http://www.philippineupdate.com/vote.htm
The
Context
For many years overseas Filipinos have been
clamoring for their fundamental right to vote in Philippine elections. Delegations of the country’s modern-day
heroes have met with Congress and other government officials to plead their
case. The most recent one, in August of
2001, netted the public commitments of key leaders, including President Arroyo,
Senate President Franklin Drilon, and House Speaker Joe De Venecia. Opposition leaders have also given their
endorsements.
During the recent bicameral consultations held
in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Rome, Dubai, Riyadh, New York, and Los Angeles, lawmakers
from both sides of the political fence pledged to thousands of overseas
Filipinos immediate passage of the absentee voting bill. Speaker De Venecia even promised to quit his
job if the bills (including the dual citizenship proposal) are not passed by
June. With all the apparent political
support, why is the bill still sitting in both chambers of Congress? After the hoopla of the bicameral
committee’s “democratic consultations,” where is the political will to debate,
amend, and approve the legislation that’s way, way overdue. Three weeks into the session and there are
reports that Congress cannot even convene a quorum!
Common concerns such as the specter of fraud are
easily debunked—for example, fraud is not resolved by depriving an entire class
of people (7 to 10 million) their fundamental right to vote—it is best
addressed by helping craft a good law.
Other issues raised include the concern that if the bill is passed in
time for the 2004 elections, President Arroyo will enjoy an unfair advantage if
she decides to run—a seemingly logical argument except that history proves
otherwise: with the sole exception of
Marcos in his controversial reelection in 1969, every Philippine president who
sought reelection lost.
One “concern” that reverberated like one big
infuriating bang was earlier voiced by an opposition leader in the House: “For all we know, they [overseas Filipinos]
may not be as hot as we are here on this absentee voting bill.” For a people’s representative to even
suggest that overseas Filipinos may not be so “hot” on exercising their
fundamental right to vote is quite disturbing.
Has the chasm between the ruler and the ruled gone so deep? Will the politicians wait until overseas
Filipinos, including contract workers, become so desperate they’ll finally
decide to call for a remittance boycott just to make a political statement and
show who’s been propping up the fragile Philippine economy? How many delegation visits and overseas
consultations will it take to make the politicians really listen?
For years, overseas Filipinos have been lauded
as modern-day heroes—given a semblance of recognition—but has the government
really listened to them?
Surveys
·
According to a survey conducted by the
Commission of Filipino Overseas (CFO), 91 percent of overseas Filipinos in six
countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden,
and Indonesia favor absentee voting. In
the same survey, 84 percent want to participate in the election of leaders in
the Philippines, while 16 percent prefer to vote but are prevented by their
adoption of another citizenship.
(Reported by Malou Rongalerios-Escudero, December 13, 2002, Philippine
Star)
·
From an EMCI press release (6/13/01): “The Philippine Migrants Rights Watch (PMRW)
and ECMI conducted a survey among OFWs in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Italy, and
Denmark. The 411 returned
questionnaires provided some indications on the OFWs’ perception of the
absentee voting bill. The result
was: 66% of the respondents said that
OFWs should be allowed to vote for the simple reason that voting is a right;
62% of the respondents said they would make time and go the Philippine embassy
or consulate to cast their vote ...”
Hear them Speak!
[Note: The following were culled from e-mail and
e-group exchanges.]
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Rashid Fabricante
ICOOFVR-KSA
r_fabricante@hotmail.com
2/21/02
Since the diaspora, we the OFWs, became the
critics of our own existence as to why we became a neglected part of nation
building and policy making for a better Philippines, and deprived us of our
basic rights as Filipinos. TODAY, we
demand to uphold and fight for these rights in a manner not seen by our
countrymen before! Boto Namin Mga OFW's
Karapatan Namin! Babantayan at
Pangangalagaan Namin! Gagamitin namin
eto sa wasto at makatwirang paraan para malinis ang gobyerno lalo na kayong mga
mambabatas! Ipasa Na Ninyo ang Panukalang Batas bago Mayo 2002!
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
OFW-Saudi
amtibc0a@aramco.com.sa
1/17/02
“Nais ko pong iparating sa inyo bilang
mangagawang Filipino dito sa Saudi Arabia ang aking pananaw at opinyon sa
Absentee Voting na ngayon ay nakahain na sa Congresso or sa Senado. Bilang isang OFW karapatan naming lahat na
makapamili ng isang pinuno na tutugon sa aming mga pangangailangan bilang OFW
at isang Filipino.
“Sa aking pananaw dahil nga sa ngayon ay wala
kaming karapatang bomoto, marahil ay panahon na upang pakinggan kami ng
magigiting na mambabatas upang isulong ang Absentee Voting. Ang aming pangarap na naway maging ganap
upang maging tugon sa aming mga hinaing para sa aming Pamilya at higit sa lahat
sa buong mamamayan ng Pilipinas.
“Nanampalataya ako sa mga hinirang na mga
mambabatas na hindi nila babalewalain ang nag-uumigting na hangarin ng mga OFW
na maisakapatuparan ang Absentee Voting.
Mga kagalang kagalang na Mambabatas at kayong tiga pag-ingat ng
“Saligang Batas ng Pilipinas” ay mga nanumpa na poprotektahan ang interes ng
bawat mamamayang Filipino sa loob at labas ng bansa. Susuporta at siyang magiging “tinig” namin at siyang gaganap ng
aming mga adhikain, pag-palain nawa kayo ng Poong Maykapal at igabay sa lahat
ng oras upang maging wasto at makatwiran ang lahat ng inyong isusulong na batas
para sa aming lahat.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Jeremias Borja
Bahrain
JBorja@health.gov.bh
1/16/02
“Count me in!!!
Mga HUDAS na iyan, hanggang ngayon, voting along party lines pa
rin. Wala na talaga tayong maasahan sa
mga namumuno. Absentee Voting 6 years
from now, collegues na gahaman ayaw patalsikin, gagawa ng mga batas in reaction
to issues, mga batas na ginawa puro puno ng butas kaya dapat amendahan hindi pa
man naiimplement. Uubusin ang oras ng
trabaho para sa mga investigation in aid of legislation pero wala naman
dokumentong lumalabas.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Jonimae
melaniebing@hotmail.com
1/15/02
“Kami daw ang mga bagong bayani ng bayan
... pero di naman kami binigyan ng
halaga!!! PWE! Ano ba yan!
IF you, dear politicians, really care about us ... make sure you show it! Give us this AV Bill. I want to vote this 2004!!!”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Marco Ibanez
mbibanez@hotmail.com
1/15/02
“Okay, the ABV might not benefit the ex-Filipino
citizens if they can't vote anymore.
But look at the positive side!
Inspite of this they still care and support causes which will benefit
the country ... Besides they could
still have family members in RP and perhaps still remit to RP as well. With
this they could support the call for a BOYCOTT of the banking system to
pressure the Phil Gov't to heed our calls for AVB passage. We need help from everybody and I personally
don't consider their support as pakikialam ...
Every OFW I have talked to supports pressuring Congress to pass the bill
... “
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Dr. Eddie del Rosario
Guam
advocate@mydestiny.net
1/15/02
“Our constitution-framers saw the wisdom and the
basic need to give the vote to overseas/absentee voters para naman mas
democratic and inclusive ang ating gobyerno.
Hindi na po natin kailangang hingiin, himukin at amu-amuin ang ating mga
mambabatas tungkol diyan. Kung baga sa
Baguio Oil ay order ni Misis na yan, hindi na mababali o bale-walain ... unless it be removed through constitutional
amendment or by revolutionary fiat. But
guess who will be removed kung magkaroon ng rebolusyon?
“Aside from their pakinabang sa billions of
dollars remitted by OFs, may mga lawmakers pa na talaga namang kapalmuks at
buwaya na naghihintay pa ng 'bitamina' at 'padulas' para umandar daw ang AV
bill. Tapos pinagmamayabang natin na
ang Pilipinas ang kauna-unahang democratic nation in Asia at
ine-export pa natin ang ating 'expertise' at
kakayahan to conduct honest, free and clean elections to other countries (via
Namfrel). Excuse me naman, gusto kong
mapasuka.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Alfredo J. Ganapin
OFW-Saudi
1/14/02
“Let us not give the legislators again another
chance to deny us our right to vote that is enshrined in the 1986
Constitution. If not in 2004, it will
not be hard to believe that they will give us again the same reasons to deny us
the right to vote in 2007. Are we going
to allow ourselves to wait again for years?
NO!”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Rico Lacia
OFW-Saudi
lilacia@sahara.com.sa
1/14/02
“Certainly, it's time for us to be counted in
selecting our future government 'servants.'
It must be done in 2004.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Tess Uy
New Zealand
tatet_uy@hotmail.com
“Well, there is another idea just came to
mind. And that is, hunger strike [to
pressure Congress to pass the bill].
Either a hunger strike at the opening of Congress this year, or during
the 2003 voters' registration if they would not let us register, in front of
the Congress Building, where the bill has been sitting ... “
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Robert Ceralvo
New Jersey, USA
ceralvor@yahoo.com
12/15/01
“NEXT STEP???
Last card, eh di BOYCOTT na ng REMITTANCE! But ang mga tanong ko: Is this an 'unpatriotic act' given the
the current 'recession'? Will our
reaction be an act of a desperate person?
Eh kung ayaw nilang ibigay yung para sa atin eh di idamay na natin
sila! Sama-sama na tayong magdusa, sila
sa Pinas sa 'physical' na hirap, tayo sa 'emotional' na hirap ... sa sama ng loob!
“Will $ boycott bring down GMA's fragile
govt? But she is a big time supporter
of AV law! OUR real ENEMIES ARE in THE
CONGRESS AND THE SENATE! Sa remittance
boycott, damay silang lahat!”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Daphne Kuok
Hong Kong
kkt@p...
9/5/01
“It's heartening for us to know that you
[KAKAMMPI, eLagda, and other local NGOs] are working very hard for our cause
back home. Given the chance to vote,
the overseas Filipinos will surely affect a change in the voting profile in the
next election.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Washington Alto
washingtonalto@y...
8/12/01
“I strongly believe that OFWs SHOULD and MUST be
able to VOTE in the next elections to be able to improve the chances of the
Philippines to improve itself. In a
democracy such as ours, the vote of an ignorant, unscrupulous, or uneducated
person has the same weight as the vote of a well-educated, good-character
person. That's an inevitable
consequence of being in a democracy.
Since in reality, the uneducated are predominant in the Philippines, the
unsrupulous and oppurtunistic politicians can easily manipulate the minds of
the majority so that they get their votes.
I've heard that in the last elections--for instance, a politician is now
an elected public official because he has sponsored a mass wedding for the poor
(despite Comelec rules and regulations).
There are probably more stories such as these and that's a very sad
reality. If our OFWs, who are better
educated and who knows the principles of good governance, can vote, then their
votes may just be able to counteract the votes of those who vote because
they're given some favors by these manipulative politicians. There are other reasons why OFWs must be able
to vote and I think they've already
been given emphasis already (e.g. OFWs
contribution to our national economy, etc.).”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Porcupine
jmcapinig@h ...
8/12/01
“I just want you guys to know that I am really
for the OFW's right to vote. I feel
being in a foreign country doesn't mean we don't have any voice in politics.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Bhabes Emer Jaminal
Taipei, Taiwan
honeybhabesemer@y...
8/8/01
“I believe too na tayo nga ay ang mga binobolang
bayani kasi ... sa totoo lang ... hindi naman natin mafeel ang importance na
dapat nating matanggap sa bansa natin ...
puro salita lang sila ... wala
naman sa gawa ... minsan kasi gusto
nila ay laging publicity ... baka naman
kailangan nating gawing in public ang appeal natin like putting it into a front
page ng isang magazine ... Ito ba ang
bayani ng Pilipinas???? Hindi mabigyan
ng pansin!!!!!! ... Aray!!!”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Pagod
Philippine Update Forum Section
11/11/01
“Well, the OFW voting rights bill has taken a
life of its own. I really, really pray
that it will be the decisive swing vote in future elections!!! All that is needed is a fraud-free way of
counting these votes!! Cheers to the
upgrade of the Filipino voting IQ!!!”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Merit Salud
New Jersey, USA
SaludIgnacioLaw@a...
8/8/01
“Our fight for the empowerment of the OFW is a
quest for human dignity, something which every Filipino had so struggled for so
long.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Francis Cezar R. Perez
francis@m...
8/7/01
“I am for an enabling law that will allow
Filipinos living overseas to cast their vote and have a say in the election of
our leaders.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Manny
me@b...
8/6/01
“Absentee voting law will be passed, De Venecia
tells Filipinos in Hawaii. Fine
promises! Let us not forget how
democracy works. Definetly not through
politicians that cannot be trusted.
Where is the committee that will push the bill? Who is drafting it? How are OFWs represented? Let the government take steps to hear the
OFW's right now, even before the bill is drafted.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Roberto Arcena
OFW-KSA
meridien-cro@r...
6/16/01
“Kahapon ika 15 ng Hunyo, mga alas dos ng hapon
ang sikat at init ng araw ay tagos hanggang kaluluwa, nakita ko si ginoong Alex
Bello, nakatayo sa harapan ng bungad ng lagusang papasok sa Pasuguan (Embahada)
ng Pilipinas dito sa Riyadh, Kaharian ng Saudi Arabia at hawak ang ating
petition at nag papirma sa lahat ng dumarating. Kaygandang pagkakataon para ilakad ang ang petition ito, nakapag
papirma siya ng humigit kumalang sa mga limang libo (5000 ) OFW. Dumagsa ang OFW sa Embahada para saksihan
ang Konseyerto ni Vina Morales at Randy Santiago, handog ng ABS CBN at ng
Embahada para sa pagdiriwang ng araw ng kalayaan. Tumayo ako ng ilang sandali para mag-paliwanag sa mga OFW kung
bakit kailangan ang kanilang pirma, pero hindi ako nakatagal dahil sa tindi ng
init ng sikat ng araw, sa kadahilanang ka-gagaling kulang sa sakit. Si Alex ay member ng elagda at
OFW-Vote. Maraming salamat Alex, sana
marami pang Alex sa ibang bayan , para maisulong ang ating pangarap.
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
era14344@w...
USA
6/16/01
Kami ay mas interesado, at naka focus sa
adhikain ng OFW-Vote na talagang maka boto from outside the Phil. Feel na feel
ang pagiging Pilipino. Napakasarap
gamitin ng right na 'yan ...”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Alex Veloso Bello
Riyadh, K.S.A.
alex.bello@s...
6/16/01
“I got a total of 2,525 signed in different categories
of OFW just for one day at the Phil. Embassy Ground at Diplomatic Quarter. (103rd Independence Day celebration) Many community leaders are also willing to
support including a support from U.A.E. through my friend Hon. Ferdie Roxas
(see below). Hope you guys do the same,
we have to focus our objectives at kimilos na tayo. MANIWALA KAYO - NAKA-PILA SILANG PUMIRMA SA PETITION LETTER NATIN
AT KAILANGAN NA RAW MA APPROVE ANG ABSENTEE VOTING SA 2004.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Nat Duenas
nduenas@p...
6/4/01
“Every citizen has the Bill of Rights as part of
his constitutional rights. I am not a
constitutional lawyer but I have enough constitutional background to know that
the basic rights of expression is the right to vote. To ask for a specific bill to pass through the legislative body
and the executive body to enact a redundant law which is already the basic
foundation on a Constitution. Amendments
to the US & Philippine Constitution were made for Women Suffrage to augment
the sexual bias on equal rights.
Provisions in the Bill of Rights and the Elections Laws define the
procedures, composition, requirements, and restrictions within those laws. The classification of Overseas Workers or
registered voters change of residence and place of registration does not
prohibit his rights to vote.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Mengz A. Estolano
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
mestolan@baj.com.sa
“Eh bakit ba tayo naging Bayani, eh sa pagboto
hindi tayo maka boto. Aba hindi dapat
Bayani ang tawag sa atin, kung hindi mga Bagong MARTIR ng Pinas!”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Rommel V. Nunez
rvnunez@j...
5/20/01
“SAMASAMANG PAGKILOS . Iisa lang ang alam nating pagkilos ng OFW saan mang dako ng mundo
ang maisabatas at maisakatuparan ang ABSENTEE VOTING.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
mestolan@b...
5/20/01
“OFWs all over the world would once again be
ostracized from their right to suffrage inspite of their desire to be part of
the electoral process ... the dead are
better off than us OFWs because they can still vote.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Francis Xyrel L. Pangilinan
FrancisXP@S...
5/20/01
“As citizens of a democratic country, our right
to vote or be voted into public office is inherent to each one of us as
enshrined in our constitution. Nobody
have taken that right away from us. We
just failed to exercise our right due to the absence of a law that would allow
or enable us overseas Filipinos to vote ...
With the billions of dollars we are pouring in to the phillippine
economy I think it is just proper for the government to exempt us from paying
income taxes (as in the case of U.S. nationals working outside the mainland)
lest we will again brand ourselves as 'milking cows of the philippine
economy.'“
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Jerbert M. Briola
5/16/01
“OUR overseas Filipino workers constitute at
least 10 percent of the Philippine labor force. Their remittances give a big boost to our country's coffers. To do this, our OFWs face great risks and
hardships. They are truly heroes, notwithstanding
the bitterness the mere mention of the term leaves because they remain
politically marginalized, denied even their right of suffrage. The May 14 elections only served to
emphasize the irony of their situation.
They are praised for their economic contributions but reduced to
second-class citizenship by being denied suffrage.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Emeritu F. Salud
New York, NY
EFSALUD@a...
5/15/01
1) It is my honor and privilege to endorse this
most important petition for [the voting rights of] our Overseas Filipino
Workers. My name is Emerito F. Salud of
Salud, Ignacio Offices at 29 John street, Suite 500, NY, NY 10038. Our e-mail address is SaludIgnacioLaw@a...
.com
2). KAIBIGAN INC. OF JERSEY CITY, a support
group for Filipino Merchant mariners this side of the United States, hereby
endorses with great pride the petition.
Signed : Emerito F. Salud, Esq. Vice President for External Affairs
Kaibigan, Inc.
3). The AQUILA LEGIS FOUNDATION OF NORTH
AMERICA, USA, NEW YORK CHAPTER, hereby strongly endorses this historical
petition for the Overseas Filipino workers.
Signed: Emerito F. Salud, Esq. Director for Community Development
Initiatives Aquila Legis Foundation of North America, USA New York Chapter
E-mail address - Aquila Law@aol.com
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Community Advocacy for Seafarers' Concerns
(CASCO)
The Netherlands
casco_nl@y...
4/30/01
“This coming May 14, the Filipino electorate
will choose a new set of senators, house representatives and local
officials. This election will show if
PEOPLE POWER II has successfully transformed traditional politics in our home
country. However, as Filipino residents
in Rotterdam, we could only look passively at these election from afar. Up to now, a big part of the electorate, at
least 7 million Filipinos working overseas, are disenfranchised, unrepresented
and disempowered from participating in a decision making processes. While there is a growing momentum pushing
for the overseas Filipino workers vote, there is hardly anything said in behalf
of the 1 million strong POEA registered seafarers. This is a disservice for the 250,000 seafarers working in
international shipping, who contribute more than US 3 billion dollars
annually--or at least a third of total OFW earnings from abroad.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Josh Sazon
Iowa City, Iowa
cubbyhole@u...
4/9/01
“I think the OFW as hero *is* sung, the OFW
*does* get huzzahs from the press, the politicians and the general public. The problem is not lack of recognition, the
problem is having the mechanism in place that would allow the OFW a say in who
the leaders of his or her motherland, his or her inangbayan, would be. It is this hypocrisy, the proclamations of
the OFW as hero against the disenfranchisement of the OFW in terms of
sufferage, that makes the whole situation so galling ...”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Carlo Butalid
Netherlands
butalid@w...
4/9/01
“I think the problem in the past was not that
there was not enough support on the ground (from “real OFWs”) for the Right to
Vote issue. Rather, that the various
campaigns were not connected, and that some of them broke down because of
disagreements on other questions. This
is the first time that there seems to be a good chance of the efforts from
various parts of the world to link up with each other, to push the common issue
of the OF Right to Vote. We have all
been doing our own campaigns on this, in the country or region we are based in;
and we now have the chance to leverage all this for maximum media projection
and political mileage during the run-up for the May elections in the
Philippines. I agree with Empower's
approach of not trying to start all over again, but rather to link the various
initiatives with each other. And
Empower is not the 'central committee' for this campaign either, nor will it
get all the credit if it succeeds. That
is why it is important that we continue with our own country/regional efforts,
AND utilize the framework offered by Empower, by eLagda, and others to push the
issue towards the Philippine government and especially the coming 12th
Congress.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Clement
clement@r...
4/5/01
“I am Clement Mesenas, a Singaporean of Filipino
origin (third generation immigrant) and editor-in-chief of Pinoy Bulletin. It's a new monthly for our kababayans in
Singapore. We are now into our 7th
issue and we reach out to the more than 100,000 OFWs in Singapore. We'll put Pinoy Bulletin to work to help
push this [voting rights] signature drive ...”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Domingo Litong
litong2001@y...
3/29/01
“Would the absentee voting include naturalized
U.S. citizens? I am very Filipino at
heart, and all I wish is to see our country in better times.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Albert M Garcia
amggarcia@p...
3/26/01
“... Any
effort to get OFWs the right to vote will have to target 2004 ...”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Gilbert Joaquin
Papua New Guinea
pikimbe@d...
3/26/01
“I had a discussion with the Phil Consul here in
PNG--he is very much for the our pushing to get our right to vote back. According to him, the 87 Constitution states
that it is the inalienable right of every Filipino citizen to vote and that the
same Constitution directs Congress to pass the corresponding bill that will
restore this right to the millions of Pilipino workers overseas. The politicians have been sitting on this
for the last 14 years. Logistically it
is near impossible for us to expect that we could have this by the May
election, but definitely there should be no hindrance for it to be implemented
by the 2004 election.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Jhun Banadera
President, MOVER
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
junmover@y...
10/12/01
“Our group is speaheading the launching of the
signature campaign for our petition for Absentee
Voting.
We will do this this tomorrow in one of the nicest beach here in Saipan,
Northern Mariana Islands (near Guam).
Per arrangement with Ka Edong del Rosario of OFW-Guam, our target is
about 7,000 signatures. We are inviting
all OFWs here plus radio, TV and newspaper media people for them to witness the
launching. The affair will coincide
with the general meeting of our movement - the Multi-Sectoral Overseas Filipino
Workers Movement or MOVER. We hope that
we will be successful so that we can help in uniting us - the modern day
heroes.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Alfredo Villafranca
alfredvillafranca@y...
11/28/01
“In view of the this, I want to urge all of us
to concentrate our efforts on the passage of the Absentee
Voting Bill, and everything else will fall into
places. Once this bill is passed, ITONG
MGA TRAPONG ITO AY MAGUUNAHAN SA PAGSILBI SA KAPAKANAN NG MGA OFWs, at alam
niyo na kung bakit. Let us write our
legislators for the immediate passage of the bill. Do things that will enhance the immediate passage of the
bill. During the celebration of the
Independence Day
in Riyadh when we have Randy Santiago and Vina
Morales as guests, I have observed a group led by Mr. Alex Bello of the OFW
Congress collecting signatures for passage of the bill, this is a sample of
what we can do that will contribute to the immediate passage of the Absentee
Voting Bill. It will have a great
impact if we could replicate this action all over the world.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Pearl Garganera Gauzon
President, AIM
Washington, DC
pearlgauzon@y...
11/28/01
“In all of the 35 years that I've stayed in the
United States, I have chosen to retain my Filipino citizenship because I firmly
believe that, my vote, in combination with those of other Filipinos--whether
they be immigrants/green card holders/permanet residents, have worker's visa,
businessman's visa, student visa, tourist, diplomatic, undocumented--can tip
the balance in electing men and women to office possessed with integrity,
highly principled, practices (not merely mouths) strong Christian and moral
values and are imbued with commitment to public service (not their own
financial security through ill-gotten wealth).
With about 7 million of us around the world, who hope and long for the
day when the Philippines is led by these kinds of politicians, I firmly believe
that we CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Alfredo Villafranca
alfredvillafranca@y...
11/29/01
“For me, as long as anyone become a Filipino one
time through birth or affinity should be given the right to vote under the
purview of the Absentee Voting Bill.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Leila Rispens-Noel
Netherlands
rispens@e...
12/2/01
“But the climate today is different than
before. At that time, we were still
discussing the issues when the Congress and the Senate were not yet
listening. The momentum has speeded up
with the current efforts, and I am optimistic that the Bill will be passed ...”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Jonimae M. Capinig
jmcapinig@h...
1/19/01
“GO! GO! GO!
Let's do it mga kapatid!”
Bunsay!”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Bayan Muna
bayanmuna@e...
1/24/02
“Bayan Muna's three representatives (Reps.
Crispin Beltran, Liza Maza and Satur Ocampo) in fact support the absentee voting
bill and the right of all eligible Filipinos to vote. Our only concern is how to institute measures to ensure that
OFW's votes are safeguarded and shielded from tampering or any other
manipulation ...”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Amtipuesto, Benjan C.
OFW-Saudi
1/23/02
“YES! WE
WILL FIGHT FOR OUR LEGAL RIGHTS! TULOY
ANG LABAN!”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Tony Ranque
Alkhobar, Saudi Arabia
tvrank@danah.com
1/23/02
“Ang Pinoy habang nasusugatan, mas nag-iibayo
ang tapang. Subukan nila ang OFWs at
makikita nila ... kung hanggang saan
ang magagawa natin kapag tayo'y nagkaisa!”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Jon Melegrito
Washington, DC
National Federation of Filipino-American
Associations (NaFFAA)
“NaFFAA has adopted resolutions supporting this
measure. I will bring it up again when
Amb. Rabe meets with us here in DC this weekend. We are more than happy to coordinate a national campaign.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Romy Cayabyab
Publisher & Managing Director, emanila.com
Australia
4/18/01
“In my current column in the Phil. Community
Herald Newspaper, I have reprinted the full text of EMPOWER Manifesto now at
emanila.com/news. I took the liberty of
reprinting the whole manifesto to help in our info drive among
Filipino-Australians. The Phil.
Community Herald Newspaper is owned by a friend and is Australia's largest
Filipino community newspaper. Hope this
will help in drumming up more support for our cause.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Fatima Measham
Australia
fatima@isite.net.au
6/14/01
“I've just read EMPOWER's call to action
online. It's a bit difficult not to be
excited about it, as one of the things that concerned me when I moved to
Australia last December was my obvious inability to participate in the
elections this year--not because the technology doesn't exist or that I do not
fulfill the basic qualifications of a voter (I am 23 yeard old and can read and
write), but rather because of the absence of an enabling law. I used to work at the Institute on Church
and Social Issues in Quezon City, which has espoused, among other causes, the
cause of the Filipino migrant.
Little did I know that I would become a member
of the sector that formed part of our advocacy!
“It's frustrating, isn't it, to be so aware of
the Philippines' current situation by means of both traditional and new media,
and yet be fundamentally paralyzed because of disenfranchisement. Like your paper
articulates, surely citizenship in a democracy
is hollow when the right of suffrage is unjustifiably and inexplicably
withheld. But then electoral reforms
are long in coming where politicians benefit by their non-existence. Now that I've had a bit of a vent, I'd like
to say 'hurray!' to the efforts of EMPOWER.
If there's anything that I can do to augment your campaign, then let me
know. If it is within my means, I'll
certainly do my best to do it.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Philip Trainor
Phoenix, Arizona
trainor@abilnet.com
6/25/01
“... I
hope to see the realization of this worthy cause in the very near future and
perhaps, to follow closely in its heels, the granting of dual citizenship (and
its corollary privileges) to natural-born Filipinos.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Lulu
Netherlands
m.l.vdrmeer@kub.nl
6/27/01
“As a Filipino living overseas, I share your
concern for the well-being of our people.
I hope our efforts can make a difference, even in the smallest of ways.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Leonardo Aromin
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
The Filipino American Journal
Phoenix, Arizona
“I am the editor of The Filipino American
Journal - a Pinoy paper based in Phoenix.
I am with you in this political empowerment movement for overseas
Filipinos.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Frank Rodino
California
rodino1234@aol.com
7/13/01
“The legislators should put on top of their
priorities the issue of approving the absentee voting initiative for overseas
Filipinos. With over 8 million overseas
Filipinos, the next elections will be cleaner and peaceful. It is but logical and proper not to disenfranchise
the Filipinos who keep the Philippine economy alive. Year 2004 elections is very close, please let us not wait for
another last
minute resolution on this matter.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
William L. Valenti
VoteHere.net
Seattle, Washington
bill@votehere.net
10/31/01
“I applaud OFWNET in its effort to enfranchise
the many overseas Filipinos. VoteHere
is currently helping to solve this problem for U.S. military personnel
overseas, and can apply the same approach for the Filipino diaspora.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Diwa Caesar C.
CAP ADVISORS
Saudi Arabia
cclontok@ofwcc.com
8/26/01
“Let us build our country together--with pride
and respect.
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Emeritu F. Salud
Kaibigan, Inc.
New York/New Jersey/Connecticut
EFSalud@aol.com
3/2/01
“It is only right that the OCWs be given the
right to vote. This is the least we
could do to these new heroes of the Republic.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Dick Escarcha Orense
President, Bicol Anom U.A.E.
Dubai & Northern Emirates
dioresca@hotmail.com
7/20/01
“Time has come that our government must act on
our behalf. As the new BACKBONE OF THE
PHILIPPINE ECONOMY (no longer the farmers), we the OFWS must now be given the
full rights and priveleges to be heard, to elect our leaders and be GIVEN THE
RIGHT TO VOTE IN THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE TIME.
WHY MUST WE BEG FOR THIS? WHAT HAVE OUR DULY ELECTED SENATORS AND
CONGRESSMEN DONE SO FAR TO JUSTIFY OUR EXISTENCE AS MODERN FILIPINO HEROES? WHY
DON'T YOU DO YOUR PART THEN? WHY DO WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH SO MANY PETITIONS AND
LOBBYING AND COURTESY CALL JUST TO OPENYOUR MINDS ON THIS MATTER. WHERE ARE YOUR CONSCIENCE? WHERE ARE YOUR
MINDS FOCUSED? ON MONEY MATTERS? ON MILITARY? ON GRAFT AND CORRUPTION? BY ALL
MEANS, DO YOUR SHARE, PASS THE BILL AND SIGN IT. GOD BLESS US ALL.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Ignacio D. Banadera, Jr.
MOVER, INC.
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
junmover@yahoo.com
1/3/02
“We are the newest but the biggest association
of OFWs here in the CNMI. Our main
objective is to unite all Filipinos in the CNMI and to have one voice, one
heart and one body which are the necessary ingredients needed to protect our
rights as migrant and international workers.
We just submitted through Ka Edong our lists of signatures for the
Absentee Voting Campaign and we continue to support this move.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Ken Ilio
Webmaster, Tanikalang Ginto
Chicago, IL
flip@filipinolinks.com
6/12/01
“I am an OFW.
I surely would like to have my voting rights!!!”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Frank Rodino
Vice Chairman, Caballeros de Dimas-Alang, Inc.
San Francisco, California
rodino1234@aol.com
7/31/01
“This is a very good way to show our Bayanihan
Spirit for a better Philippines.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Diyaryo.com
U.S.A.
4/25/01
“Let's keep good for nothings out of
office. No more Eraps! Never again.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Angelina Garcia
a.garcia@home.com
3/9/01
“I hope even naturalized US citizens can be
includedin this absentee vote.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Pearl Garganera Gauzon
President, Association of Ilonggos
Metro Washington, D.C.
aiminc_usa@yahoo.com
10/17/01
“I am indeed so gratified that after years of
consistent active advocacy of the overseas voting rights here in Metropolitan
Washington, D.C., it has advanced far enough through the active lobbying of the
August 21, 2001 delegation that meet with the Philippine president and the
members of the responsible committee on elections. Despite the fact that I had been in the United States for almost
36 years now, I've not decided to opt for U.S. citizenship, and I had been
regularly going back to my permanent place of residence--i.e., Iloilo
City. I and the rest of the U.S. permanent
residents should not be excluded from voting in the Philippine elections.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Frank Rodino
Caballeros de Dimasalang, Inc.
San Francisco, California
rodino1234@aol.com
8/3/01
“This is support of the voting rights bill for
the Global Filipino Community. The Caballeros
de Dimasalang, founded in 1921, is the first registered Fil-Am organization
with over 1,500 members here in the U.S. and some in the Philippines.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Benie Duremdez
Kongresso ng Samahang Pinoy
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
dbenie@hotmail.com
11/26/01
“We want our voice to be heard in this part of
the world.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Simplicio L. Endaya
Exultrade Business Center
Makati City
simplicio_endaya@exultrade.com
8/4/01
“More power to OFWs!”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Carlo Butalid
Pasali Cooperative Nederland
info@pasali.nl
3/20/01
“Pasali Cooperative Nederland supports the
campaign for Overseas Filipinos' Right to Vote in Philippine elections. In particular, we want an absentee voting
law that would enable the more than 200,000 Filipinos serving in international
ships to participate in Philippine elections.
In 1999, we were one of the organizations which hosted the visit of
Reps. Rosales, Nachura, Serena and Gonzales to the Netherlands to discuss the
issue of migrants right to vote.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Ricky R. Sadiosa
Philippine Global News (PGN)
goldclub@netvigator.com
3/16/01
“Since we, overseas Filipinos, contribute 50% to
our national budget (of merely US$14 billion), we simply say 'let our voices be
heard and cast ourvotes!' Graphically saying, we pay half of our president's,
senators',congressmen's, the whole armed forces, teachers and all other public
servants' salaries. Hindi ba sila
nakokonsiyensa kapag nakikita nilang kalahati ng kanilang kinakain ay galing sa
bulsa natin? If they are serious on
calling us 'modern heroes', then simply let us cast our votes.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Joe Pascual
NaFFAA
Region VII
Seattle, Washington
“On behalf of Mr. Rick Q. Beltran, president of
the Council of Filipino-American Organizations of the Pacific Northwest (an
umbrella group of 8 major Filipino organizations in the State of Washington)
and the concurrent chair of the National Federation of Filipino American
Associations - Region VII (representing 20 affiliate member organizations in
the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska), I am pleased to inform
you that in our joint meeting on March 5, 2001, the Council and the NaFFAA
regional chapter passed a resolution unanimously supporting the worldwide
campaign urging President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to immediately re-certify as
urgent House Bill 10720, otherwise known as the Overseas Absentee Voting Bill.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
SPAN Coordinators
Australia
“Solidarity Philippines Australia Network
supports the campaign to empower Filipino migrants through the ballot. Please add SPAN to the list of campaign
supporters.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Jose R. Lim
Canada
Philippine H.E.L.P. Foundation
“We wholeheartedly support the right of overseas
Filipinos to vote in Philippine elections.
We believe that the Filipino's right to vote should be upheld and
provided for regardless of his or her physical location. To deny this right is to deny the voice of millions
of Filipinos whose contribution is so vital to the life and well-being of the
country. It is time to correct the
neglect of the right of all overseas Filipinos to cast their votes and have a
voice in all Philippine elections.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Ramon V. Alonso and RM Inocencio
RIVAssociates Corporation
New Jersey
“Please be advised that RIVAssociates
Corporation endorses the Filipino OFWs' right to vote campaign. Like many before us, we envision a
fast-growing 7 million OFWs to eventually participate ACTIVELY in the election
process, up and down Philippine political landscape.”
Allies in the Philippines
President Gloria Arroyo:
“I ask Congress to enact a law
giving overseas Filipinos, who continue to play a critical role in the
country's economic and social stability, the right to vote.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Senate President Franklin Drilon:
“The more than eight million Filipinos working
overseas should no longer be disenfranchised of their right to vote.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
House Speaker Jose De Venecia:
“It's about time we give the OFWs a break. They are sending us $8 billion a year. It's about time we give this privilege to
them.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco:
“This bloc of prospective [overseas] voters will
not as easily succumb to gimmickry, vote-buying or threats, and constitutes an
emerging social force that will dilute, if not eliminate, dagdag-bawas or
large-scale cheating altogether.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Former Senator Ernesto Boy Herrera:
“We call them our unsung heroes. They practically saved the country from
economic collapse during the 1997 financial crisis. And yet, our legislature sits on the bills that would have
allowed our brothers and sisters abroad to enjoy the same right as any
Filipino.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Former First Lady Loi Estrada:
“President Arroyo should also speak vigorously
for the seven million OFWs as well as she speaks for the four million still
unregistered voters.”
ECMI Chair Bishop Ramon Arguelles (7/17/01):
“The denial of constitutional rights should not
be the solution to solving electoral frauds.
Electoral frauds should be sincerely faced and solved not by refusing
citizens their exercise of the right to vote.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Jose Molano, Jr.
Executive Director
Commission on Overseas Filipinos (CFO)
“ ... We (CFO) are of the position that all
overseas Filipinos should be allowed to exercise their right of suffrage. Filipinos overseas refer not only to
overseas Filipino workers, but also to Filipino emigrants who, inspite of their
continued stay abroad, have chosen to remain Filipino citizens. With regard to your query on CFO's research
work, please be informed that such are not yet available on our web site. If you could give us your mailing address,
we would gladly furnish you with a copy of our Comparative Study of Overseas
Voting Procedures in Selected Countries.
Rest assured that the CFO will continue to advocate the enactment of an
absentee voting and other relevant laws under the 12th Philippine Congress.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Vicky Garchitorena
Manila, Philippines
4/6/01
“It may be too late for this year's elections,
but GMA has already told the COMLELEC to make sure that the 2004 elections are
fully computerized. Then perhaps the internet can be used to allow
overseas Filipinos to vote. Till then,
keep up the pressure and the advocacy and
already prepare the OFW for their future vote. One, by keeping them informed of what's going on in the
Philippines and how individual polticians are acting, so they know whom to vote
for when the time comes.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Rene Q. Bas
Manila, Philippines
rqb@m...
3/29/01
“ ... Gawin na lang natin ang masigasig na
pagtulak sa mga namumuno at mga kongresmen at senadores. At masusi tayong maghanda at masipag na
tumulong na mabuo ang mechanics ng absentee voting upang maipasa ang 'implementing
and enabling law.' Kailangang ang batas
na nagsasaad ng mga mechanics ay ang pinakamahusay at pinakamabuti sa taong
bayan at sa kinabukasan ng Inang Bayan.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
The Manila Times Editorial:
“THE disenfranchisement of about
seven million adult Filipino citizens abroad, most of them OFWs, is a glaring
defect in Philippine democracy.
“These disenfranchised compatriots
make up about 10 percent of the Philippine population—and about 1/5th or 20
percent of all Filipinos qualified to vote.
“This is a gross injustice. More so because the victims are people
public officials hail as our economic heroes.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Enteng Romano
Founder, eLagda
Manila, Philippine
enteng@elagda.com
“[The OFW voting rights campaign] might be late
for this May elections, but I believe that the time to pursue this is now to
make sure that (an overseas voting law) is implemented by 2004 ...”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Gerry Kaimo
Webmaster, PLDT.com
Manila, Philippines
“As the pldt.com webmaster, I would be very
happy to help out. Please send your
statement to pldt@yahoogroups.com. As
part of the executive council of Elagda, let me inform you that this [voting
rights for overseas Filipinos] is an issue we are taking very seriously. I can assure you that there are many who are
fighting for your cause. Will support
any way I can.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Bishop Ramon C. Arguelles
Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines
Manila, Philippines
6/13/01
“In the name of the CBCP, ECMI reiterates the
Church's support for any move to put to effect this constitutional provision
[the absentee voting provision]. It is
unfortunate that this very day, both Congress and the Senate have consistency
denied this Constitutuional right ...
The denial of constitutional rights should not be the solution to
solving electoral frauds. Electoral
frauds should be sincerely faced and solved not by refusing citizens their
exercise of the right to vote. We hope
and pray that that the 12th Congress will desist from keep this Bill in the
legislative freezer ... We appeal to
the senators and congressmen to treat the so-called modern heroes with dignity
as true and full citizens of the Asia's most dynamic democracy ... We appeal to this 'pro-poor' administration
to 'defreeze' this legislative bill and truly recognize the 'economic saviors'
and the families they have left behind.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Roilo Golez
National Security Adviser
Republic of the Philippines
“I fully agree with you on your aspirations for
absentee (voting). That was a crucial
factor during the Florida vote in the last U.S. presidential election.”
<<<<
Boto Ko Isama N’yo! >>>>
Philippine Daily Inquirer Editorial
8/28/01
“WHEN the two Houses of Congress finally find
the time to buckle down to the task of making laws, after spending much time on
inquiries in aid of legislation, they may want to give priority to a measure
which would allow absentee voting.
“The bill, which was certified urgent by the
President in her State of the Nation Address, has been pending in Congress for
15 years now.
“Four presidents have praised overseas Filipino
workers as our ''modern-day heroes'' but up to now they are effectively denied
the right to vote. They who play a big
role in propping up the economy are denied a say in the election of officials
who run the country ...”