HK Pinoys rally for OFW facing execution, “GMA gov’t, not off the hook with Ranario”

Press Release

27 November 2007

Filipino migrants will never let the government of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo off the hook if the execution of Marilou Ranario pushes through.

This was declared by Dolores Balladares, chairperson of the United Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL-MIGRANTE-HK) as Filipinos in Hong Kong protested in front of the Philippine Consulate General to denounce the insufficient assistance given by the government to the 35-year old OFW facing the death penalty in Kuwait.

The protest was conducted after Kuwait’s high court, the Court of Cassation, denied Ranario’s appeal.

“For years, Marilou’s fate has been ignored by this government. If Marilou’s execution pushes through, the GMA administration should be made culpable for yet another OFW tragedy,” she added.

Balladares also scored presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers, Vice President Noli de Castro for even putting the blame on Ranario for supposedly refusing to talk to her lawyers after she was imprisoned.

“VP de Castro should not dare lay fault on Ranario for his own bungled actions on her case such as his announcement in 2006 that Ranario will be freed and his recent media blitz of the probable commutation of her sentence,” she said.

The protesters also scored VP de Castro’s “lame duck excuse” of respecting the justice system of any country like Kuwait where Filipinos are deployed.

“OFWs are the main source of income for this government. At the very least, the government should exert everything within its capacity to immediately respond to OFWs who are in distress,” Balladares added.

The protesters said that the plan for GMA to write a letter of appeal to the emir of Kuwait should have been done two years ago when the death sentence was first given.

“Should it always be the case that the axe is already poised over our heads before this government can get their acts together? This was what happened with Flor Contemplacion and we sure hope that this should not happen now,” she remarked.

The group warned of a global outcry from OFWs if the government fails to save Ranario from execution.

“Too many lives have been claimed by the GMA government. The death of an OFW brought about by the irresponsibility and ineptitude of this government is but another reason why we Filipinos abroad are all for its ouster,” Balladares concluded.#

For reference: Dolores Balladares, Chairperson, Tel. No.: 97472986

Best Safety Net is Complete Rejection of the JPEPA

In contrast to their earlier hyperbolic claims, government negotiators are now at least finally acknowledging that the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) will have adverse effects, hence the need for “safety nets”. But no amount of safety nets will be enough precisely because Japan ’s intention is to create conditions for the maximum exploitation of the Philippines ’ natural and human resources through the JPEPA.

The country’s experience with the World Trade Organization (WTO) since 1995 also clearly shows that so-called safety nets are only token mechanisms that have completely failed to stop the disastrous effects of free trade. Anti-JPEPA group No Deal! reiterates that the best safety net against the JPEPA is to reject it completely.

The WTO was questioned before the Supreme Court in 1994. Although the high court eventually found the WTO agreement constitutional, the subsequent trade liberalization has had disastrous effects on the Philippine economy, severely damaging local agriculture and forcing millions of Filipinos to go abroad to seek work. The past decade of poor economic performance actually gives the Supreme Court a reason to revisit its arguments in Tañada, et al. vs. Angara , et al. (G.R. No. 118295) of May 2, 1997 .

That the main beneficiaries of trade liberalization are First World corporations is clearly shown by the fact that foreign firms have taken an increasingly larger share of manufacturing sales. Transnational corporations’ share of total manufacturing sales among the country’s top one thousand firms has grown from 56% in 1999 to 75% in 2004.

The negative effects of WTO-mandated trade liberalization on Third World countries has resulted in a breakdown in further trade talks since 2001 as underdeveloped countries are unable to accept the deeper liberalization being pushed by First World countries through the multilateral trade organization.

Thus, countries such as the US , Japan and the EU nations are seeking further liberalization through bilateral free trade agreements such as the JPEPA. These countries are also using such agreements to force countries to accept issues for liberalization such as investment, government procurement and competition policy, which were already rejected at WTO negotiations.

Government negotiators also appeared to have committed a grave abuse of discretion by entering into JPEPA motivated by a stubborn adherence to free trade dogma unsupported by sound scientific studies and economic reasoning. This is why they are having difficulty defending the JPEPA’s benefits before the Senate committee on foreign relations, forcing senators to continue scheduling hearings in a frantic attempt to find a pretext for sending the agreement before the body for ratification.

Indeed, government representatives have continuously played up the benefits to Japanese investors and domestic big business interests while glossing over the adverse effects on millions of Filipino fisherfolk, workers and farmers. This is a gross betrayal of government’s avowed duty to govern for the benefit of the majority.

The economy has only been weakened by free trade agreements such as under the WTO and like the proposed JPEPA. If the government is prepared to truly develop the domestic economy instead of surrender it to foreign traders and investors, then safety nets would not be needed. If it is not prepared, then no safety net will be good enough. (END)

CONVENORS: Former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Former Senator Wigberto Tañada Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran Rafael Mariano, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas Nitz Gonzaga, Kilusang Mayo Uno Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya Dr. Carol Pagaduan-Araullo, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Jossel Ebesate, R.N., Alliance of Health Workers Connie Bragas-Regalado, Migrante Clemente Bautista Jr. Kalikasan People’s Network Rechielda Extremadura, Lila Filipina Arman Albarillo, Bayan-Southern Tagalog Roy Velez, Bayan-NCR Ed Cubelo, Toyoto workers union president Sonny Africa, Ibon Foundation Prof. Roland Simbulan, UP Arnold Padilla, spokesperson

No Deal! Movement Against Unequal Economic Agreements

Press Statement / November 23, 2007

Ibon survey: Most Filipinos doubt gov’t hype on economy

As the Arroyo administration continues to trumpet the country’s economic gains, most respondents to the IBON nationwide continued to doubt government’s hype on the economy.

Out of 1,498 total respondents, three-fourths said they did not believe there is truth to government’s pronouncements that the economy has improved, while 12.5% said they believed government claims.

The respondents’ skepticism was not surprising considering that most of them said their livelihoods worsened over the course of the past year. 50% of respondents said that their livelihood was worse compared to a year ago, while 6% said their livelihood was better and 42.6% said it was the same. Those who believed their livelihoods worsened registered a sharp increase from the 41.8% registered at the start of the year, in the January 2007 survey round.

Similarly, more respondents said there were no available jobs/livelihood opportunities in their area. 43.3% of respondents said there were no available livelihood opportunities in their area, 25% said there were, and 27% said there were but not enough. In the January survey round, 35.5% said there were no jobs in their area, 21.8% said there were, and 37.6% said there were but not enough.

The IBON October nationwide survey was conducted from October 1 to 9, 2007 with a margin of error of plus or minus three percent. (end)

Below is the tabulation of the respondents’ perception on the economy and their livelihood.

In your opinion, is there truth to the government's pronouncement that the economy has improved?
	July 2007	October 2007
	Frequency	%	Frequency	%
Yes	164	11.02	187	12.48
No	1,196	80.38	1,130	75.43
Don't know	119	8.00	157	10.48
No answer	9	0.60	24	1.60
Total	1,488	100.00	1,498	100.00

How is your livelihood compared to a year ago?
	January 2007	July 2007	October 2007
	Frequency	%	Frequency	%	Frequency	%
Better	85	5.69	82	5.51	91	6.07
Same	753	50.44	685	46.03	638	42.59
Worse	624	41.80	696	46.77	750	50.07

Are there available jobs/livelihood opportunities in your area?
	January 2007	July 2007	October 2007
	Frequency	%	Frequency	%	Frequency	%
Yes, there are	325	21.77	252	16.94	376	25.10
Yes, but not enough	561	37.58	486	32.66	406	27.10
None	530	35.50	660	44.35	649	43.32

IBON Foundation, Inc. is an independent development institution established in 1978 that provides research, education, publications, information work and advocacy support on socioeconomic issues.

20 Kilometers Walk Towards Safety? Residents of Lumad communities used as Human Shields

Yesterday, November 21, 2007, at around 9 o’clock in the morning, more than a thousand lumads and settlers, both young and old from nine lumad communities braved the rains and walked for more than 15 kilometers with whatever belonging they can carry. They arrived at the barangay center of Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur at around 5 o’clock in the afternoon. They add to the 48 families that evacuated from the hinterland communities of San Agustin last November 17. They leave behind homes, precious belongings, animals and farmlands.

It took more than an hour of dialogue with the military elements before the community members were allowed to leave the community.

There are however, at least 23 families along with 2 literacy teachers from the lumad community of Manluy-a, Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur prevented by the military from going with the neighboring communities to evacuate to safer grounds.

Around 500 military elements from the 58^th IB PA have been living in, under and around the houses of residents, lumad literacy schools and teachers’ cottages since November 4, 2007 up to the present. Military tents have been set-up in the middle of the community. Community members have become the military’s human shields in their military operations prompting the people to evacuate for fear of possibly being caught in a crossfire. Classes of the seven Lumad Literacy Schools and Lumad High School have been suspended.

Children have not been spared from being questioned by the military on the presence of NPAs in the area. Restrictions and checkpoints have been established. Names, cell phone numbers, engine numbers of single motors that pass by and licenses are listed. They were not allowed to go to their farmlands.

Community members lived in fear for more than two weeks, reliving the massive human rights violations that happened in the April to May 2005 military operations that resulted in scores of human rights violations.

They are now staying at the same cramped, cold evacuation centers that had been their homes in the 2005 evacuations in San Agustin and Lianga in Surigao del Sur.

The evacuees are demanding for the stop of military operations.

For Reference, contact: Rev. Modesto Villasanta, UCCP, CP. No.: 09192584146

Or Atty. Antonio Azarcon Tel. No.: (086) 211-3492

Survey shows most Filipinos not aware of JPEPA

While the Senate continues to conduct hearings on the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) as part of the ratification process, results of IBON’s latest nationwide survey show that the public awareness of the pact is very low, despite being signed last year.

However, those who were aware of the JPEPA believe that the Senate should not ratify the controversial free trade pact.

Out of the 36.8% of respondents who were aware of the JPEPA, 73.7% said they were aware that the agreement is currently before the Senate for ratification. Of these, 55.7% said they were not in favor of the ratification of the JPEPA.

The IBON October 2007 survey was conducted across various sectors nationwide from October 1 to 9 and has a margin of error of plus or minus three percent. (end)

Below is a tabulation of results of the respondents’ perception on the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA)

On the JPEPA
Do you know that there is an agreement between the governments of Japan and the Philippines called the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement or JPEPA that intends to liberalize trade, service and investment?
	October 2007
	Frequency	Percentage
Yes	551	36.78
No	944	63.02
No answer	3	0.20
Total	1,498	100.00
Do you know that the JPEPA is now for ratification at the Senate?
	October 2007
	Frequency	Percentage
Yes	406	73.68
No	143	25.95
No answer	2	0.36
Total	551	100.00
Are you in favor of the ratification of JPEPA?
	October 2007
	Frequency	Percentage
Yes	153	37.68
No	226	55.67
Don't know	23	5.67
No answer	4	0.99
Total	406	100.00

IBON Foundation, Inc. is an independent development institution established in 1978 that provides research, education, publications, information work and advocacy support on socioeconomic issues.