12 May 2010

For the second time, Gabriela Women’s Party topped the party-list elections in Hong Kong cornering about 37% of votes cast by OFWs.

“We thank Filipino migrants in Hong Kong for again giving their trust to Gabriela to bring the voice of OFWs inside the Congress. Despite all the black propaganda and red-baiting, the track record of service of Gabriela to OFWs prevailed. If Gabriela wins in the final tally, we shall again make true our commitment to the rights and welfare of Filipinos abroad,” Cynthia Abdon-Tellez, chairperson of GWP-HK.

Hong Kong had the highest turnout of overseas voters with 39,418 voters turnout from the more than 95,000 registered voters. Of those who voted, more than 30,000 chose a party-list group.

Gabriela-endorsed senatoriables – Liza Maza and Satur Ocampo – also ended well in the HK polls placing 13th and 15th respectively. According to Abdon-Tellez, such showed that progressive candidates are gaining a foothold among OFWs in Hong Kong.

“Versus traditional politicians, heavyweights and old-timers, the strong showing of Maza and Ocampo proved that they are forces to contend with in terms of OFW votes. The demolition job of the state and state agents against them failed to curb the widening political base of the progressives among migrant Filipinos. The support of HK OFWs in the progressive bloc that started with Migrante in 2004 continued up to this year’s elections,” Abdon-Tellez remarked.

Abdon-Tellez said that with the likely win of Gabriela in the party-list elections, the group will immediately act on urgent concerns of Filipino migrants including the overpriced electronic passport, the ban on direct hiring that puts OFWs at the mercy of recruitment agencies, mandatory fees such as OWWA, Pag-IBIG and the overseas employment certificate, and insufficient on-site services for OFWs.

The group, however, chided the COMELEC and overseas posts for the low turnout of voters abroad. Of the 589,830 registered overseas absentee voters, only 141,846 or 24% cast their votes that was a far cry from the 65% turnout in the 2004 presidential elections.

“Our fear of massive disenfranchisement of OFWs came true. The COMELEC and the government’s overseas posts should take responsibility for this grave weakness. Lack of sufficient efforts and infrastructure to reach out to the most of number of OFW voters and the almost negligible actions to educate and inform them on the OAV contributed the most in bringing down voter’s turnout,” Abdon-Tellez added.

The group called for the COMELEC and the new government that will be installed soon to make the next OAV more successful. “Sufficient budget and actions should be given to enhance the participation of OFWs in the elections from the registration period up to the actual elections,” Abdon-Tellez urged.

Finally, Adbon-Tellez said that Gabriela’s victory in the OAV party-list polls will further push the group to advance the migrant’s agenda in the next administration.

“OFW concerns are real and immediate. The next government is seriously challenged to address issues of government fees, services and welfare provision for our modern heroes,” she concluded.#