Hong Kong as a “bastion of progressives”
OFWs vow to put Ocampo, Maza in top spots in OAV

03 February 2010

“We shall work hard to show that Hong Kong is not only a bastion of the opposition as it was known in 2007. It shall also be a bastion of progressives and those who seek substantial reforms in our system.”

This was declared today by Cynthia Abdon-Tellez, chairperson of Gabriela Women’s Party in Hong Kong (GWP-HK) as the group readies for a “massive campaign among OFWs and families” to support the senatorial bids of Rep. Satur Ocampo and Rep. Liza Maza in the coming polls.

“In 2007, HK OFWs put Gabriela in the lead in the partylist race overseas. We will work to do the same this year and will even go beyond now that progressives are gunning for Senate seats,” she added.

This Sunday, GWP-HK will launch a proclamation rally that will be attended by nominees of GWP, Ocampo and Maza. Thousands of OFWs are expected to attend the activity that also includes a Lunch Forum with candidates that will be attended by leaders of more than 100 OFW organizations in Hong Kong.

“Gabriela has ensured and will continue to ensure that the OFWs' voice can be heard inside the Lower House. We are putting our stake with Rep. Ocampo and Rep. Maza in bringing our concerns way up to the Senate,” she remarked.

According to her, Ocampo and Maza have been allies of OFWs in Hong Kong in various issues they faced in the past. In particular, Congressman Ocampo led several other legislators to Hong Kong in 2003 to support the campaign against the HK$400 wage cut that year. Congresswoman Maza, meanwhile, joined protest actions in Hong Kong against the POEA Guidelines for Hiring Filipino Household Workers and brought the attention of the public in the Philippines on the issue.

“With their track record of supporting OFW concerns including bills and resolutions filed that reinforce the rights of Filipinos abroad, there can be no doubt that we shall be behind them all the way. Especially now that Migrante was unjustly de-listed, the need to put pro-OFW legislators is more evident,” Tellez stated.

Tellez said that the coming arrival of the two senatorial bets of Makabayan is timely given the urgent concerns that OFWs have. Recently, she said the Philippine government has tried to impose more fees on OFWs through the forcible collection of OWWA and Pag-IBIG membership fees.

“Through the vigilance of OFWs, a moratorium has been imposed on the OWWA fee while Pag-IBIG temporarily backed out its planned mandatory OFW membership. The threat, however, remains on top of the whole gamut of concerns we have on unscrupulous practices of recruiters and the mediocre services of the government to Filipinos abroad,” Tellez remarked.

Aside from GWP, Ocampo and Maza, Rep. Cynthia Villar will also attend the event to stand in for Sen. Manny Villar who was also invited to grace the rally. Tellez said that the presidential aspirant, who has agreed to several key reforms with progressive partylists under Makabayan, was invited for HK OFWs to hear his agenda for Filipinos abroad and for Gabriela and its allies to show their endorsement of his candidacy.

“Meaningful change is the agenda of OFWs. This is what we shall also mark in the 2010 elections,” Tellez concluded.