Filipino Expats Qatar

Press Release: 10 July 2008
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Migrante ME to renew call for “Zero Remittance” Day in support of people’s demand to remove VAT on oil products

An alliance of overseas Filipino workers’ organizations in the Middle East today said that it will renew calls for “Zero Remittance” Day if the Arroyo administration rejects the strong demand of the public for the removal of VAT on oil products.

“The most doable economic relief the Arroyo regime could do to ease the condition of the toiling masses is to remove VAT on oil products, but if it will decide the other way, then Migrante, OFWs and their families will renew its call for “Zero Remittance” day, said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante Middle East regional coordinator.

He said the unprecedented price increases on oil having a multiplying effect that push-up the prices of other basic commodities are undeniably burdening the poor, workers and farmers, whose basic income remains the same and could not anymore, cope up to the rising prices of food and other basic goods.

Monterona said even OFWs are not exempted on the effect of weekly price increases of petroleum, thus OFW-families and dependents are demanding more remittance from the meager income of their members and relatives working abroad.

“We have realized that no amount of frugality could anymore keep us sending more remittance to our dependents in the weekly price increases of oil and food as we are also constrained with a meager income as an ordinary overseas worker,” said Monterona, a migrant worker himself.

“Thus, our specific demand removing the charges on our remittances is likewise legitimate to provide us, OFW-families and dependents, an economic relief where the Arroyo regime could surely does if it want,” he added.

On his part, Migrante-UAE Secretary-General Nhel Morona said the Arroyo regime is only too good boasting that under her administration the economy is getting good but in reality its people’s economic condition, especially the toiling masses of worker and peasants, is getting worst than ever.

“It is only in the Philippines under the Arroyo regime one could see people falling in a long line and wait for their turn just to buy a kilo of rice and later to be told to be thankful for her regime for providing cheaper rice. Shame on the Arroyo regime!” the UAE-based Migrante leader added.

Migrante-UAE Nhel Morona also scored the Arroyo regime saying “Even unemployed and underemployed Filipinos who will be forced to work abroad are treated like commodities whose labor are sold cheaper abroad in the absence of a clear and sound protection program for their rights and welfare, thus we have already recorded a high 1,000 plus numerous cases of maltreatment and abuses for the first 5 months of 2008 in the Middle East alone.”

Migrante, OFWs and their families, are closely watching the Arroyo regimes if it will heed on the people’s demand to remove the VAT on oil and power.

“If the Arroyo regime, under pressure by the IMF-WB, rejected the public demand to remove the VAT on oil and power, then a renewed call for “Zero Remittance” Day will be re-echoed to all OFWs in any part of the world,” Monterona ended.

Migrante chapters in the Middle East vows to join its Manila-based Migrante International in singing their own composed songs for “Kanta-lampagin si Gloria” by serenading offices of the Philippine Embassy, Philippine Consulate General, POLO and OWWA in the Middle East.

Migrante ME will send the lyrics of the composed song “Ang Sabi sa Sulat” to their loved ones in the Philippines and will urge relatives to join the mass protests action during the State of the Nation’s Address by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on July 28. # # #

For reference:
John Leonard Monterona
Migrante Middle East regional coordinator
Mobile No.: 00966 564 97 8012

Nhel Morona
Migrante-UAE Sec.-Gen and Member, Intl. Coordinating Body-Intl. Migrants Alliance (ICB-IMA)
Mobile No.: 00971 504 238851

Ang Sabi sa Sulat
(Lyrics and Composition by Danny Fabella)

Kahapon lamang ay aking natanggap
Sulat mula sa mahal kong kabiyak
Sa mga kwento nya tungkol sa Pinas
Ako ay nagulat tinakasan ng galak

Padala kong pera’y di na raw magkasya
Sa pangangailangan nilang mag-iina
Anuman ang gawin nilang pagtitipid
Ay kulang pa rin lalong nagigipit

CHORUS:
Kay taas na raw ng pamasahe
Singil sa tubig at kuryente
Upa sa bahay pati tuition fee,
Presyo ng bilihin, buwis na pasanin
Presyo ng bilihin, buwis na pasanin
(Whoo..oh…)

At sa krisis daw na nararanasan
Wala na silang ibang malalapitan
At sa gobyerno’y wala rin daw maaasahan
Kaliwa’t kanan ang kurapsyon at nakawan

At habang si Gloria ay naglalakwatsa
At sa among US ay nagpapakatuta
Ang ating bayan ay sinasalanta
Nang matinding krisis bagyo at sakuna

Chorus
Kay taas na raw ng pamasahe
Singil sa tubig at kuryente
Upa sa bahay pati tuition fee,
Presyo ng bilihin, buwis na pasanin
Presyo ng bilihin, buwis na pasanin
(Whoo..oh…)

Kay dami na raw ng nagrarali
Namumundok at nagrerebelde
Upang baguhin ang bulok na sistema
At patalsikin si Gloria (2x)
Oh..oh..

Kahapon lamang ay aking natanggap
Sulat mula sa mahal kong kabiyak
Ngayong araw daw may pambansang protesta
At sila ay sasama sa libu-libong magmamartsa.