Connie Bragas-Regalado: A migrants rights advocate, an activist, a mother

Victories

From being a member of Unifil, Connie was elected as its chair in 2004. She said she was actively involved in alliance work with the Hongkong government to push for the welfare and rights of Filipino overseas workers.

Among their victories, Connie recalled, was they were able to change the so-called two week rule. Once terminated, OFWs must return to their country within 14 days even if they still have visa. But through efforts of Unifil and its members, the Hongkong government amended the rule and OFWs, once terminated, may use the 14 days to look for another employer.

Connie was also actively involved in Hongkong Against Racial Discrimination. The group were protesting against discrimination on maids. In certain establishments, there are signs that read, “No maids and dogs are allowed” or service lifts for maids and garbage only.

Among other stereotypes that affects migrants is the view that all Filipinos are domestic helpers, Thais are prostitutes and Indians smell bad, which Connie believes are very much unfair. Their efforts to eliminate such discrimination were recognized by the Hongkong government, and they were given funding.

When the migrant rights group felt that they have already exhausted all possible local venues for their fight against discrimination, Unifil brought the issue before the United Nations in 2003. “It was my first time to be in the United Nations and speak before a session in relation to discrimination.”

In 2000, Connie had an opportunity to hear Fidel Castro, a revolutionary leader of Cuba, speak in person in a forum in Durban, South Africa. Here, she said, she learned that activists may have initial “allergies” toward the United Nations because it is controlled by superpowers. But Castro emphasized that the United Nations serves as a venue in fighting for their demands. It is the existing system and activists should maximize it. International solidarity is important to win freedom for the country from imperialist countries such as the United States, recalls Connie.

From Geneva, the Filipino delegates also visited neighboring European countries to know the situation of OFWs there. “Organizing there is different because of their situation. It is difficult because organizers themselves are busy, working for at least four to five homes a day.

Connie said that from 1998 to 2003, migrant rights organization also campaigned against the wage cut. From a mere 200 Filipinos who marched in 1998, over 12,000 joined their march in 2003. She added that they were also able to reach out to other nationalities who are also asking for the same demand.

Aside from Filipino organizations, Connie was also appointed as member of the Committee of the Promotion of Social Harmony in Hongkong from 2002-2004. She was also a member of the Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development.

Struggle in own country

While the migrants group continue to win small but strategic victories abroad, the conditions of FIlipinos forcing them to work in other countries, remain and continue to worsen. She added that in other cases, victim OFWs would win cases abroad but could not even file a case in the Philippines.

Connie said that as OFW groups lobbied in Geneva against discrimination, the Philippine government did not lift a finger, not even issue a statement to support their cause.
Through Migrante International, they organized a party-list group called Migrante Sectoral Party to further educate Filipinos on the situation of those working abroad, push for their rights and welfare and bring the issues of OFWs at the national level. Connie returned home as its first nominee.

Migrante Sectoral Party did not win a seat in their first try in 2004. But, Connie said, running for the party-list elections remain as a “positive experience” for migrant rights advocates. “We were able to expand our organization. The elections opened new opportunities to promote migrant rights advocacies in other fields.”

Migrante Sectoral Party tried to run again during the pary-tlist elections in 2010. But they were delisted. The Commission on Elections claimed that they technically lost during the 2007 elections because they did not participate and, under the party-list law, groups that failed to win a seat in two successive elections are delisted. Migrante International and its member organizations protested.

“OFWs deserve representation in Congress. The delisting of Migrante Sectoral Party shows that there is really a need to continuously fight for migrants’ rights,” Connie said, “We need to expand our base and reach our goal to have representation in the House of Representatives.”

A mother

Her marriage to Regalado did not work out. The two parted ways in the late 1980s. “Most people think that I am an old maid,” she said. But Connie actually has two sons, Kent and Kirt, who are now 32 and 29, respectively.

“It is hard that I took care of other children but I was physically absent when they were growing up. I missed the chance to witness their voice changing when they reached puberty. My sister served as their mother while I was away,” Connie said.

Now, Connie resides In St. Bernards in Leyte with her son Kent. (Kirt is already married) “We are always talking to each other. We do gardening as one of our forms of bonding. We manage the coconut trees that were not taken cared of since my father died in 2001.”

During low tide, Connie and Kent would pick up shells in the shore. They make cards as a source of income, on the side.

Today, Connie is still actively involved in programs of Migrante International. She regularly visits its national office in Cubao, Quezon City, especially when they have a project to do. She dreams of establishing a migrants’ rights office in Central Visayas, which, she thinks is strategic because the area has been a main source of OFWs working either as sea farers or domestic helpers.

She said there is a need to continue the fight of migrants even now under President Benigno S. Aquino III. “The face of the politicians might have changed but the unjust policies remain the same. He said that we will have a transparent government but the case of the returning OFWs in Libya, for one, reveals that they have no plans whatsoever for Filipinos who suffered a bad fate while working abroad.

For the meantime, Connie takes her time to be with her son and spends most of the time taking care of him to make up for the 18 years that she was not home.