Ugnayan Ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance -National
Statement

The President’s Days Are Numbered
Filipino Youth in Canada Stand in militant support for the ousting of corrupt Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

March 6 , 2008

Ugnayan Ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance-National stand in solidarity with Youth and student organizations of the Youth ACT Now! Coalition who stand firm in their call for the ousting of President Arroyo. In her seven-year rule as President, Arroyo has built a regime with a steady dose of corruption, forced outmigration and terror mirroring the likes of Marcos’ dictatorial reign. Her time is at an end. It is time for a genuine change.

In Vancouver, Filipino’s now comprise the third  largest visible minority group, a statistic directly linked to Arroyo’s Labour Export Policy, which systematically ships over 1 million Filipinos overseas every year.  Canada is one of the primary destinations for the Filipino diaspora.  Migrant workers are some of the most exploited people in the world, yet the Arroyo regime does little to support their overseas workers given the fact that they remit approximately $14.7 billion a year.

In Canada the Live-in Caregiver Program separates families for an average of five years, or longer. When they are reunited here in Canada, they are re-united as strangers, and at the same time, youth have to adjust to a new environment with little or no support to integrate in this society.  Moreover the Philippine government has recently signed an agreement that streamlines Filipino temporary workers into the Canadian service sector.

 While the amount of remittances has continually risen, the government has turned a blind eye to the abuses perpetrated against their workers, the detrimental effects of divided families and the subjugation of women.  The example of the blatant inaction regarding the case of Nicole, a 22 year old gang raped by five US military officers, is proof of the Government’s reluctance to protect its own people especially women.

Since Arroyo’s ascension to power in 2001 her government has been involved in six major cases of corruption totaling 19 million USD which was promised to be used to benefit the millions of impoverished Filipinos through education and health services.  Instead, Arroyo and her backers have busied themselves with covering up numerous incidents of bribery and corruption, while at the same time continuing to plunder and concentrate the country’s resources into their hands.

Arroyo’s regime has also committed itself to the systematic assassination of more than 850 human rights workers lawyers, journalists, church workers, labour organizers, peasant leaders, and leaders of political organizations. Under Oplan Bantay Laya, (operation freedom watch) the Military and paramilitary groups have conducted operations in the name of anti-terrorism, with the sole purpose of quashing the growing movement to oust her presidency. Youth and student groups are also especially hard hit by this policy, in 2006 Chris Hugo, a 20-year-old senior Journalism Student from Bicol University and the regional coordinator and national council member of the League of Filipino Students (LFS), was shot dead a few blocks away from the University. In June 26, 2006 two human rights activists from the University of the Philippines, Karen Empeño and Sheryl Cadapan were kidnapped, reportedly forcibly taken by soldiers in Bulacan.

The government has long ago lost its legitimate right to govern the people.  The Arroyo regime is responsible for the worsening socio-economic conditions in the Philippines. Its policies are awash in the blood of the people.  The government’s efforts to cling to power will no longer be tolerated. It is time for change.
 
Oust the illegitimate president Arroyo!
Genuine Change NOW!

For more information please contact:
Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/the Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance - National
Email: ukpc_fcya@kalayaancentre.net, Telephone: 604.215.1103

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