‘Filoz’ Go for GO Senatoriables – Aussie survey      

Filipinos and Filipino-Australians would elect eight Genuine Opposition senatorial candidates, one independent candidate also known as an oppositionist, and only three pro-Arroyo Team Unity candidates, according to a survey condcted across the Australian states and territories.

BY CAESAR BEN BASAN BAROŃA
Bulatlat 

Filipinos and Filipino-Australians would elect eight ‘Genuine Opposition’ senatorial candidates, one independent candidate also known as an oppositionist, and only three pro-Arroyo Team Unity candidates, according to a survey conducted across the Australian states and territories.  

The survey, which simply asked respondents their voting preferences for the Philippine Senate elections, was commissioned by Migrante-Australia, an advocacy group of Filipinos and Filipino-Australians. A total of 129 potential voters responded via email messaging, by phone and through face-to-face interviews from April 12-15, 2007.  

According to Edwin Subijano, Migrante-Australia president, the results “indicate strongly that Filipinos living in Australia are rejecting the regime of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a regime marked by controversies.” He outlined such controversies as centering on such issues as:

• On-going summary executions and illegal arrests of human rights advocates, peasants, workers and other activists in a reign of terror against dissenting voices (over 900 killed since January 2001) justified by the rhetoric of the “war on terror;”

• Strong evidence pointing to the regime (of Arroyo) rigging of the 2004 Presidential election narrowly won by Arroyo;

• Continuing poverty driving record numbers of Filipinos overseas in search of employment to provide for their families;

• Deepening suppression of the rights of Filipino workers as harsh labour laws, combined with anti-worker propaganda that equates collective action by workers to terrorism;

• Cronyism and corruption at heightened levels reaching up to the very heart of the regime, including involving Pres Arroyo and her husband.

“Australian-based Filipinos work extremely hard to be able to provide additional support to their families who are suffering in the Philippines,” Subijano said. “Added to their concerns is the repression of workers’ rights in the Philippines.”

“Filipinos in Australia also suffer worsening employment conditions due to the Howard Government’s “WorkChoices” legislation,” he added, referring to the flexible work place and conditions arrangements brought about by the Australian government's industrial relations policy introduced last year.

Ever since the dual citizenship law and overseas voting act were passed, Filipino citizens abroad could vote in Philippine elections, although the political exercise has been marred by difficulties such as getting to the proper embassies or consulates and the lack of information drive. 

The top 12 results are:

1) Legarda, Loren (Nationalist People's Coalition [Genuine Opposition]): 123

2) Recto, Ralph: (Lakas-CMD [Team Unity]) 98

3) Cayetano, Alan Peter (Nacionalista Party [Genuine Opposition]): 96

4) Pangilinan, Francis: (Liberal Party [Independent]) 95

5) Villar, Manuel: (Nacionalista Party [Genuine Opposition]) 93

6) Aquino, Benigno S (Liberal Party [Genuine Opposition]): 89

7) Escudero, Francis J: (Nationalist People's Coalition [Genuine Opposition]) 84

8) Arroyo, Joker: (Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino [Team Unity]) 69

9) Pimentel, Aquilino: (PDP-Laban [Genuine Opposition]) 68

10) Lacson, Panfilo: (UNO [Genuine Opposition]) 64

11) Roco, Sonia: (Aksyon Demokratiko [Genuine Opposition]) 58

12) Angara, Edgardo: (LABAN (Team Unity)) 57

“Clearly, in this climate, Filipino Australians are looking for change in the Philippines to solve the fundamental problems of the country and bring peace, democracy and prosperity to all in the country,” said Subijano, commenting on the survey results. 

A flaw in the survey was that it also included a few Australian citizens, albeit with Filipino origin or descent. Bulatlat 

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