This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, Special Release, Sept. 7, 2005
8,000 OFWs in Hong Kong Back Protests to Oust
Arroyo Balladares said that
Arroyo’s stubbornness to cling to power despite the overwhelming evidences that
she rigged the last presidential election has also infuriated many OFWs. Reference: Dolores T.
Balladares Posted by
Bulatlat © 2004 Bulatlat
■
Alipato Publications Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.
Through their names and signatures, at least 8,000 OFWs in Hong Kong will
participate in today’s (Aug. 6) protest action to remove Philippine President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from power.
“We want to add our collective voice calling for a change in the system of
governance and the first thing to do is to remove the fake President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo from power,” said Dolores Balladares, chairperson of the United
Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL-HK) and spokesperson of the OUTRAGE-HK (Overseas
Filipinos Unite to Remove the Arroyo Government).
OUTRAGE-HK, a coalition of nearly 50 Filipino migrant organizations, Church
groups and unions are calling for the immediate ouster of President Arroyo and
the formation of a transitional council. The group yesterday dispatched more
than 8,000 signatures they collected from OFWs in Hong Kong to the Philippines
in time for today’s national day of protest.
“We are one with our families and compatriots back home who are marching today
to seek the truth and to cleanse the government from corruption, greed and
injustice,” Balladares stated.
For the past two Sundays, OUTRAGE-HK has been gathering signatures from OFWs in
the territory who are in favor of GMA’s ouster. Last Aug. 28, the group was able
to gather more than 6,000 signatures by setting up signature collection centers
in four strategic locations in Central where OFWs congregate during Sundays.
According to Balladares, aside from the worsening poverty in the country under
her leadership, OFWs are mostly angered by Arroyo’s absolute disregard of the
plight of overseas Filipinos.
“She is responsible for the sufferings and deaths of many OFWs because of the
lack of protection and welfare assistance from the government. Despite the
recent wage cuts imposed on us here in Hong Kong, she continues to intensify
collection of unreasonable and excessive fees,” Balladares stated. “Where is
compassion in that?”
“In fact we have more than enough reason to call for her immediate ouster. What
makes it more compelling is her stubbornness and lack of fear to lie and
deceived the people,” Balladares said.
“For the first time in our history, we were allowed to exercise our right to
vote through the overseas absentee voting only to be bastardized by Arroyo and
her accomplices,” she averred.
Meanwhile, the group said they will continue to launch protest actions until
Arroyo is forced to vacate the presidency.
“Time and again, we have proven that our distance is not a hindrance from
participating in our country’s political affairs. From this part of the world,
we will do everything we can to contribute to the efforts of the Filipino people
to oust the inutile, ineffective and fake President Arroyo,” Balladares
concluded.
Chairperson
Tel. (852) 97472986
Aug. 6, 2005