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Veloso’s case was brought to international attention after she was sentenced to die in Indonesia. Prior to this, her family spent more than five years seeking government assistance to prove that she was a victim of human trafficking.
After almost 14 years of imprisonment, Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino on death row in Indonesia, has a chance of coming back home to the Philippines.
According to Migrante International, more than 11,000 Filipinos currently residing in Lebanon. “In fact, a lot of OFWs are requesting for repatriation but there are certain circumstances that disable them from doing so.”
Regular check ups, particularly those related to reproductive health, are not covered by the free services provided by village health centers, as per the Philippine law on universal health care. Fabella wishes that the government can allocate more funds for the basic services but this has not improved over the years.
According to Migrante-Netherlands, Marikit Saturay was not allowed to talk to her lawyers and her relatives. A uniformed agent was also assigned to guard her during the entire detention period.
For Migrante International, the Marcos Jr. administration is treating OFWs as milking cows.
Mark Danielle pleaded to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to seek clemency for Mary Jane as she is a victim of human trafficking. “We hope that President Bongbong Marcos will heed our call. We miss her terribly. She is a victim,” Mark Danielle said.
“I hope she will be given clemency at the soonest possible time so we can be together. Our life in the Philippines may be simple, but what’s important is that we are together.”
“Notably, none of the elements of the alleged importation of drugs into Indonesia took place in the Philippines. In fact, the Philippines as the sending country is where Veloso was illegally recruited in order to be trafficked or exploited in two other receiving states. Veloso is, thus, a victim, not a criminal who must be punished."
In this podcast-documentary, let us hear the stories of migrant Filipinos who continue to soldier on despite the personal struggles that they have to go through.
In this list, Bulatlat highlights women migrant rights activists who rose to the challenge of standing behind beleaguered Filipino migrant workers and the families they left behind.
“The case of Flor Contemplacion shows two things-the poor conditions and slave-like treatment of our fellow Filipinos overseas and the indifference of our government itself."
Filipino migrant rights advocates in Hong Kong kicked off their commemoration of women’s month with free services fair for migrant domestic workers here.
Leaving the place was heartbreaking knowing that you will be leaving behind a kababayan, a Filipina who is innocent but life is in limbo because of an illegal recruiter.
Women’s group Gabriela condemned the recent reports of violence against women, including the death of another overseas Filipino worker in Kuwait.
When the global pandemic reached Hong Kong, the once busy streets in Chater Road became quiet. Domestic workers were not allowed to go out and were forced to work longer hours, including Sundays, as their employers were working at home. Others had their contracts arbitrarily terminated.
The current cosmetic changes in the country’s labor export policy will not provide due protection to Filipino workers overseas. Worse, this will only exacerbate the already dire conditions they are facing.
“We are asking the (Philippine Overseas Labor Office) to look into this and abolish the OEC because this is an added burden and cost to our fellow migrant workers.”
The story of Danilo de Leon’s journey of leaving behind his family in the Philippines to work abroad is perhaps the story of most Filipino migrant workers, especially parents. He did so, after all, to provide a better future for his two children.
Various groups have joined the family of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina on death row, in urging Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to raise her case in his state visit to Indonesia, saying that she is long overdue for release.
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