.

“First thing first, we need to get a final exit clearance from his employer and secure a police clearance from the accident he got involve 10 years ago, and a medical clearance certifying his fitness to travel. These could well be taken care of the PH consulate and POLO-OWWA officials in Jeddah. But unfortunately after a month this was referred to them we have not receive a clear answer and action taken by the post,” Monterona added.

M-ME now calls on Vice President Jejomar Binay, also presidential adviser on OFWs concern, to issue a directive to the concerned PH govt. agencies not to dilly-dally in providing assistance and work for the immediate repatriation of OFW Alfredo Salmos.

John Leonard Monterona

Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator

PH mobile no. 0063 9234200112