By The SUN
 |
| CG Raly shows he's a friend of migrants when he got out of the Consulate to personally accept their petition |
Consul General Raly Tejada has told various Filipino migrant
groups in Hong Kong that the Consulate will relay to the government in Manila
all their concerns and complaints.
Congen Tejada gave this assurance as he went out of the Consulate building to personally met and spoke with about 200 migrant
leaders who gathered at a rally outside the Consulate in Admiralty on Dec 15
held to oppose the new mandatory fees being collected from OFWs by the
government.
These are the forced SSS membership of up to Php2,400 a
month, PhilHealth contribution of Php3,600 per year, and insurance of about
Php7,300 per two-year contract.
“Naintindihan ko po ang inyong mga hinaing, nag-uusap naman
kami ni Dolo (tungkol sa) lahat ng inyong hinaing, lahat ng inyong mga
kahilingan,” Tejada said, urging each side to keep communication lines open.
“Lagi po tayong mag-uusap, lagi tayong mag-i-engage with
each other, hindi tayo kailangang mag-aaway dahil pareho naman tayo ng gusto
para sa lahat, ang magkaroon ng mapayapa, mabuting kalagayan,” Tejada said.
The consul general received from the migrant workers a
petition signed by more than 3,000 OFWs calling for the scrapping of the new or
increased fees.
United Filipinos in Hong Kong
chair Dolores Balladares, one of the leaders of the coalition called Rise
Against Government Exaction, or Rage, said the workers should be having
Christmas parties but were at the rally to protest the excessive exactions.
Balladares said that altogether, the mandatory fees and
contributions eat up more than Php4,000 of the OFW’s monthly income so the workers
must oppose them. If not, the Duterte government could impose more of
them.
 |
| Protesters aren't happy with the government's Christmas 'gift' to them |
The signature campaign was launched in October by Rage and
brought together migrant groups concerned about the various fees and taxes
imposed by the Duterte government.
Congen Tejada said he cared for all Filipinos here, big or
small, and urged the migrant workers to stay safe and vigilant for all that is
happening in Hong Kong these days.
Tejada said some people in Manila
are suggesting a recall of all Filipino workers in Hong
Kong but he explained that the workers are safe and that they have
good work here.
“Noong nakausap ko si Chief Executive Carrie Lam, sinabi ko
sa kanya na hindi pababayaan ng mga Pilipino ang Hong Kong,
tayo ay patuloy na magtatrabaho rito lalo na ngayong panahon ng kanilang
pangangailangan,” Tejada said.
Other speakers represented coalition members such as Global
Alliance, Philippine Alliance, Filipino Migrant Workers Union, United
Pangasinan Hong Kong, Cordillera Alliance, Abra Tinguian Ilocano Society, Association
of Concerned Filipinos in Hong Kong, Unifil
and Bayan Hong Kong & Macau chapter.
Fiery speaker Josie Pingkihan of Cordillera Alliance gained
cheers when she said those behind the continuous “kotong” on OFWs should be
removed from their posts, and called for the abolition of all the mandatory
fees and contributions.
---
I-try mo ito, Kabayan: Kung interesado kang ma-contact ang mga advertiser namin dito, pindutin lang ang kanilang ad, at lalabas ang auto-dialer. Pindutin ulit upang tumawag. Hindi na kailangang pindutin ang mga numero.
