Coalition against the war formed, peace caravan held BY AUBREY MAKILAN Bulatlat.com Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) advocates and their families, Filipino Muslims and Christians, and Lebanese nationals formed the Network Overseas Opposed to Wars of Aggression (No to War) Coalition on Aug. 3 and held a peace caravan the next day. They condemned the Israel…
Category: OFWs & Migration
OFWs from Lebanon Mull Working Abroad Anew
Filipino domestic helpers are jumping off buildings and houses to escape their employers and the war in Lebanon. But coming home to joblessness and poverty only pushes back overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to again work abroad, even if it means going to another dangerous country. BY AUBREY SC MAKILAN Bulatlat.com Christine Hadjirudin, 22, a native…
Only 3,400 of OFWs in Lebanon Could Come Home
No gov’t plan for those in Israel, other ME countries A migrant group bares that only 3,400 out of the 34,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Lebanon will be repatriated by the Philippine government. Worse, it has no crisis management plan in case the war escalates in the Middle East region. BY AUBREY MAKILAN Bulatlat.com…
GMA’s ‘Heckler’ Charged with Public Disturbance
BY DENNIS ESPADA (Bulatlat.com) The police has filed criminal charges against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s “heckler,” Cavite State University (CvSU) graduate Maria Teresa Pangilinan, even as Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez shelved his plan to sue her and called to lay to rest the issue. Imus, Cavite (23 kms. south of Manila) – The police has filed…
Leyte NGO Appeals for Stop to Military Operations
(Bulatlat.com) “The government should recognize the fact that there is insurgency because of social injustice and the inequitable distribution of economic resources in the country. It can only be solved by providing the poor long-term economic security,” said Jazmin Jerusalem, executive director of the Leyte Center for Development, Inc., a non-governmental organization. Tacloban City, Leyte…
Tragedy of an Overseas Worker
BY JOHNNY FIALEN Northern Dispatch (Bulatlat.com) Abigail Cabbigat, 32, is a native of Lagawe, Ifugao. She spent two years in Hong Kong and 10 months in Lebanon as a domestic helper. She escaped on February 17 this year from her employer because of grave threats on her person and violation of her employment contract. She…
Tragedy of an Overseas Worker
BY JOHNNY FIALEN Northern Dispatch Posted by Bulatlat Abigail Cabbigat, 32, is a native of Lagawe, Ifugao. She spent two years in Hong Kong and 10 months in Lebanon as a domestic helper. She escaped on February 17 this year from her employer because of grave threats on her person and violation of her employment…
Bayan Muna warns of misuse of 2006 budget for Cha-cha
Bayan Muna-Southern Mindanao Region expressed fears that the P1.06-trillion 2006 budget, now in the Senate for approval, will be used by Malacañang allegedly for the charter change drive. Bayan Muna-SMR spokesperson Jeppie Ramada criticized what he described as the “state’s propensity to consume the national budget for its personal gains.” He also recalled Election Commissioner…
Filipino Priests Flock to U.S.
BY NICANOR SEGOVIA Bulatlat.com As the U.S. Catholic Church opens its doors to Filipino priests, this situation causes a “brain drain” of sorts in the Philippines. Priests and seminarians go to the U.S., attracted by a package of relocation, scholarships and other perks. ANAHEIM, California – Some 20,000 Catholic parishioners had their eyes focused on…
International Groups Denounce Deportation of Bangladeshi Peasant Leader
By Gerry Albert Corpuz Bulatlat.com Can a foreigner be barred for entering the Philippines because of his or her previous participation in a protest action here? The answer is yes, going by the experience of a Bangladeshi peasant leader who was deported last March 30 even if his travel papers were in order. Three international…
Filipinos in U.S. Denounce Anti-immigrant Bill
BY AUBREY SC MAKILAN Bulatlat.com Immigrants in the United States are said to be the targets of a new bill in the U.S. Congress which essentially criminalizes undocumented persons and penalizes those who will take care of them. Given that there are four million Filipinos in the U.S. and about 60,000 Filipinos go to the…