New forces in the world of property

I firmly believe the story of the early part of the 21st century will be the shift of power, in real estate terms at least, from the established western nations of Europe and North America to emerging countries from other continents. Even in the recession you can see that theory remains valid with the continued growth of China and the promise of Brazil, India and parts of the Middle East. Now, with the opening of Burj Dubai on January 4, there is a potent symbol of how ambitious these 'new forces' are in the world of property.

Standing at over 818 metres the tower is the world's tallest building but its significance is more than mere height. That building work continued at all, at a time when rival towers were scaled back or foundered in the recession, is a forceful indicator of the emerging markets' determination.

Of course within Dubai, the project is more than merely a tower, spanning as it does some 500 acres and including two retail malls, five hotels, offices and residential units. But around the rest of the world, it is a sign of undiminished ambition.

Contrast it with what is happening in Chicago. True, this handsome US city is in the throes of a reshaping of its skyline but the scheme has been derailed by the downturn. The Chicago Spire – despite the razzamatazz of Santiago Calatrava's design, much publicity and even plenty of advance sales of its apartments – has nothing to show for a decade of planning except for some empty foundations. Rumour has it, the tower may now never be built. Meanwhile, the recently completed Trump Tower just a few blocks away looks splendid but is a much-reduced version of what was originally planned for the site in 2000 but then scaled sharply downwards after the 9/11 attacks.

Of the other new super-tall towers being planned around the world, relatively few are in 'established' property markets.

For example, the Pagcor Tower, standing 665 metres tall, will be in Manila Bay in the Philippines; its groundbreaking was held in 2009 and work will take some years, but it is already being mooted as a potent symbol for Asia's growing economy.

The Lotte Super Tower 123, likely to be 555 metres tall, will be a mixed use scheme like Burj Dubai and will open in 2014 in Seoul, South Korea.

Work is well underway on the Shanghai Tower, expected to top out at 632 metres and featuring nine indoor gardens by the time it is scheduled for completion in China's second city in 2014.

The Port Tower is under consideration in the Pakistan financial hub of Karachi and will be 593 metres high according to early plans. There are plenty more towers at least at design stage in emerging markets, while of course the western world has ambitious plans too.

World Trade Center is finally under construction in New York and of course will have immense symbolic importance for the entire world when it is finished. London's Shard of Glass tower, a remarkable design, will be completed for that city's

Olympic Games in 2012, by which time the new tower will be the tallest in the European Union at 310 metres. And in Paris there will be the slightly more modest French Tour Generali, hitting 308 metres.

So the West has not stopped being creative. But the broader point, worth remembering at the start of a new decade, is that just a few decades ago any such ambitious design boasting a record-breaking tall tower would have been found only in the West. Now these daring projects are at least as common in emerging markets, and indeed may be more likely to be initiated there than in a recessionary West that is increasingly frightened of its financial fragility.

So the significance of the Burj Dubai's launch is not just to show that the emirate has good news to tell after the traumas of 2009, but that the whole region is still a 'coming force'. The Burj launch also coincides with the UAE rising from 31st to 18th place in the 2010 Real Estate Global Opportunity Index from AT Kearney, a consultancy that focuses on emerging markets and advises property developers on where to expand outside familiar regions.

These symbols show why it is right to be optimistic, even in difficult times. We are, after all, only a tenth of the way through the 21st century – and time is on the side of the emerging nations. - Graham Norwood on Thursday, December 31, 2009 (Emirates Business)

- Graham Norwood is a property correspondent for The Observer

Glimpses : The best and the worst of Filipinos

A major collision of forces is inevitable. Some call it a battle royal between good and evil. It can very well be, even though there the good is not as obvious as the evil. That is natural. The evil of the Maguindanao massacre stinks to the high heavens and has struck a chord in the heart of decency itself. Even foreign governments and people all over the world felt and expressed revulsion at the bestiality and arrogance of power.

Filipinos are now being made to face their reality and the horrible degradation of their religious and value system. It seems that the constant manifestation of corruption and poverty had become so usual that it has to take a Maguindanao massacre and a president stooping down so she can run for Congress to jolt us into accepting the perversion that has crept into our societal life.

I recall a few weeks ago about a statement that I made regarding how the Philippines leads in corruption and poverty despite the alleged Christianity of its people and the abundance of its natural resources. It elicited a rebuke from a reader who contested the accuracy of the term “leads.” I reviewed the statistics that international agencies developed in assessing our corruption and poverty and realized that, indeed, we are not at the top of this shameful list. We are, however, part of the worst, and that does not make it any shameful. Definitely, too, the impact of corruption and poverty on Filipinos cannot be less painful.

Pointing to other countries as having a worse time, like maybe Iraq and Afghanistan as having more violent incidents, or Congo and Somalia as being more hungry, is a serious distraction from the depravity that is overtaking decency and kindness in Philippine society. The horror of other countries is not an excuse for our own slide to hell. It is precisely the cowardly reaction of leaders who look to other places as being worse in order to deflect accountability for their own lack of performance or the crimes they commit.

Even as I am holding on tight to hope being evoked by spectacular achievements of some Filipinos like boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and CNN Hero of the Year Efren Penaflorida, I am crushed by the Maguinadano massacre and the congressional run of a sitting president. It seems that whenever Filipinos bring honor and pride to our race, other Filipinos have the greater knack of dishonoring and shaming us before the world.

This tug-of-war between good and evil takes on a very public face in Philippine society. It is the consequence of centuries of hypocrisy at the top and subservience at the bottom. The highest virtues of Christianity and Islam bow to the lowest sins of their religious systems, pointing to the lack of inspiration and discipline from leadership on one hand and the superstitious obedience of their followers on the other. As in secular governance, a weak citizenry invites the worst of leadership. People in power cannot simply seem to defy the invitation to exploit innocence and ignorance, whether these people are in Barong Tagalog or in white robes.

Still and all, good is not being overwhelmed by evil despite the show of force as in the Magunidanao massacre or the lust for power as manifested by Gloria the president wanting to be Gloria the congresswoman. Good remains solidly embedded in the soul of most Filipinos and invariably rises to the surface in their daily lives. Smiles outnumber frowns in the streets and as first reactions of people. In the depths of their souls, Filipinos love life and hope springs eternal for many.

I am here again in California as part of a continuing research and experimentation on the effort to facilitate solidarity among Fil-Ams. The solidarity is impossible if the aim is to build a single united organization from the many factions that are already in existence. But solidarity for common causes or interests offers more hope as I have seen Fil-Ams cheer as one people whenever Manny Pacquiao enters the ring or when an Efren Penaflorida is acknowledged and awarded by an international institution. I even saw a unified resentment among Fil-Ams when a slur in the Desperate Housewives television show was hurled at Filipinos.

Fil-Ams have the distinct quality of having left the motherland in varying levels of despair. Except for a few exceptions, most Filipinos who migrated to the United States thought there was no chance of a better life in the Philippines, not for themselves, not for their families. Faced with the awesome challenge of making a dream come true in a culture so different from theirs, faced with separation from relatives and community, faced with competition from everybody else in a land which rewards success, Fil-Ams did survive, did build a better life for their second generation by sacrificing themselves, and now in a position to help those they left behind.

The good in the Filipino that is often discouraged by the environment in the motherland has found encouragement in American society which is largely based on meritocracy. Filipino families are now the second highest family earners in the United States from sheer hard work and staying together. While many first generation Fil-Ams may have brought with them the virus of divisiveness, their children do not show the crab mentality that their parents have been accused of.

Change is also possible in the Philippines without Filipinos having to migrate, but a generation must sacrifice itself for its children. There is no more easy path for change and growth because the evil that has dominated Philippine society will not just let go. When all Filipinos were celebrating the achievements of the best of them, they were quickly reminded by the Maguindanao massacre that there is a long way to go to recover our nobility and honor.

Gloria’s wanting to run for a seat in Congress has demeaned the presidency, her only connection to whatever respect is available for her. And, to the few whose anticipation for political perversity is more active than most, Gloria’s congressional run is an omen of the disaster that may claim more lives than the Maguindanao massacre. - Jose Ma. Montelibano, Columnist, INQUIRER.net, December 03, 2009

Processing of vacationing OFWs extended

MANILA, Philippines—To accommodate the many vacationing overseas Filipino workers who need to process their overseas employment certificates during the holidays, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has extended this service.

Administrator Jennifer Jardin-Manalili said the POEA Balik-Manggagawa Processing Center in the POEA main office in Ortigas shall be open on December 26 (Saturday) and December 30 (Rizal Day) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in anticipation of the influx of OFWs after Christmas Day.

Manalili said vacationing OFWs who are in the provinces may also have their exit clearance processed at the POEA regional offices but only during regular work days.

The POEA regional offices are located in San Fernando City, La Union; Baguio City; Clark Field, Pampanga; Calamba City; Legaspi City; Tacloban City; Cebu City; Iloilo City; Bacolod City; Davao City; Cagayan De Oro City; and Zamboanga City.

Manalili said OFWs should present their valid passports, working permits, and other relevant employment documents for verification by POEA officers.

The Balik-Manggagawa program is for OFWs on vacation or on leave, and are returning to the same employer. The term also refers to OFWs who will join/return to the same employer who has transferred to another jobsite; who have partially served their present employer; and undocumented OFWs (tourists, dependents, students, and businessman) who became OFWs and have partially served the same employer. - INQUIRER.net, December 24, 2009

New law on foreign workers passed in Kuwait

But controversial sponsor system stays

KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait—The Kuwaiti parliament passed a new labor law on Wednesday that grants better rights and conditions for the 2.3 million foreign workers but does not scrap the controversial sponsor system.

The new law, approved unanimously by lawmakers including cabinet members, replaces a 45-year-old law that was criticized as being favorable to employers at the expense of workers.

The legislation provides more rights for workers in the private sector, including better annual leave, end of service indemnities and holidays.

It also sets tougher penalties, including jail terms, for businessmen who trade in visas or who recruit expatriate workers and then fail to provide them with jobs, or who fail to pay salaries regularly.

Kuwait is home to 2.3 million foreigners, more than two-thirds of them Asians, including some 140,000 Filipinos (as of December 2007), and 1.1 million citizens.

The bill requires the government to introduce a minimum wage for certain jobs, especially in the lower-paid categories.

During the debate, several MPs criticized the old law as being oppressive to laborers and favorable to employers.

The new law, however, fails to address the much-criticized sponsor system under which all foreign workers must be sponsored by a Kuwaiti employer, thus keeping expatriates at the mercy of their bosses.

Other oil-rich Gulf states apply similar systems.

Nevertheless, the law requires the government to set up a public authority that takes on the responsibility of recruiting workers from abroad.

Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Mohammed al-Afasi has repeatedly said that the emirate was considering a gradual end to the system to meet international labor standards, but little action has been taken so far. - Agence France-Presse/inquirer.net, December 25, 2009

OFWs Deliver Again

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is one of the three East Asian countries (excepting China) that avoided a recession in 2009. The other two are Indonesia and Vietnam.

Registering a positive growth in GDP of at least 1.5 percent (it could been higher had it not been for the devastation caused by super typhoons), the Philippine economy has grown mostly due to private consumption expenditures and government pump priming. Exports dropped precipitously and investments were anemic.

The consumption-led growth, in turn, can be attributed to the more than P800 billion received by the relatives of the overseas Filipino workers whose remittances increased by more than 4 percent for the whole year against all odds. The Philippines would have surely gone into a recession if the OFW remittances had dropped by 6 percent or more, as forecasted by the World Bank and IMF at the beginning of this year.

Thanks to the superior quality of OFWs (the first to be hired and the last to be fired), remittances kept on increasing throughout the year. The only fly in the ointment is the strengthening of the peso at the end of the year, due mostly to the depreciation of the dollar. Many OFWs were expecting an exchange rate closer to P50 to $1 at the end of the year. They would be lucky to get P47.

Be that as it may, the purchasing power of the relatives of the OFWs is a formidable P800 billion or more. Since the government is already reaching its limit of deficit spending of 4 percent of GDP, the Philippine economy will have to be propelled by consumption spending for at least the first half of 2010 for the GDP growth target of 3 to 4 percent for the whole of next year to be attained.

That is why I reiterate my suggestion that OFWs and their relatives take an upbeat mood beyond the traditional Christmas period. I got a lot of feedback about my suggestion that at least for this year, Christmas be extended to at least to the middle of January to coincide with the Sto. Nino celebrations in cities like Cebu.

Let me respond to some of the criticisms to my suggestion. I was not in the least suggesting the adoption of a consumerist outlook. Consumerism is evil. It is a lifestyle that equates human happiness with an unlimited accumulation of goods, of making "having" as the end all and be all of human existence.

In fact, what I suggested was for the OFWs to help their relatives who suffered from the ravages of Ondoy and Pepeng to rebuild their houses, replace their damaged clothes, furniture, and appliances, and in general restore their standards of living to where they were before the tragedies struck. These expenditures are the farthest from a consumerist lifestyle. They are for basic necessities and do not imply an insatiable desire for material goods.
It is not true that all OFWs are limited to only two or three weeks of vacation. For one, there are the 380,000 seafarers who normally get anywhere for one month to three months of home leave. I am very familiar with this category of OFWs because I do a lot of research on Filipino seamen who will be our perpetual OFWs.

Even if we are able to eradicate poverty completely in the Philippines, there will always be hundreds of thousands of Filipinos in international shipping lines because they are highly appreciated by their respective employers and many Filipino males have a natural inclination to working in this industry. Even during the current crisis, when numerous ships were mothballed in places like Singapore and Hong Kong, the demand for Filipino seafarers continued unabated. These OFWs can be among those helping to boost consumption spending on basic necessities, including some amount of domestic tourism.

In addition to seafarers, those who can afford to stay more than two weeks for home leave are numerous OFWs who are service-oriented workers, such as caregivers and nurses in developed countries in Europe and North America. From my experiences in Spain, where I spent two years teaching in a business school in Barcelona, Filipino immigrant workers are so especially appreciated that they can normally ask for a month or more of vacation. Their talents, skills, and personal traits stand out in comparison with other foreign workers from Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe.

It is true, as some of the bloggers commented, that those who are home for the Christmas vacation should spend as much time staying with the family. Bonding with the children is especially necessary. But I would like to remind the married OFWs that one of the important suggestions of marriage counselors is for husband and wife to regularly spend time alone with one another, i.e. taking frequent second honeymoons. I would like to suggest to vacationing OFWs to consider spending time alone with their respective husband or wife to get to know places like Panglao, Dumaguete, Camiguin, Coron, Sorsogon, and numerous places to which they have not yet traveled. There are very cheap fares that the local airlines are offering.

The Philippine Nautical Highway is a much improved infrastructure connecting the major islands. A couple can drive from Manila to Batangas, then to Calapan, then to Panay and finally to Zamboanga using the ROROs and enjoying the good weather of January and February. Again, this has nothing to do with a consumerist lifestyle. I consider it as a basic need of married couples who need to spend time with one another, away from their daily worries and concerns.

Some of the bloggers misunderstood my reference to pasalubongs. I was not suggesting that you bring a lot of goodies from abroad to give to your relatives. In fact, you can buy practically anything you want to give to your relatives in local stores. And I do agree with some of the comments that your love for your family is not measured by the amount of goods you bring back home.

When I was talking about pasalubongs, I was referring to what you would bring back as gifts to your employers and other friends you have in the foreign places in which you work. There are already very well processed and packaged Filipino delicacies (such as those produced in Cebu, Bulacan, Pampanga, Ilocos Norte, Iloilo, the Bicol region) that can compete with Godiva, Nestle, or Cadbury chocolates. They can pass even the most stringent customs regulations of countries like Australia.

I would like our millions of OFWs to be the first promoters of our local food processing industry which is already reaching world-class level, thanks among others to the efforts of the Department of Science and Technology to modernize the processing and packaging of our traditional delicacies like the chicharon, pastillas de leche, pili nuts, dried mangoes, etc. The Philippine food manufacturing industry will go from strength to strength and will not go the way of other manufacturing sectors that have collapsed because of the Chinese competition. An example of a world-class Filipino brand is Oishi that has a very strong presence in China and some Southeast Asian countries.

The first quarter of 2010 will see faster growth in GDP also because of the expected election-related spending. Together with the continuing strong remittances from abroad, these expenditures will boost private consumption spending which will remain to be the main engine of growth for at least the first half of 2010. If we are able to elect a very credible set of leaders in May 2010, the second semester of 2010 can also be boosted by strong inflows of foreign direct investments, especially in such sectors as mining, infrastructure and energy, tourism and business process outsourcing. - Dr. Bernardo Villegas, INQUIRER.net, December 15, 2009

US mega union of nurses formed

CALIFORNIA, United States — The California Nurses Association (CNA) stepped into the national spotlight on the health care debate when the influential organization joined forces with two other nurses’ unions to form the alliance National Nurses United (NNU).

After eight months of planning, the formation of the NNU earlier this week now unifies the voices of 150,000 nurses throughout the country, including the West Coast, Midwest, and parts of New England.

Partnering up with the 83,000 members of the CNA are the two unions, the United American Nurses (45,000 members) and the Massachusetts Nurses Union (23,000 members). Each of the three unions will continue to operate independently from one another, yet have the ability to act as one during any type of negotiations.

Filipino-American Jane Sandoval, a registered nurse the past 25 years at St. Luke’s Hospital in San Francisco, believes the NNU can be used as a means for recognition.

“I’m hoping that it will be recognized and in the numbers there will be strength,” said Sandoval to FilAm Star. “For the most part, nursing is generally one of the professions that people respect the most.”

At a point in time when many nurses around the country are frustrated with Washington’s resistance to embrace a single payer health care system, the creation of a conglomerate nurses union has the potential to allow the nurses more leverage in setting the agenda on health care policy issues.

This is an agenda that includes providing patients with many care options, and the best possible services available.

Sandoval thinks that with more of a say in matters, the national union will have a bigger forum to provide information and attempt to set laws in motion outside of California regarding nurse-to-patient ratio numbers.

“The number one goal in joining up with the NNU, besides the size, is patient advocacy,” said Sandoval, who works in the emergency room at St. Luke’s. “And California has ratio laws that we’re hoping that we can get the other states to recognize that as well. Because the bottom line is patient safety and patient advocacy and the ratio laws to be applied in every state. That would be the best thing for patient care.”

Sandoval said that the Fil-Am community continues to be impacted by the health care industry, especially those who are nurses.

“There is a very high percentage of Filipino nurses in the Bay Area,” said Sandoval. “The way that health care impacts Filipinos is because…the Bay Area has a high number of not just Filipino nurses but a growing Filipino community whose members are very much family-oriented and are into cultural awareness.” - Nicholas von Wettberg, INQUIRER.net, December 15, 2009

Celebrating Christmas in US, RP-style

NO matter where Filipinos are in the world, the holidays always draw them back to home.

In Norfolk, Virginia Beach, USA, one man has been able to create a place that any Filipino can always run home to—not just during the holiday season, but all year round.

Dr. Manny Hipol, founder of the Council of Filipino Organizations of Tidewater (Cufot), reaches out to the Filipino community in this part of the country through the council’s pride: their Philippine Cultural Center.

“It’s my pride as well,” said Hipol.

Cufot is an umbrella organization of 21 Filipino associations in the Norfolk area. It was established by Hipol in 1976 when he was assigned to the Navy base there during his days as a military doctor. Together with his first organization, the United Ilocanos Organization, Hipol encouraged other Filipinos to form their own groups as well. In the end, five other founding organizations were formed: the Filipino Women’s Club, Pampanga Language Club, Batangas Association, Filipino-American Veterans, and Zambales Association.

The center was inaugurated in 2000, with then Senator Ernesto Maceda as special guest gracing the ceremony. The board of trustees, led by Hipol’s wife Rosario, ensured that funding would not be a heavy burden in building the three-acre structure. “Putting up the center was our primary mission,” said Hipol. “Now it has become a place that keeps our cultural heritage alive.”

During holidays, this transforms into a venue of festive celebration of yuletide traditions and customs, all Pinoy-style, though not as extensive as the holiday festivities here in the country.

Start after Thanksgiving

“We start our celebrations after Thanksgiving,” said Hipol, who recently visited the Philippines to attend an affair in his hometown, La Union, Ilocos. “Nevertheless, we have a beautiful Christmas there.”

Cufot organizes the usual Pinoy Christmas activities: noche buena, parties, and house-to-house caroling; decorating the center has become a tradition where everyone is involved. Simbang Gabi masses, which were held only at the center before, are now also being celebrated by parishes in the area.

“Parish priests want to educate the people on this tradition,” he said.

More than just continuing traditions, Hipol is happy that Cufot also helps educate the youth, who became the council’s focus after finishing the center.

“The Norfolk community is composed mostly of military families, around 90 percent,” said Hipol. “A lot of second-generation community members are already Fil-Ams, and most of them haven’t been to the Philippines at all.”

Getting the youth interested

Luckily, Cufot keeps young people interested through the center’s many programs. The in-house School of Creative and Performing Arts initiates shows for Christmas and New Year; most of its members are high school students.

Aside from this, there’s also heavy involvement in the center’s other educational programs, conducted every Saturday, 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Volunteer teachers lecture on various aspects of the Philippine culture, such as dance, music, etiquette, history, and even offer Tagalog language classes.

“There is also good interaction among the senior citizens and the second-generation members of Cufot,” said Hipol. “It’s a very good community.”

Hipol has lived in Norfolk since he was assigned there in 1974. He and his wife, also a doctor, have raised two daughters, Vivianne and Charrisse—one is taking up a career in acupuncture therapy, the other a recently graduated clinical psychologist. He has two granddaughters.

The fourth among six siblings, Hipol went to the US in 1966 through an application for the US Army as a medical doctor. After serving the Army for six and a half years, Hipol submitted an application to the Navy, hoping he would be reassigned to the Philippines.

“It didn’t happen,” said Hipol, “They asked me to choose if I wanted to go back to Seattle (his initial point of entry), or if I wanted to be assigned to Norfolk. I chose Norfolk because of its proximity to New York, where I was taking up my residency.”

He eventually petitioned for his mother’s immigration, who later on brought his other siblings to Norfolk.

Geny Lopez awardee

Although now enjoying his retirement, Hipol, 72, keeps himself active with Cufot and with the center. He makes sure he is visible to those involved; he is even called “Uncle Manny” by the younger members.

“The youth tend to shy away from those who have leadership positions; I make our relationship very casual so they will feel at ease with me,” he said.

And after receiving ABS-CBN’s Gawad Geny Lopez Jr. Bayaning Pilipino 2009 award, Hipol remains excited for Cufot’s future ventures.

“I’ve seen little girls and boys who grew up here in the center come back years after they’ve left,” said Hipol. “That’s why the center will always be our main focus—it keeps alive our main thrust to promote our cultural heritage.” - Annelle S. Tayao, Philippine Daily Inquirer, December 21, 2009

183 Pinoys in China’s jails for drug trafficking

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Embassy in China has expressed serious concern over the increasing number of Filipino “drug mules” carrying illegal drugs into China despite repeated warnings by the Philippine government.

Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Cataumber Brady told members of the Filipino community during their recent Christmas party in Beijing that Chinese syndicates continued to entice Filipinos with promises of money to smuggle dangerous and prohibited drugs into China.

“Despite repeated warnings by the Philippine government, our kababayan (countrymen) continue to be victimized by the syndicates with wide network operations in various parts of Asia,” Brady said.

In a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs last week, Brady said that since 2007, 48 Filipinos have been meted out the death penalty while 26 others received life sentences for carrying illegal drugs into China.

Currently, 183 Filipinos, mostly women, are languishing in jails throughout China on drug trafficking charges, according to Brady.

Brady urged Filipinos to resist any offers of financial rewards from drug gangs to carry prohibited drugs into China or any other country in the world.

Of those arrested in 2009, seven were meted out the death penalty, seven were given life sentences, while five received sentences of at least 15 years’ imprisonment.

In 2008, 111 Filipinos, most of them women, were arrested for drug-related offenses in China, Hong Kong and Macau, a 594-percent increase over the 16 Filipinos arrested in 2007.

Brady reminded Filipino travelers that China has been strictly imposing tough penalties on persons caught in possession of prohibited or dangerous drugs.

“In China, drug trafficking of 50 grams or more of highly dangerous drugs like heroin may be punishable by 15 years in prison, life imprisonment or death,” Brady said.

She said that all those arrested were caught with illegal drugs on their person or luggage, allegedly given to them by “friends” they met in transit or in countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Nepal, Laos and Vietnam.

They said they were given air tickets and pocket money to travel to Hong Kong, Macau or China, with the promise that they would be paid $500 more upon delivery of the drugs to a contact at their destination.

Recently, some of those arrested for possession of illegal drugs had come directly from Manila. - Cynthia Balana, Jerome Aning, Philippine Daily Inquirer, December 20, 2009

Filipino survives shipwreck in north Lebanon

TRIPOLI, Lebanon—A Filipino was the 40th survivor found on Saturday from a ship which sank in rough seas off northern Lebanon two days earlier, even as officials said hope was fading of any more rescues.

The latest survivor, a Filipino, was recovered near Syria's Mediterranean coast further north, bringing to 40 the number of people rescued, with 11 dead bodies also found, as search efforts continued.

"Syrian authorities found a survivor off the coast of Tartus aboard a raft, a Philippines national named Wilson Vincent," port authority chief Ahmad Tamer told AFP in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli.

"We have checked and his name was on the list. His condition is stable."

But Tamer added that hope of finding any others was fading.

Rescue teams have been battling rough conditions in the hunt for survivors from the Danny F II, a freighter carrying 82 people which went down in a storm on Thursday with its British captain among those believed to have drowned.

The search "is ongoing, but we've covered our waters, and sadly there don't seem to be any signs of more survivors or bodies," a Lebanese military spokesman told AFP on Saturday.

Lebanese vessels with a medical crew and three boats of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) have taken part in the extended search. Syrian boats were also involved, as was a British helicopter from Cyprus.

But officials were hesitant to say the 31 people still missing were presumed dead after two days of heavy winds and torrential rain.

"It's hard to say what we can expect, as nearly 48 hours have passed," said Unifil deputy spokesman Andrea Tenenti. "We will continue for the day and hope that we will be able to find more survivors."

The Lebanese Red Cross said the survivors in hospital were mainly suffering from "exhaustion, broken bones, and concussion."

Most of them were Filipinos, Pakistanis, and Uruguayan, the military spokesman said earlier, adding that a Russian, a Ukrainian, and a Lebanese were among those saved.

The Danny F II capsized during a storm about 11 nautical miles off Tripoli after sending a distress signal at 3:55 p.m. (1355 GMT).

It had left Montevideo on November 29 with a consignment of about 10,000 sheep and almost 18,000 cattle bound for Tartus, north of Tripoli, but was forced to change course because of the bad weather.

It was trying to reach Beirut when disaster struck, with the ship capsizing at around 7:30 p.m. (1730 GMT).

The ship's operator, Agencia Schandy, told AFP in Montevideo that it had a crew of 76 and six passengers—four Uruguayans, one Brazilian, and an Australian.

Survivors, soaking and wrapped in blankets, were ferried into Tripoli aboard UN boats on Thursday and Friday, an AFP correspondent said. Others were helicoptered to dry land, suffering from extreme exhaustion.

The storm had caused the vessel to "nosedive like the Titanic," 35-year-old survivor Nicholas Achard told Uruguayan radio El Espectador from his hospital bed in Tripoli.

"The ship listed 16 degrees. We passed around life jackets and within half an hour it had sunk," the Uruguayan said.

Another Filipino told rescuers that the British captain of the Danny F II, bound from Uruguay for the Syrian port of Tartus, went down with his ship.

"He told us that the ship's engine went down and the captain sounded the alarm and told everyone to jump in the water," a rescue official quoted the survivor as saying.

"He said that 10 minutes after they jumped, the ship overturned sideways in very high waves and sank with the captain still on board." - Omar Ibrahim, Agence France-Presse/INquirer.net, December 20, 2009

100% Filipino networking site has Kiwi roots

AUCKLAND, New Zealand—Filipinos across the globe now have their own social networking site called mooplace.com.

“It is our very own social networking site. It is a place to have fun, meet, and celebrate with fellow kababayans,” says its founder, Bob Carpenter, a retired businessman based here.

The Kiwi connection of Mooplace stems from the fact that Bob is married to a Filipina. Edith, his wife of 20 years, owns the travel agency Planet Earth Travel & Planet Cruising Ltd, and the couple is very active in Filipino community events across New Zealand. Bob considers himself a “Kiwinoy” for “Kiwi Pinoy,” the name given to Filipinos who have migrated to New Zealand.

Bob says the website, which he developed with the help of Filipino IT professionals based in New Zealand, provides the tools to allow members to build an online global community. Membership to Mooplace is free.

Bob retired four years ago as an auctioneer, and was one of the first to develop a site for online auctions in New Zealand. He had initially wanted to develop a business website but Edith had encouraged him to do work on something that will help the Filipino community.

“So this is what I have been doing instead of fishing and playing golf,” he says in jest.

The website is unmistakably Filipino, with a carabao as a motif, against a backdrop of the red, white, blue, and yellow colors of the Filipino flag.

Bob says it took him a year to develop the website. He wanted it to be different from other social networking websites for Filipinos, which he says were mainly “dating websites.”

He noted that Filipinos in New Zealand, for instance, congregate at certain events like the Sinulog festival, church gatherings, and the annual Labor Day Weekend celebration. From talking to his Filipino friends, he learned they want a site where they can upload photos of their families, and their communities and places they have been to. They also want to have links to YouTube where they can upload songs, comedy sketches, and videos of events.

Bob explains the most popular postings in the site are videos and pictures of Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao and OPM (Original Pilipino Music). “It is Filipino everything,” he says.

Other current features at Mooplace include:

* A Directory where members can share their business details—address, phone numbers, and websites—to encourage members to use their services.

* An Events section where members can list their events. Bob says the calendar is easy to use, categorized into countries, with search functions and a calendar.

* A Photo section where members can upload up to 20 photos, five videos, and five songs at a time. Every month, Mooplace will hold a photo competition. Members can post entries and vote for other members' photos. The first competition will be held in December, with the theme “Family Holiday Photos.” Entries will be accepted until December 31, 2009, 12 noon NZDT.

Bob is encouraging Filipinos to contribute to the blogs section, post comments, and participate in forums.

Bob expects the section where people can create their own greeting cards will be very popular during this holiday season. Members can choose from several Christmas card designs and add their photos and email the finished card.

“It is a work in progress,” says Bob of Mooplace, as he will continue to add new features regularly, and listen to suggestions from members across the world. - INQUIRER.net, December 21, 2009

7 Filipinos in Lebanon shipwreck missing

1 dead, 13 rescued in December 17 incident

MANILA, Philippines—Seven Filipino seafarers on board the Panamanian cargo ship MV Dany F II which sank off the coast of Tripoli, Lebanon in the evening of December 17 are still missing, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Monday.

The DFA said the shipwreck also killed one Filipino seafarer. The names of the missing and the casualty are being withheld until their next of kin have been informed.

At the same time, it identified the 13 Filipino seafarers who have been rescued as: Danilo Policarpio, Wilson Vicente, Lezer Gepulgani, Michel Olivia, Edgardo Pucan, Jonathan Rada, Rafael Tarroza, Erasmo Galanza, Leolen Babao, Rogelio Dequina, Joebert Benoman, Jowey Quinto, and Jason Magsino.

The DFA said twelve are safely housed in Tripoli while one is in Tartus, Syria.

Charge d’affaires ad interim Mohd. Noordin Pendosina Lomondot of the Philippine embassy in Beirut is coordinating closely with the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants and the Lebanese Ministry of the Interior, it said in a statement.

Labor attache Nathaniel Lacambra and welfare officers are in Tripoli to extend assistance to the affected Filipino seafarers, it added.

The ship was on its way from the Uruguay capital of Montevideo to the Syrian port of Tartus carrying thousands of sheep and cattle when it was hit by Thursday night’s storm and altered course for Lebanon. - INQUIRER.net, December 21, 2009

Belt-tightening by Migrant Workers Unfelt at Home

BATANGAS, Philippines, Dec 18 (IPS) - The global financial crisis may have dealt a severe blow to Filipino migrant workers, thousands of whom lost their jobs and fell into debt. But public schoolteacher Melinda Mendoza does not see this impact at all -- at least not within the four walls of her classroom.

On the contrary, Mendoza, 45, is bothered no end by her pupils’ ostentatious display of opulence in a poor rural setting, where luxury is atypical.

"They have huge allowances," says the teacher of 21 years in the government-run Pulong Anahao Elementary School, located in the town of Mabini here in Batangas province, a two-hour drive south of Manila.

On top of that, the students own electronic gadgets like mobile phones that are no match to those of a public school teacher like Mendoza. She earns a measly few thousands of pesos a month, hardly enough to buy a high-end unit that is a status symbol in this South-east Asian country, at least 30 percent of whose 90 million people live in poverty.

Mendoza says about half of her students are children of migrant workers, a great majority of whom work in Italy as domestic helpers, caregivers, nannies or factory workers.

These children’s parents earn what they can never earn in the Philippines, which has become the world’s largest exporter of human labour after its workers began going overseas in droves in the seventies. Today, Filipino domestic workers in Italy earn 60,000 to 80,000 pesos (1,287 to 1,717 U.S. dollars), or a lot more, a month.

"There is dependence on remittances among families," says Ricardo Casco, national officer for labour migration support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Based on 2007 data from the World Bank, the Philippines ranks fourth globally in terms of remittances received, next to India, China and Mexico. In 2007, its remittances reached a whopping 14.45 billion dollars, up from only 103 million U.S. dollars in 1975.

Like many Filipino workers abroad, those in Italy were not spared by the crisis late last year that have since forced many offshore companies either to close shop or cut production, says Estrella Dizon-Añonuevo, executive director of Atikha Overseas Workers and Communities Initiatives.

A migrant worker’s monthly take of 1,500 euros (2,150 dollars) in Italy was reduced by half as a result of the crisis. Remittances to families in the Philippines in some instances dwindled by 15 to 20 percent at the height of the downturn, she says.

Yet, many Filipino workers scrimped and saved to ensure that they maintained the same level of financial support they had been giving to their families, says Añonuevo, whose NGO conducts financial literacy among migrant workers as part of its advocacy.

"There was belt-tightening among migrants," she points out. Some were forced to live with fellow workers to save on rent and keep money that otherwise should have gone to their own basic needs.

But Añonuevo also says the hardships these migrant workers endured hardly ever figured in discussions between migrant parents and their children in the Philippines that are often held through today’s modern technologies, including the Internet.

It was not uncommon to hear of Filipinos holding down several part-time jobs at the same time in order to continue sending remittances home. "What is the purpose of spending the best years of your life anyway?" asks IOM’s Casco.

This is why schoolteacher Mendoza hardly sees signs of migrant parents’ economic problems affecting her students’ lifestyles. Every day, in fact, she sees how the class divide plays out in her classroom.

At lunch breaks, she says, one can see who the children of overseas Filipino workers are – or OFW, as they are commonly called in the Philippines – and who are not. They have packed lunches and snacks – and money to buy more food in the school canteen – while many of the latter subsist on so little or none at all.

"I usually tell my students to share their food with those of their classmates who have no food," she says.

Mendoza worries that her students exemplify a materialistic bent born of a culture that has become dependent on remittances sent by their migrant- worker parents.

The village of Anahao, which has a population of less than a thousand, has benefitted quite a lot from the wave of migration for labour.

This was especially so in the nineties, when a village woman, unable to land a job even if she was a college graduate, packed her bags and left for Italy to work as a domestic helper. It did not take long before others followed in her footsteps, literally, inspired by her example and the fortunes that going overseas seemed to have brought her.

Soon, Anahao itself began to change. European-style mansions replaced wooden structures typical of a rural setting, earning it the moniker ‘Little Italy’. Farming was the main source of villagers’ income until the 90s, when families became entirely dependent on remittances and gave up ploughing.

Today, 15 percent of Mabini town’s residents works overseas. Seventy-two percent of them work in Italy, 10 percent in the Middle East while the rest is in the United States, Asia and elsewhere in the world.

Within and outside the village of Anahao and other parts of Mabini, one can hardly miss the telltale signs of a rural town that has tasted progress. Many more concrete houses are being built, expensive vehicles being driven around – among others to ferry children to school such as Mendoza’s – and private schools whose total enrollment far exceeds those of state-owned schools, because migrant parents equate them with better education.

"They even go to expensive hospitals," says Esperanza Balita, a municipal employee who was once a migrant worker herself.

Realty property taxes, an indicator of land and home ownership, have nearly doubled over the last decade, from 17 million pesos in 1998 to 31 million pesos (365,000 to 665,378 dollars) in the first quarter of this year.

Meantime, the outflow of migrant workers continues from a country that already has some 10 percent of its population working overseas in 190 countries. In 2008, at least 1.3 million Filipinos left for overseas work. Local communities worry about the continued social cost of migration, regardless of how hard times are putting great pressure on migrant parents overseas.

Village chief Raymundo Magsino, in an interview with IPS, says a number of youth in his community have dropped out of school, not for lack of resources as is often the case in many poverty-stricken areas of the country, and certainly not because of the economic crunch, but for sheer lack of interest.

Many young people here know they will be going to Italy anyway to join their parents, who, in less than a year of working there, provided they already have a working visa, are entitled to petition and have their children join them before they turn 18, explains Magsino. There, they can pursue their education or take on jobs common among Filipino migrants.

The attraction of leaving the Philippines is so strong that offers of free livelihood training –- so that they are productive while waiting to join their parents –- hardly had any takers, the former police chief rues. Yet these young people while away their time playing ‘tong-its’ –- a popular numbers game in the Philippines – or chatting on their computers or in some Internet shop.

Mabini mayor Nilo Villanueva has far bigger concerns -- and they are not about the impact of the financial crisis. "The usual close relationship between parents and children" is gone, he says in a report accompanying the results of a study conducted by his office on migration in his town.

This has been manifested in an increasing number of out-of-school youth, reported cases of rape, annulment of marriage, and a host of other social concerns that, directly or directly, may be attributed to labour migration.

Mendoza, the elementary schoolteacher, shares Villanueva’s concern. One of her pupils, whose parents work in Italy, have stopped coming to school, and she knows that this has nothing to do with the financial crisis. - Tess Bacalla*, Inter Press Service News Agency, Saturday, December 19, 2009 12:00 GMT

(*This feature was produced by IPS Asia-Pacific under a series on the impact of the global economic crisis on children and young people, in partnership with UNICEF East Asia and the Pacific.)(END/2009)

Impact of the global recession on international labor migration and remittances

Implications for poverty reduction and development in Nepal, Philippines, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan

Summary

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development has commissioned a series of country studies to assess the impact of the global financial and economic crisis on external migration, return migration, remittances, and the consequent effects on poverty and development. Migration is usually seen as a livelihood strategy by migrants and their families; and remittances provide important resources to finance everyday life. The first four country studies represent broad regional variety and were carried out in March 2009 (Mali, Nepal, Philippines, and Uzbekistan); studies on Albania, Armenia, and Tajikistan are currently being drafted. Read more...

Canada law named after Filipina caregiver

MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) Canada is set to adopt a law nicknamed after Juana Tejada, a Filipina caregiver who had fought hard to improve the situation of fellow foreign live-in caregivers, it was learned Thursday.

In the website of Canada’s Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism, Minister Jason Kenney on Saturday announced proposed regulations to better protect the rights of live in caregivers and to make it easier for them and their families to obtain permanent residence in Canada.

According to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Toronto, of the 400,000 Filipinos in Canada, about 66 percent (or 264,000) are caregivers. And by the end of 2008, a total of 1,821 new hires were deployed to Canada as caregivers.

“Our government fully supports the ‘Juana Tejada Law.’ We propose to implement this change in her honor, to ensure that no one else has to endure this same painful experience,” said Kenney after extensive consultations with caregiver groups from across the country, as well as heartfelt testimony before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.

The first proposed change to the Live-in Caregiver Program eliminates the requirement for live-in caregivers to undergo a second medical examination when applying to become permanent residents, a change advocated by the late Juana Tejada.

Tejada developed cancer while working as a live-in caregiver. She was initially denied permanent resident status when she did not pass her second medical examination.

It was only through special ministerial intervention that she gained status in Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

According to Jonathan Canchela of Migrante-Ontario, the announcement is a great honor for Tejada and organizations like the Independent Workers’ Association which worked for improved working conditions for live-in foreign caregivers.

”It was Juana Tejada who exposed this ambiguity in the immigration system. She risked her status and fought the threat of deportation so that other caregivers like her could have better protection of their rights. It was she who, with the help of her lawyer Raffy Fabregas and numerous advocates and activists and the community in general, pushed the immigration officials to act in the right direction,” he said.

“If there is someone to be called ‘champion and hero’ for the gains caregivers just won, it was Juana Tejada. She is, in this sense, a true ‘champion and hero’ of the Filipino people in Canada,” he added.

More changes

Another proposed change will allow live-in caregivers who work overtime to apply for permanent residence sooner. Currently, live-in caregivers must work for two years within the first three years of entry into the program before they can apply for permanent residence in Canada.

Unfortunately, events such as pregnancies or loss of employment have resulted in some live-in caregivers not meeting the two-year requirement.

Under the new measure, live-in caregivers would be eligible to apply for permanent residence after 3,900 work hours, the equivalent of working a standard work week for two years.

Also, a portion of their overtime hours could count toward the work requirement and enable caregivers to apply for permanent residence sooner. Equally important, these changes would also increase the time that live-in caregivers are allowed to complete the work requirement from three to four years.

“These important changes help fulfill Canada’s duty to those who care for our young, our disabled and our elderly,” Kenney said. “The government of Canada is taking action to protect foreign workers from potential abuse and exploitation.”

Additional administrative changes to the program will also require employers of live-in caregivers to pay for:

* travel costs for live-in caregivers to come to Canada;

* medical insurance until live-in caregivers become eligible for provincial health coverage; and

* workplace safety insurance and any recruiting fees owed to third parties.

Employment contracts will have to spell out these employer-paid benefits. They will also have to include clauses clearly outlining job duties, hours of work, overtime and holidays, sick leave, and termination and resignation terms.

According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), it will work closely with caregiver groups to improve information packages that live-in caregivers receive before they leave for Canada. CIC will also set up a dedicated live-in caregiver hotline.

Emergency processing of work permits and new authorization requests from employers to hire a live-in caregiver will help caregivers when they need to change employers urgently. Live-in caregivers will continue to be able to apply for study permits when they want to take courses longer than six months; they do not need study permits for shorter courses.

Stronger against erring employers

The announcement builds on recently proposed regulatory changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Employers found to have provided significantly different wages, working conditions, or occupations than they promised may be put on a blacklist making them ineligible to hire a live-in caregiver for two years under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Employers on this blacklist could be identified on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website in order to inform prospective and current temporary foreign workers of ineligible employers.

The Live-in Caregiver Program helps Canadians recruit caregivers to live and work in the homes of those they care for in order to provide child care or support for seniors or people with disabilities. The program facilitates the entry of qualified caregivers into Canada when there is a shortage of Canadians or permanent residents to fill available live-in caregiver positions. Because of Canada’s ageing population, the program is expected to grow in the years ahead. In 2008, Canada admitted 12,878 live-in caregivers.

The proposed changes to the Live-in Caregiver Program will be published in the Canada Gazette on December 19 for a 30-day comment period open to all Canadians. Final regulatory changes will be published after this period.

Kenney’s announcement came a few days after the Ontario Parliament passed Bill 210 into law. The new Employment Protection for Foreign Nationals Act bans employment agencies or recruiters from charging live-in caregivers placement or recruitment fees. It also prohibits the practice of taking a caregiver's personal documents such as a passport or work permit.

”These initiatives—both federal and provincial—bring significant changes to the Live-in Caregivers Program. We say this is a victory for all caregivers and the community. Still let us not forget that implementation of these new measures requires our vigilant monitoring,” said Migrante-Ontario’s Canchela.

At the same time, he said efforts towards making further changes continue. These include making the live-in requirement optional, issuing job-specific instead of employer-specific work-permits, looking into acceptable wage rates, ensuring the safety and well-being of caregivers for the duration of their stay in the employers’ home, among other things. - INQUIRER.net, December 17, 2009

Absentee Voting

Voting can be one of the most essential roles a citizen can play in his own country. From critically observing who deserves to be the leader of the country to solely deciding whom to select among the many choices—all are in the hands of every voter. In the Philippines, one of the vital duties of the state is to provide an orderly system where Filipinos can exercise their right to vote not just here but also when abroad; and this is what absentee voting is all about. This is by virtue of Republic Act No. 9189, otherwise known as the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003.

Absentee voting is a process in which a qualified citizen of the Philippines takes part in an election but is not capable of going personally and putting his vote inside a ballot box of a polling office or station where he is registered due to the demands of work or any appointment in a foreign state. In short, absentee voting is simply “voting despite absence”. Today, as the number of Overseas Filipino Workers increase so does the number of absentee voters. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs-Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat, the number of registrants could reach 600,000 OFWs, although it is actually aiming for 1 million voters from around the world.

However this does not generally mean that if a Filipino citizen goes abroad, he is automatically registered as an absentee voter.

There are several requirements (which are not so hard to fulfill) to become a registered absentee voter.

1) One must be a registered voter under the Election Registration Board of the municipality where he resides before departing from the country or with the representative under the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), consulates and other foreign service establishment that has jurisdiction over the locality where they temporarily dwell. Hence, registration must be done personally.

2) One must be a holder of a valid Philippine passport. If a valid passport is absent, a certification from the DFA is considered as long as it has reviewed the appropriate documents submitted and found them sufficient to warrant the issuance of a passport, or the applicant is a holder of a valid passport but is not able to produce the same for a valid reason.

3) One must accomplish the Registration Form prescribed by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) containing the following mandatory information:

- Last known residence of the applicant in the Philippines before leaving for abroad

- Address of applicant abroad, or forwarding address for seafarers

- Where voting by mail is allowed, the applicant's mailing address outside the Philippines where the ballot for absentee voters will be sent (in proper cases)

- Name and address of applicant's authorized representative in the Philippines.

The overseas absentee voter must personally carry his ballot to the embassy, consulate or other foreign service establishment that has jurisdiction over the country where he temporarily resides or at any polling station designated and accredited by the COMELEC.

Voting by mail is also possible if it complies with the following conditions:

The mailing system is fairly well-developed and secured to prevent the occasion of fraud.

Existence of a technically established identification system that would prohibit multiple or proxy voting. Proxy voting is a procedure wherein one voting body give power to other member to vote in his/her part.

The system of reception as well as the custody of mailed ballots in the embassies and other foreign service establishments concerned is adequate and secured.

The Department of Foreign Affairs had instructed all embassies, consulates, and other posts abroad to accept applications for registration. Through the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, it had also asked foreign employers to allow their Filipino employees to register at the mentioned DFA offices in their host countries. The aim was to ensure the most number of OFW voters before August 31, 2009, which is the deadline for absentee voters’ registration for the 2010 national elections. But in case a voter still needs to change his/her address, they still have until October 31, 2009. You can also visit the COMELEC website, which might answer some of your questions about your registration, request for change of address or any matters you need to know about the upcoming election.

Months before the deadline, certain consulates and embassies also launched mobile registration so that they could reach out to Filipino OFWs in their distant workplaces and temporary addresses. However, RA 9189 has mandated the COMELEC to makes use of procedures that will continually allow Filipino citizens abroad to register for the coming elections after 2010.

Indeed, no vote is unimportant but rather, every pick counts. Now voting is not anymore limited to residents living in the country. Through absentee voting, every Filipino can have the chance to exercise his privilege in choosing the right leader for the country.

If you were not able to register for the 2010 elections, don’t stop there. There is no stopping you fro registering for the next elections so you can exercise your right to vote. And yes, VOTE WISELY. - Dine Racoma, Philippine Online Chronicles, October 2009 02:30 PM

Qualified OFWs, seamen voters reach 589,830

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Thursday that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and seafarers qualified to vote in the May 10, 2010 polls have reached a total of 589,830 spread out in four continents and more than 100 countries, hence their votes could be crucial in deciding the winning candidates not necessarily for President and Vice President but for the 12 Senate slots and party-list representatives at stake in next year’s major political exercise.

Commissioner Armando C. Velasco, chairman of the Comelec Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting (COAV) said overseas absentee voters are not qualified to vote for members of the House of Representatives and local positions but the impact of their votes could spell the difference between victory and defeat in the senatorial race and party-list elections even if only 70 percent of them would turnout to vote in the country’s first fully automated polls.

Velasco said that in the May 14, 2007 elections, the impact of overseas absentee voting was not visibly felt as the turnout was only 19.24 percent of the 504,110 OFWs who were then qualified to vote much lower than the 45.6 percent turnout in the 2004 presidential, congressional, local and party-list polls.

He said next year’s turnout in overseas absentee voting is expected to rise to 70 or 75 percent because of massive information and education campaign on Republic Act 8189 or “The overseas Voting Act of 2003” conducted by the Comelec in cooperation with the Department of Foreign

Affairs (DFA), the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and other government instrumentalities.

It is likewise expected that since the positions of President, Vice President and 12 Senators will be at stake, there will be a tremendous increase in the turnout of absentee voting in countries where there are Filipino workers.

Velasco said overseas absentee voting next year will be fully automated in HongKong and Singapore while personal voting will be followed by OFWs in other countries.

HongKong and Singapore are among the places where there are big concentration of Filipino overseas absentee voters, it was pointed out.

Of the 589,830 registered overseas absentee voters, 215,546 of them are in the Asia Pacific continent, 61,294 in Europe, 225,148 in Middle East and Africas and 66,743 in North and Latin America. Seafarers who registered under Overseas Voting Act of 2003 reach a total of 21,097. - E.T. SUAREZ, Manila Bulettin, December 17, 2009, 4:14pm

Filipinos fuel oil-rich Emirates’ progress, dreams

ABU DHABI—When you arrive at this oil-rich nation’s swanky airports, look up at the massive glass skyscrapers and walk into luxury hotels, you won’t be mistaken if you think Filipino hands helped make all this progress possible.

At Abu Dhabi’s iconic landmark, the majestic $3-billion Emirates Palace Hotel, one is greeted by the friendly smiles and familiar greetings of its Filipino staff.

Even in the royal household of Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, United Arab Emirates Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Filipinos were visible when the Sheikh hosted a banquet for 91 journalists from all over the world.

The journalists were invited to be part of the UAE’s 38th national day celebration on Dec. 2, a week before the $60-billion Dubai debt crisis erupted.

Top officials of the UAE paid tribute to foreign workers, not least of them Filipinos, as an important pillar of the economic progress that has made it the second biggest Arab economy next to Saudi Arabia.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash told the visiting journalists that talks were ongoing to improve the wages and conditions of workers from the Philippines and other countries.

“The issue of labor will be a continuous issue for us for many years,” Dr. Anwar said at a briefing.

Work in progress

With no more than 20 percent of its five million population being locals (or emiratis), the UAE is highly dependent on foreign labor to build its ever-expanding oil-based economy.

The UAE is the eighth top oil producer in the world, with a daily capacity of nearly three million barrels. It is also ranked as the world’s third biggest oil exporter.

“We have a lot of labor from the Philippines and Indonesia, and we are talking to these countries about conditions of labor, how we can improve them. It is a work in progress,” Dr. Anwar said.

Some 529,000 Filipinos live and work in the UAE, according to 2007 data from the Philippines’ Commission on Overseas Filipinos. Most of them are in Dubai, one of the UAE’s seven emirates.

“We’re doing a lot, and I think in many countries, such as the Philippines and Indonesia, there’s more appreciation of what we are doing ... because [the workers] are basically living the experience with us,” he said.

‘Nothing will change’

The assurance was made a week before the Dubai debt crisis sent markets tumbling worldwide.

Dubai World, the UAE’s investment arm, sought a 6-month delay in the payment of its $60-billion debt, triggering fears of a debt default across the globe.

But in Manila, UAE Ambassador Mohammed Ebrahim Aljowaid downplayed the debt crisis’ implications on the UAE economy and the fate of Filipino and other foreign workers.

He said his government would honor its commitment to provide better employment terms.

“Nothing will change,” Aljowaid said in an interview during the Manila reception for the 38th national day on Dec. 2.

He denied that Filipinos were being retrenched or were losing jobs as a result of the debt crisis.

“Nothing. Up to now I have not seen anything like that. Don’t worry, everything will be OK,” he said.
Aljowaid said there had even been an increase in the deployment of Filipino workers for the UAE—from 150 a day to 250 in the past weeks.

Most preferred workers

Filipinos are outnumbered by other Asian workers here but they are said to be the most preferred.

“Kasi may utak daw tayo at No. 1 sa English (It’s because we are intelligent and are No. 1 in English),” said Raque Mah, a limousine driver at the Hilton Hotel.
According to Mah, Filipinos are also paid higher than their Indonesian or Pakistani counterparts because of their skills. The minimum wage is 1,500 dirhams (P18,840).

The UAE is a good place to work in, said Mah, who has worked in other countries. She said those employed by private companies, like herself, were enjoying free housing, and those employed by the government, free food provisions.

About the only problem they encounter here is homesickness, Mah said.

She said there was talk about moves to grant foreign workers “equal pay” of about 2,500 to 3,000 dirhams (P31,450 to P37,680).

Not a bubble

Will the UAE remain a desert oasis for Filipino workers despite the crisis?

No less than Sheikh Mohammad assured the visiting journalists that his nation’s economy was sufficiently strong to withstand the global economic recession.

He invited the journalists to tour Abu Dhabi and Dubai to see the furious construction of towering office buildings, luxury hotels, transport systems and entire islands for new residential, commercial and tourism hubs.

He dismissed criticism that everything was a bubble.

“With challenges come opportunities, so you’ll have to take those opportunities now,” he said.

The visionary Dubai ruler recalled how his program to position the UAE as a regional hub for finance, investment and tourism had been met with doubt.

“They said, ‘You, Sheikh Mohammad, have big dreams.’ And now we tell them that we managed to turn our dreams into reality,” he told the journalists.

Sultan Nasser Al Suwaidi, UAE Central Bank governor, allayed fears that the massive real estate projects would crash, saying the UAE economy was “dynamic.”

“When they build, they don’t know the future, and when you’re half-way you can’t stop [the projects]. We ended up with excess units but this will be resolved in time,” Nasser told the journalists.

Building boom

Among the developments here is the $40-billion Yas Island built to host the inaugural Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last month. - Juliet Labog-Javellana, Philippine Daily Inquirer, December 13, 2009

BSP projections aiding illegal recruiters — FAME

MANILA, Philippines — Recruitment agencies warned the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) against making statements about the expected rise in remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in countries where the Philippine government has been negotiating for more job opportunities for them.

The Federated Association of Manpower Exporters (Fame) said the repeated statements announcing new markets in New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Japan and Guam as possible sources of dollar remittances was just giving more information to illegal recruitment syndicates that entice jobless Filipinos with the promise of high wages.

“The BSP statements are often misleading and give the impression that there are new markets that are being tapped by the government such as Australia, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Taiwan and Guam,” Fame executive director Lito Soriano said in a statement.

He said that the BSP statements were mostly based on “old and repetitive” issuances by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

Soriano noted that the POEA had not approved any new job orders up to now for Guam and that actual mobilization for the construction of a US military base on the island might only start in July 2010.

To lighten Okinawa’s load, Tokyo and Washington have agreed to relocate about 8,000 US Marines from Okinawa to Guam by 2014, but the US military says the plan cannot move forward until a new base in northern Okinawa is finished.

Prior to their eventual transfer to Guam, the US Marines are to relocate from the Futenma Air Station in southern Okinawa to Camp Schwab on the northern side. The relocation was agreed to by Japan and the US in 2006 but was later put on hold.

As for Australia, New Zealand and Canada, Soriano said the “real” situation was that the three countries were in recession and job orders had completely stopped.

In East Asia, Soriano said the POEA deployed only 30 caregivers and nurses to Japan on Sept. 27 while the South Korea trainee deployment has not reached even 4,000 in 2009. Taiwan’s special hiring program has only deployed less than a thousand for 2008 compared to the private sector, which deployed more than 40,000 factory worker and caregivers.

“Those markets have dried up and only the Middle East countries of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Libya where over two million Filipinos are concentrated are steadily increasing remittances flows,” Soriano said.

The recruitment executive, however, warned that the over 200,000 OFWs in Dubai, the second biggest source of remittances this year, were likely to send less next year because of the emirate’s debt crisis.

The BSP earlier said that in the first three quarters of the year, OFWs sent home through banks a total of $12.789 billion, up $516.62 million or 4.21 percent from the $12.273 billion in the same period in 2008.

The decline in remittances from the US was offset by the $1.38 billion sent by OFWs in Canada and the $588 million from Japan, which, respectively, were 56- and 57-percent higher compared to last year. - By Jerome Aning, Philippine Daily Inquirer, December 13, 2009

OFW spouses accuse each other of murdering maid

MANILA, Philippines--A Filipino couple in Saudi Arabia have accused each other of killing their Filipino maid after a family squabble, and they are now in jail.

Their three children, ages 2, 3, and 5, are now the focus of government efforts, according to Foreign Affairs Undersecretary on Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban Conejos Jr.

He said the Philippine embassy in Riyadh has asked the Saudi authorities if it could take custody of the couple's minor children.

Conejos said his office has received reports of the couple's detention only December 8, and thus far, no charge has been filed against either of them.

It is unlikely that they would be beheaded today, three days after, as reported by the migrants group Migrante Friday in e-mail to media outfits.

The DFA is keeping all the names of the concerned individuals confidential.

According to an INQUIRER.net source in government, the maid was killed two years ago, but it has not been established who between the husband and wife was the perpetrator.

The spouses allegedly planned to dispose of the body in the desert but they changed their mind and instead chopped her up and buried her under the floor of their house.

The murder surfaced when the couple showed up at a Saudi police station pointing at each other as the murderer. Police went to their house and found the maid's body.

The maid had been missing for two years.- INQUIRER.net, December 11, 2009

Dubai OFWs in face of emirate’s credit crisis

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—With the repercussions of Dubai’s worst financial crisis still hanging thick in the air like lost secrets, life for most Filipinos working in this Middle Eastern cosmopolitan enclave goes on, their resilience hanging tough against yet another litmus test.

Christopher Benecio, a 30-year-old civil engineer from Roxas City, Panay came to Dubai November last year along with four other Filipino engineers. At the time, Dubai was already beginning to feel the effect of the global recession as companies started downsizing and retrenching in bulk.

By March the following year, all three of Benecio’s batch mates had already been terminated, with the first to lose his job in January.

Benecio has gone back to the Philippines, having left Dubai on December 5 this year on a paid vacation. But, he said, given the situation of his employer (Arif & Bintoak Consulting Architects and Engineers), he said he might opt to work for his previous employer, Megawide Construction in Makati, Metro Manila.

“We were getting fewer and fewer projects,” Benecio said, adding that Arif & Bintoak has resorted to implementing a one-month forced unpaid leave to cut cost. “If there was still no project after that period, it’s another forced leave or you can choose to be terminated,” he added. This, however, could not immediately be confirmed from company officials.

Prior to implementing a forced leave, the company cut down salaries of its employees by 10 percent and took away benefits, according to Benecio.

Moreover, he said, the situation at Arif & Bintoak is uncertain. “You don’t know when you’d finally get your notice of termination. It’s very difficult to work under that situation,” he said. “So why go back?”

Benecio did not divulge how much he was getting; he said he was able to save just enough to keep him and his family—a housewife and two children aged six and four—going during the transition to his old job when he returns home.

Benecio said he has submitted his resume to several companies in other countries and was awaiting reply.

Dubai’s construction sector was hardest hit by the global recession as the emirate’s real estate bubble burst. This being a result of what financial gurus said was the reckless and unsustainable lending practices arising from the deregulation and securitization of real estate mortgages in the United States. These mortgage-backed securities reinforced risky lending practices and, in the process, fed a global speculative real estate bubble.

Arif & Bintoak Consulting Architects and Engineers, which was established in 1975, has a portfolio that includes large-scale urban developments and had reported an annual project value of approximately $490 million.

Unlike Benecio, however, 58-year-old Alfredo Ranin, a former seaman who is now quality control officer at Wartsila Middle East and due to retire in 2011, said he’ll finish his remaining two years with the company and go home where, he said, work is also waiting for him. Home is Orion, Bataan, where his housewife, five children, and five grandchildren are.

Ranin, who has been in Dubai since 1992, said Wartsila UAE is “still busy” providing services to various ship owners, including commercial ones needing dry docking.
He said several fellow OFWs have left Wartsila UAE, apparently to dodge the effects of the ongoing crisis. “They have sought better employment opportunities at another Wartsila operation elsewhere or at a different company.”

“I’m staying. I’ll finish the two years then head home,” Ranin said.

Established in 1834 and headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, Wartsila manufactures large diesel and gas engines for ships and power generation companies. In 2008 its total workforce was 18,810 spread in several countries across the globe.

Twenty-four-year-old Katrina “Kate” Oquialda, for her part, first arrived in Dubai on March 29, 2008 on a visit visa. She found a job in June of that year as a sales merchandiser. She quit in December 2008. Failing to find a new job, she went home in March this year, and came back in August, again on a visit visa.

All in a month’s time upon her arrival, she found a job as a hotel receptionist, but resigned because she found a better-paying one as waitress at a beach bar, and then resigned again because the third one—cashier at a high-end candy and chocolate shop Candylicious—is “much, much better,” she said.

Candylicious is located in what has been hyped as the biggest mall in the world—Dubai Mall, a $20-billion project that has a wall-sized aquarium and about 1,200 shops. It opened in November last year.

Oquialda, whose family lives in Pasay, said it was tougher looking for a job in Dubai earlier this year when the effects of the global recession was at its height than it is in the past few months. “There were more job opportunities. In fact, I was able to find three in only a month’s time,” she said.

Upon her return to Dubai, Oquialda, obviously a risk-taker, had about $1,000, that, she said, her mother gave her, and which she used for the rent, utilities, and food during the time she was job-hunting. With the high cost of living in Dubai, $1,000 (or about 3,672) could only last for barely two months.

Oquialda said she’ll continue taking her chances in Dubai. “It’s a lot more difficult to find a job in the Philippines than it is here,” she said.

Arnel Sanchez, who holds a degree in accountancy with earned units in MBA and MPA arrived in Dubai on January1, 2009 to try his luck. He came on a spouse visa arranged by his wife, Mary Grace, an architect by profession working currently as senior designer at Josef Gartner GmbH-Dubai.

Sanchez was able to secure employment as purchase officer at a steel company in the Dubai Investment Park, a free trade zone, around August. He, however, quit after a month when a friend convinced him to transfer to another company which has a better offer; nothing came of it.

“I thought I would be able to move in to the new company, but nay. Now, I’m back looking for another job. That episode taught me a lesson—be contented with what you have,” he said, noting that in these trying Dubai times, the best way to go is stay where you are and weather it.

Sanchez said it’s difficult to look for a job that fits his mold. “They (prospective employers) ask for a driver’s license and ‘UAE experience,’” he explained.

Being a purchase officer, Sanchez needs mobility and, therefore, a driver’s license. It takes months in classroom lecture, driving lessons, and actual driving tests; and, at times, up to 10,000 dirhams (P130,000) to obtain a driver’s license in Dubai because of strict government measures.

Seldom does one pass an actual test on first try; it usually takes four to five attempts. A student who has failed is required to undergo lecture again before going through another actual test. The repeated lecture and actual test require another round of payments, which explains the prohibitive total cost.

Jobless as he is, Sanchez’s chances of getting a driver’s license is nil—he doesn’t have the money. Despite this, his hopes remain high. “Despite the challenges of the current economy here in Dubai and all over the world, I still don’t think it’s a bad time to be looking for a job. Demand is still high and good offers can be found at plenty of places,” he said, adding that he will also opt to apply for other jobs.

Josef Gartner GmbH—Dubai is part of the Gartner Group, which is headquartered in Germany and is engaged in steel and glass architectural structures with offices in 11 countries.

Sanchez and his wife have a five-year-old daughter staying with Sanchez’s parents in Davao.

According to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dubai has the most number of OFWs from among the country’s seven emirates.

The UAE, as of 2008 has 299,241 OFWs, of which 167,264 were in Dubai; 85,999 in Abu Dhabi; 28,856 in Sharjah; 9,824 in Raz al Khaima; 4,914 in Aj Man; 1,829 in Um al Qain, and 555 in Fujairah, according to MFA.

There were no immediately available official figures on the number of OFWs that have gone home due to the recession and Dubai’s debt woes.

On November 25, 2009, Dubai requested a freeze on debt repayments by its largest and most indebted group, Dubai World, liable for $59 billion. This sent shock waves in stock markets around the world as equities dropped and fears of a looming collapse of the emirate’s economy sprang forth.

This reporter had since repeatedly tried to reach Philippine Ambassador to UAE Grace Princesa, and Consul General Noel Servigon for their comments—but received no reply.- Jojo Dass, INQUIRER.net, December 13, 2009

Plan your estate before it's too late

Nothing is certain except death and taxes. In the Philippines, the inevitable burden of taxes cannot be more emphasized by the fact that estate tax even ensues at the time of death.

Estate tax is an excise tax on the right of transmitting the property of a deceased person to his legal heirs and beneficiaries. Under the Philippine Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 02-03, otherwise known as the Consolidated Revenue Regulations on Estate Tax and Donor’s Tax, “succession takes place upon the death of the decedent and the right of the State to tax the privilege to transmit the estate vests instantly upon death”. Thus, while House Bill No. 5602, which seeks to abolish the imposition of estate tax by repealing Title III, Chapter I, Sections 84 to 97 of the Philippine Tax Code, is not passed into law, the estate tax is indeed an inevitable burden to our heirs.

We’ve heard so many stories about grieving asset-rich (but not necessarily cash-rich) families getting the shock of their lives when they learn about the amount of estate tax that has to be paid to transfer their deceased relative’s property. In some cases, families with limited funds end up borrowing cash or selling properties and businesses to be able to settle the estate tax, including penalties and interest that arise when the tax is not paid within the prescribed period.

As we remember our loved ones who have passed away, it may be wise to start thinking of our own estate. Is it necessary to have an estate tax plan? Is it more tax-efficient to establish trusts and holding companies? To help you answer this question, it is best to know first your potential estate tax liability.

The Philippine Tax Code imposes estate tax at progressive rates ranging from five to 20 percent based on the decedent’s net estate, which is gross estate less allowable deductions. A decedent’s gross estate is comprised of the value of all his property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, wherever situated, including, among others, transfers in contemplation of death, revocable transfers, and transfers for insufficient consideration.

The following items are deductible from the gross estate:

1. Expenses, losses, indebtedness, and taxes

Included under this item are the following expenses:

a. Funeral expenses

This category refers to actual funeral expenses up to the time of interment, or an amount equal to five percent of the gross estate, whichever is lower, but not exceeding PhP 200,000. Expenses incurred after the interment and any portion of the funeral expenses shouldered by relatives and friends of the deceased are not deductible.

b. Judicial expenses of the testamentary or intestate proceedings

Expenses deductible under this category are those incurred during the settlement of the estate but not beyond the last day prescribed by law, or the extension thereof, for the filing of the estate tax return. The filing of the estate tax return and payment of the corresponding tax must be made within 6 months from the decedent’s death. In meritorious cases, an extension of time not exceeding 30 days may be granted for the filing of the estate tax return.

c. Claims against the estate

The term “claims” means debts or demands of pecuniary nature which could have been enforced against the deceased in his lifetime and could have been reduced to simple money judgments.

d. Claims against insolvent persons where the value of the decedent’s interest therein is included in the value of the gross estate

e. Unpaid mortgages, taxes and casualty losses

This category includes (i) unpaid mortgages upon property where the value of the decedent’s interest therein is included in the value of the gross estate, (ii) taxes that have accrued as of the death of the decedent which were unpaid as of the time of death, and (iii) losses incurred during the settlement of the estate arising from fires, storms, shipwreck, or other casualties, or from robbery, theft or embezzlement, when such losses are not compensated for by insurance or otherwise.

2. Property previously taxed

This deductible item is referred to as “vanishing deduction”, which is a deduction allowed for properties which were previously subject to donor’s or estate taxes. It is called such because the deduction allowed diminishes for a period of five years.

3. Transfers for public use

This refers to the amount of all bequests, legacies, devises or transfers to or for the use of the government, or any political subdivision thereof, exclusively for public purposes.

4. The family home

The current fair market value of the decedent’s family home is deductible only to the extent of P1,000,000. In order to be deductible, the family home must be the actual residential home of the decedent and his family at the time of his death, as certified by the barangay captain of the locality where the family home is situated and the total value of the family home must be included as part of the gross estate of the decedent.

5. Standard deduction of P1,000,000 without need of substantiation

6. Medical expenses

The amount of deductible medical expenses should not exceed P500,000. This item includes cost of medicines, hospital bills, doctors’ fee, etc. which were incurred within one year prior to the decedent’s death.

7. Amount of retirement benefits from the decedent’s employer as a consequence of the death of the decedent-employee, provided that the amount of the separation benefit is included as part of the gross estate of the decedent.

8. Share in the conjugal property

The amount deductible under this category is the net share of the surviving spouse in the conjugal partnership property after deducting the obligations chargeable to such property.

Except for the standard deduction of P1,000,000, the deductions from the gross estate must be duly substantiated in accordance with the provisions of the Tax Code and RR No. 02-03.

The resulting net estate shall be the basis for the computation of the estate tax in accordance with the following schedule:

Knowing your potential estate tax liability, you may start developing an estate plan that will legally minimize estate tax and protect your wealth for the benefit of your legal heirs and beneficiaries. Death and taxes are not only certain, but the possible convergence of their respective consequences may haunt our loved ones.

(Maria Myla S. Maralit is a Director for Tax & Corporate Services of Manabat Sanagustin & Co., CPAs, a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International, a Swiss cooperative.

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of KPMG in the Philippines. For comments or inquiries, please email mmaralit@kpmg.com or mmaralit@kpmg.com.ph)

KPMG CORNER By Maria Myla S. Maralit (The Philippine Star) Updated December 08, 2009 12:00 AM

Kidnap-prone Filipino seafarers keep remittances afloat at $2.5 billion

Amid the threat of kidnappings in the high seas, Filipino seafarers remitted a record $2.502 billion from January to September this year, the Trade Union of the Philippines (TUCP) said.

The increase in remittances is attributed to the rising enlistment of Filipinos in the world’s ships, TUCP secretary-general Ernesto Herrera said Tuesday.

“Foreign employers find Filipino sailors quick learners, and easier to train compared to other nationals," Herrera added.

According to him, several European and Asian shipping firms have disbanded their multinational crews to replace them with all-Filipino personnel.

Filipino seafarers from all major destination ports in the world have increased their remittances this year.

Remittances from Filipino seafarers in Norway soared by 110 percent to $229.551 from $109.079 million from the same period last year.

Filipinos from Japan also boosted their remittances 57 percent to $222.505 million from $141.886 million last year.

Double to triple-digit increases in remittances from Filipino seafarers were also recorded in the United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore, Greece, Cyprus, Netherlands, Denmark, Oman, Hong Kong and Sweden.

These developments offset the 24 percent drop in remittances from Filipino seafarers in the US, which experienced a slump in the economy since last year.

But even the TUCP admitted that the continued kidnapping of Filipino seafarers in the Horn of Africa is a great concern to them.

About 67 Filipino seafarers remain locked up by pirates on five vessels in Somalia, while one is in Nigeria.

The TUCP renewed its appeal to the International Maritime Organization and the shipowners to repel pirates and protect seafarers.

Filipinos make up a third of the world’s seafarers, making them the most visible nationality in the world’s ships as well as the most vulnerable to pirate abductions. Some 229,000 Filipino seafarers are on board the merchant shipping vessels around the world at any given time.

Filipino seafarers’ remittances accounted for 20 percent of the aggregate remittances from all overseas Filipino workers in the nine-month period. - JOSEPH HOLANDES UBALDE, GMANews.TV, December 08, 2009

No more mano-mano polls for Pinoys in HK, Singapore

After showing enthusiasm in the overseas absentee voting registrations, Filipinos in Hong Kong and Singapore will be the first to experience the automated polls in the upcoming 2010 national elections.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) agreed to spend P40 million to conduct the polls, after they signed a memorandum of agreement on the matter Friday.

At least 606,414 registered overseas absentee voters worldwide - including the 128,272 in Hong Kong and Singapore - are expected to participate in the overseas absentee voting from April 10 to May 10, 2010.

DFA Undersecretary for Special and Ocean Concerns Rafael Seguis and Comelec Commissioner signed the agreement at the DFA office in Pasay City.

Seguis chairs DFA-Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat (DFA-OAVS), while Velasco chairs the Comelec Committee in Overseas Absentee Voting.

According to Seguis, Hong Kong and Singapore were chosen because they are nearest to the Philippines, among other foreign service posts that obtained the highest number of registrants.

“It will be easier and will cost less to send technical people to Hong Kong and Singapore, than to Los Angeles or Dubai," Seguis added. “We expect speedy, transparent, and accurate count of votes in these posts."

Other than the Philippine posts in Hong Kong and Singapore, other embassies and consulates will continue to employ the traditional overseas absentee voting for the 2010 elections, such personal voting and voting by mail.

Under the MOA, DFA and Comelec will share the expenses in the conduct of the automated elections in Hong Kong and Singapore.

An estimated P40 million will be spent, to be equally funded by the two government agencies.

Seguis said the goal is to have automated election system in all Philippine Embassies and Consulates all over the world. - JHU, GMANews.TV, November 27, 2009

Filipino Migration to Hawaii: A Tale of Tears

HONOLULU — Hawaii is a popular destination not only for tourists but also for migrants, and not without reason. But for the forebears of the Filipinos there, who now comprise one of the biggest Asian ancestry group on the island, getting there and planting their feet there was far from being a walk in the park.

Filipinos migrated in waves to Hawaii beginning in the very first years of the 20th century, when the island was a newly annexed territory of the US. Hawaii’s economy then was dominated by the owners of big sugar plantations. “The first Filipinos in Hawaii were sacadas (seasonal farm workers),” said Cora Avinante, an immigration lawyer who is also an expert on the history of Filipino migration to Hawaii.

“During the heyday of the sugar plantations, they recruited workers from the Philippines, starting in 1906, particularly from the Ilocos Region and the Visayas,” said Felipe Tan, a Filipino who works with the City and County of Hawaii, in a separate interview.

Based on a series of articles written by Grace Mateo for the Philippine History Site (http://opmanong.ssc.hawaii.edu/filipino/index.html), a project funded with a grant from the Hawaii Center for the Humanities and co-sponsored by the Filipino-American Historical Society of Hawaii and the University of Hawaii (UH) Office of Multicultural Student Services, the recruitment of Filipinos to Hawaii was organized by the Hawaii Sugar Planters’ Association (HSPA).

The HSPA, founded in 1895, “was an unincorporated, voluntary organization of sugar plantation owners in the Hawaiian Islands,” Mateo writes. “ts objective was to promote the mutual benefits of its members and the development of the sugar industry in the islands. It conducted scientific studies and gathered accurate records about the sugar industry. The HSPA practiced paternalistic management. Plantation owners introduced welfare programs, sometimes out of concern for the workers, but oftentimes designed to suit their economic ends. Threats, coercion, and divide and rule tactics were employed, particularly to keep the workers ethnically segregated.

“The HSPA also actively campaigned to bring workers to Hawaii. For instance, they opened offices in Manila and Vigan, Ilocos Sur, to recruit Filipino workers and provide them free passage to Hawaii. Similarly, the HSPA became a powerful organization that its tentacles reached as far as Washington D.C. where it successfully lobbied for legislation and policies beneficial to the sugar industry of Hawaii.”

The labor recruiters for the HPSA went to the Philippines and set up recruitment centers in Vigan, Ilocos Sur and in Cebu.

In 1906, the first group of Filipino recruits – composed of 15 Tagalogs – went to Hawaii. Eventually, however, a great bulk of the succeeding waves of Filipino migrant workers would be recruited from the Ilocos Region and the Visayas.

By 1907, there were 150 Filipinos in Hawaii. The number would swell to 639 by 1909 and 2,915 by 1910. An estimated 3,000 Filipino workers went to Hawaii yearly from 1911 to 1920. By 1919, Filipino workers in Hawaii numbered 10,354 – by then the second biggest ethno-racial group of workers on the plantations, next only to the Japanese who numbered 24,791. By the 1930s, the Filipinos had replaced the Japanese as the biggest ethno-racial group of migrant workers on the island – this, despite a temporary slowdown in the arrivals of Filipino migrants in the early 1930s due to the onset of the Great Depression.

The Tydings-McDuffie Law, passed in 1935, created the Commonwealth Government in the Philippines and also limited Filipino migration to the US and its other annexed territories to 50 Filipinos a year. But the HSPA successfully lobbied before the US Congress for an exemption. Their members were thus assured of a steadily growing supply of Filipino labor until the outbreak of World War II.

During the war, many Filipinos were transferred from the plantations to the defense industry, as a result of which the sugar plantations suffered from a shortage of labor. Between the end of the war and the granting of Philippine “independence,” the plantations organized another major recruitment campaign, and over 7,000 Filipinos – known as Sacada ‘46 – went to Hawaii.

Hawaii became the 50th state of the US on Aug. 21, 1959. In 1965, the Immigration and Naturalization Act was passed, allowing for the influx of petitioned relatives of previous migrants, as well as of occupational migrants (professionals like nurses and teachers). Filipinos went to the US, including Hawaii, within this particular wave of migration – which continues to this day.

The Filipinos had to contend with racial discrimination, including by fellow Asians, in Hawaii as in the mainland US and in other US-annexed territories. They were willing to work for the lowest wages (and were actually paid the lowest wages among the different ethno-racial groups on the plantations, according to Mateo), and were thus perceived as taking jobs away from workers of different ancestry.

“In Hawaii the Filipinos were looked down upon because they were usually laborers at the plantations, and the totem pole there is the laborers are at the bottom, and at the top would be the manager, who would usually be some Portuguese guy – white but not really white,” Avinante said. “They eventually started employing some Japanese as managers.”

Today, Avinante says, many Filipinos in Hawaii bear the marks of their forebears’ sad experiences with racial discrimination. Not only that: they continue to contend with racial discrimination, albeit of the more subtle kind.

“There’s this thing where they don’t say it to your face, the other races, but they make you feel they’re better than you,” Avinante says. “And that is why a lot of Filipinos here, when you ask them, say, ‘Oh, I’m Spanish’, or ‘I’m German”, and so on, but also say they’re part-Filipino, like their grandfather was Filipino, or something to that effect.”

Today, Filipinos in Hawaii number an estimated 175,147 out of a total population of 1.29 million, based on the American Community Survey of 2008, and make up one of the largest Asian ethno-racial groups on the island. - By ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO
Migrant Watch-Bulatlat.com, PUBLISHED ON NOVEMBER 23, 2009