...galing ng Pinoy

DFA cites OFWs contributions, PH achievements in int'l arena

abs-cbnNEWS.com

12/24/2010

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday admired the perseverance of overseas Filipino workers who continue to contribute to the growth of the Philippine economy.

“We pray for the safety and well-being of our beloved overseas Filipinos and their families. May all of your sacrifices in the name of family bring forth dreams fulfilled and a brighter future,” DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo said in his Yuletide message.

On the eve of Christmas, Romulo also expressed the DFA’s gratitude to the Foreign Service personnel in 94 Philippine embassies, consulates general and missions “who faithfully serve at the front lines of Philippine diplomacy and consular services.

Romulo also cited the many achievements that the Philippine government has made in the international arena.
He said the DFA participated in the following international fora where the country made great strides in advancing its interests:

* In New York for the 65th UN General Assembly, the 2nd ASEAN-US Leaders Meeting, the signing of the MCA Compact Agreement, pull-aside talks with President Obama, and bilateral meetings with Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore, as well as business meetings promising P2.7 billion worth of investments;
·         In Hanoi, Vietnam for a State Visit and the 17th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, where, among others, the ASEAN member-states adopted the President's proposal for an ASEAN Nautical Highway or an ASEAN Ro-Ro to promote further connectivity among the various ASEAN states and its peoples; and
 ·         In Yokohama, Japan for APEC 2010 where the President secured investment pledges worth $3.655B from three Japanese companies and mounted an appeal for the leveling of the playing field on the issuance of travel alerts.

He added that during President Benigno Aquino III’s first 100 days in office, he interceded for the lives of Filipinos facing death penalties in Malaysia and China.

“Under his guidance, government representations continue for the commutation of death penalty cases in the Middle East. Distressed OFWs in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jeddah, Maldives and Martinique have been repatriated in addition to seafarers rescued from Somali waters,” said Romulo. 

He added, “With all of these achievements of the Department this year, the Yuletide season brings with it more than the usual holiday cheer. We have every reason to keep the faith with the promise of a better country for our people”.

...growth prospect

PHL economy to surpass 2010 target — Paderanga

12/23/2010

The strong economic results the Philippines posted in the first half will drive the gross domestic product or GDP to grow beyond the 5-6 percent target this year, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano Paderanga Jr. said Thursday.

The economy will likely grow between 6 and 7 percent, Paderanga told reporters in a briefing.

With the residual effects of election-related spending and pump-priming efforts of the government early this year largely over, the seasonal Christmas spending will drive the economy during the last three months of the year and expand domestic output by at least 6 percent, according to Paderanga who is also the National Economic and Development Authority’s secretary-general.

This would help the economy to grow roughly 6.5 percent in 2010. "To get to 6.5 percent, you will need to grow by 6 percent in the fourth quarter. We expect fourth quarter growth to be at least 6 percent," he said.

While the government is keeping an optimistic outlook for 2011, saying it expects to achieve 7-8 percent in GDP terms, Paderanga thinks it would not be easy with the global economy showing signs of moderation.

"It would be easier to hit the target for 2010, because of election-related spending and robust recovery," he said.

To egg on the economy next year, government will review its policies with a view to luring more investments, Paderanga said.

The GDP, a measure of the value of goods and services, grew 7.3 percent in the first quarter, 7.9 percent in second quarter, and 6.5 percent in the third quarter.

From January to September, economic growth averaged 7.2 percent or above the full-year 2010 target of 5-6 percent set the Development Budget Coordination Committee, a Cabinet-level inter-agency body. — JE/VS, GMANews.TV

...target goal

Philippines expects to surpass 2010 GDP growth goal

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Posted at 12/23/2010

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) - The country will likely surpass its 2010 GDP growth target of 5% to 6%, with growth possibly hitting as much as 7%, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano Paderanga said on Thursday.

Paderanga said the government was also hopeful of achieving its growth goal of 7% to 8% next year despite some signs of moderation in the global economy.

The Philippine economy expanded by 6.5% in the third quarter of the year, below market expectations and slower than the growth in the second and first quarters of 8.2% and 7.8%, respectively.
Seasonally adjusted GDP contracted by 0.5% in the third quarter.

The National Economic Development Authority had said economic growth was expected to lose some strength as effects of government pump-priming and election spending early in the year have faded.
GDP growth for the first 9 months, however, averaged 7.5%, well above the full-year 2010 target. - With a report from Reuters

..opera goes pop

'Prince of Popera' is a Filipino

Don Tagala, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

 12/23/2010

MANHATTAN, New York - A Filipino singer is belting out popular pop music tunes in operatic style and drawing in fans of both genres.

Jonathan Badon is known as the “Prince of Popera”—a pop music performed in operatic style popularized by operatic singer like Josh Groban.

Like Groban, Badon, classically-trained Filipino artist, is bridging the gap between opera and pop.

“I mix pop and classical to reach out to the common people so that is more appealing kasi,” said Badon.

He is the son of Remedios Badon, a sarzuela singer in the 70s and the younger brother of Kelly Badon, a former guitarist of the band Side A.

Music lovers who hear Badon performs for the first time instantly become fans.

“I had a great time. I was really inspired tonight by the poetry, by the music," said Joshua Grant.
The multi-awarded artist is also known as the Best Global Filipino Performer for 2010.

Badon is in New York and New Jersey for a number of performances. He will head back to the Philippines in January to promote his Ilocano album, “Sika”.

...oppurtunity

PHL, Switzerland form group to promote job opportunities for OFWs

12/22/2010

GMAnews.TV

A Philippine-Swiss joint working group (JWG) has been formed to promote job opportunities in Switzerland for prospective overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the JWG was convened at the Swiss Federal Office of Migration (FOM) last December 16.

“The JWG will give particular attention to prospective hospital employers of Filipino nurses, whose entry into Switzerland as professional trainees is covered by the existing Philippine-Swiss trainee exchange agreement," the DFA said in its website.

According to the DFA, the JWG – an initiative of Philippine Ambassador Maria Theresa Lazaro, Labor Attaché Manuel Imson and the Swiss FOM officials – will seek to maximize the Philippine-Swiss Agreement on the exchange of trainees.

Consul Lilibeth Pono, Labor Attaché Imson and two FOM officials were appointed as member focal points of the JWG, while the Philippines Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the FOM were identified as agency focal points.

In forming the JWG, Philippine officials noted a minimal number of trainees who have so far availed of the exchange agreement.

The exchange agreement, signed in 2002, has provided for the deployment of 50 trainees per country per year, but according to the DFA, only about 20 trainees from the Philippines have been deployed to date.

“The low turnout may be attributed to the lack of awareness about the agreement by potential employers and trainees," it said.

In its first meeting, the JWG decided to review and streamline procedures for the hiring and deployment of trainees.

Also, it aimed to design a model trainee agreement acceptable to both the Philippines and Switzerland.

The group also decided to formulate an information dissemination and marketing plan to identify and attract prospective employers in Switzerland.

“The group has expressed optimism that upon the full operationalization of the Agreement, new windows of opportunity will be opened. These include the expansion of the quota on the number of trainees and the increased flexibility in the categories of skills of trainees to be qualified under the agreement," the DFA said. - Jerrie M. Abella/KBK, GMANews.TV

...perseverance and determination

Pinay int’l student tops class in San Francisco

By Henni Espinosa, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

12/22/2010

SAN FRANCISCO – Twenty-two-year old Mikhaelle Padilla Viernes is on top of the world — or at least at the top of her class.

Among the 300 students who graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences in the University of San Francisco last week, Viernes emerged as the summa cum laude.

Only the top 2% of the class receive this highest honor.

“I’m honored. I worked really hard and I feel successful in the endeavors I took — despite the hardships. I’m happy and I feel blessed,” said Viernes.

Viernes was an international student from the Philippines. In 2008, Viernes left behind her family and friends in the Philippines to study Applied Economics in the US. She received her F1 or student visa.

“Considering that the US is a first world country, I was hoping to learn valuable economic lessons that I could someday use to help the Philippines,” she said.

But her first few months in the US were not easy.

“I felt like an outsider coming in. But then after awhile, I got used to it. I got to know other people,” she said.

She also knew that not everyone is given the chance to study abroad, and so she persevered.
USF professor Sunny Wong said, “She’s really hardworking, very smart as well.  She always tries to do her best by studying hard.”

Viernes is just among the 700,000 international students who enrolled in US schools last school year. These foreign students pay top dollars — investing about $200,000 for a four-year course.

Viernes’ mother, Pearl, said their sacrifices are worth it. She said, “We are so proud of her not only as a child, but also a Filipina who is at the top of her class.”

Even with the tough economy, Viernes said she’s determined to land a good job.

She said, “Hopefully, I find a job in finance because that’s what I want to do for now.  I’ll just have to start looking for work and we’ll see how I can go from there.”

Viernes, who is now on an Optional Practical Training (OPT) visa, can work anywhere in the US for a year until she can find an employer who can sponsor her for a work visa. Balitang America

...the economy that was and is to come

Politics, foreign funds jump-start PHL economy

VICTOR D. SOLLORANO, GMANews.TV

12/212010

 

Two incendiary changes this year helped jump-start the Philippine economy — down but not out — as it reeled from the global financial meltdown that began in the US in 2007.

The most obvious was the changing of the guard in Malacañang, with then President and now Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, completing her nine-year rule.

President-elect Benigno Aquino III and his Cabinet came in as a breath of fresh air and a band of purported idealists. But idealism alone cannot rescue hostages.

In the aftermath of the Aug. 23 hostage-taking incident, Sen. Joker Arroyo branded them the student council in Malacañang.

Analyn Perez, GMANews.TV

While he wasn’t purely a political novice to the core, Aquino’s record as a representative and a senator was clearly unblemished for having achieved hardly anything during his cameral term.

In his inaugural speech on June 30, 2010, Aquino vowed to stamp out corruption, follow the straight and narrow path, and spur the economy that nearly gave in to the shocks of the financial crisis that spurred a global recession to which the world’s largest and strongest market economies in Asia, America, and Europe had succumbed.

He promised to curtail government spending, with the national coffers nearly broke and a gapping deficit of P325 billion equivalent to 3.9 percent of the economy in GDP or gross domestic product terms.

There was a kind of euphoria in response to the pronouncements of the 51-year-old bachelor from Tarlac and Quezon City.

At least, he wasn’t merely ranting but staying true to his word when it came to his vows to eschew the wangwang and counterflow that for many Filipinos came to symbolize the arrogance of power under the Arroyo and previous administrations.

Impact of the May 10 polls

For many of the 90 million or so Filipinos, he was becoming a symbol of hope, a harbinger of change.

The impact of the May 10 elections that brought PNoy to Malacañang was reflected by the stock market the very next day. The Philippine Stock Exchange index or PSEi surged 120.87 points to 3,262.95, a 3.85-percent gain that was the biggest for the measure in nearly nine months.

“First, finally elections are over," Astro del Castillo, managing director of stock brokerage First Grade Holdings Inc., told GMANews.TV at that time. “That’s one less headache for us. And it has been peaceful and orderly."

There was a clear mandate for PNoy, lending a semblance of political stability, popular support, and business confidence.

The timing augured well for the Philippines, whose agriculture sector had just been devastated by a prolonged drought from the El Niño phenomenon and a series of typhoons, mostly in the main island of Luzon.

Plus, the export sector was nearly annihilated as overseas customers whose economies were down on their knees lost the capacity to place their usual orders. Many Philippine companies instituted drastic cuts in working hours to curtail operating expenses, a lesser evil compared to a total retrenchment.

The missing ingredient

The other shift was in the direction of foreign investments.

As the US economy continues to falter on its way to recovery and the euro debt crisis continues to raze Europe’s market economies, those magic words — political stability, popular support, business confidence — convey a kind of magic to foreign and domestic fund managers.

The missing ingredient in the form of solid macroeconomic numbers, however, was not yet there. It arrived 17 days after the May 10 elections, and just over a month before Aquino was to deliver his inaugural address in taking the helm of government.

Its harbinger was the National Statistical Coordination Board or NSCB, reporting on May 27 that the Philippine economy in GDP terms grew 7.3 percent during the first three months of the year.

A quarterly comparison of the Philippines' GDP. Source: NSCB. Graphics: Einstein Rojas, GMANews.TV

Considering the economy was almost stunted at 0.5-percent growth in the same quarter a year earlier, and with most of the world economies still suffering from the impact of the depression, it was hailed as a surprising rebound for the Southeast Asian nation’s economy.

The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), a Cabinet department, earlier projected the economy was likely to grow between 2.9 percent and 3.9 percent in the first quarter of 2010.

It was not a result of Aquino winning the presidency but a confluence of the global economy slowly recovering from the depression, business and consumer confidence encouraged by the impending change, and the most obvious: election-related spending.

The flow of goods and services has stirred growth this way, as explained by NSCB director-general Augusto B. Santos: "The economic growth in the first quarter of 2010 translated to an increase in employment of almost two million (1,730,000). Employment creation was seen more on services, followed by industry."

He also did not miss the point that the Philippine economy is primarily consumer-led, the kind that depends a lot on the money sent by overseas Filipino workers to their families back home — obviously, as local salaries based on the mandated P485-a-day, minus taxes and other deductions, simply pack little spending power.

“The continued strong inflows of remittances and the increase in employment particularly in services both fueled consumption," Santos said in reporting on the first quarter GDP.

The first quarter GDP results were not about the impact of Aquino but the macroeconomic fundamentals that fund managers had been waiting for to cue them in.

Money from abroad deluged the stock market, pushing the PSEi to break its own record highs.

The chief market strategist of BDO Universal Bank, Jonathan Ravelas, told GMANews.TV on June 3 the market was still riding on the positive impetus of the 7.3-percent growth in the gross domestic product for the first quarter, with investors expecting the economic conditions to have a compelling impact on corporate earnings.

He was speaking on the day the PSEi rose 65.67 points, or 1.99 percent, to close at 3,355.23.

World Bank warns vs risks

With foreign funds obviously stirring up equities markets not only in the Philippines but also in East Asia as a whole, where economic prospects hold more promise than in the US and Europe, World Bank economists raised their forecast to 8.9 percent from 8.7 percent for the region.

"The economic recovery in East Asia and the Pacific is robust, but attention must now turn to managing emerging risks which may pose challenges to macroeconomic stability," the multilateral lender said in its outlook for East Asian economies, excluding Japan.

Asia's rebound has attracted an influx of capital that is pushing up the value of some currencies, which might hurt exports. Some governments have intervened in foreign exchange markets to slow the rise of their currencies, raising fears of a potential "currency war" that might disrupt trade and growth, the Associated Press reported on Oct. 19, citing the WB outlook.

In such a situation, the bank called on East Asian countries to control such risks with a common approach so as not to derail the export sector’s recovery. [See Exports, OFW money to boost peso, foreign banks say]

The flow of money into East Asia also threatens the regions’ banks as borrowers might in the end bear the cost of servicing such huge sums of capital, increasing the likelihood of non-payment of loans, according to the bank.

Manix Abrera, GMANews.TV

Cheap imports, more consumption

Despite the concerns raised by WB on currencies, LaidTrades.com analyst Ron Alcoba saw things in a different light, the peso in particular.

“One main factor that is affecting the peso exchange rate is the level of remittance (dollars) from abroad that is sent back to the country. For those who do not know, about 11 percent of the country’s gross domestic product or simply total output comes from the money sent home by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs)," according to Alcoba’s analysis on the global equities and foreign exchange forum online.

In a separate commentary, Alcoba said the Philippines “is not an export-based country so even if the country’s export sector gets negatively affected, it would not reflect badly on its overall output."

A stronger peso would make imports cheaper and encourage more consumption, at the same time allowing Philippine “companies to better access and purchase technology that were once scarce, making the processes of local industries more efficient," the LaidTrades analyst explained.

OFWs sent home $15.456 billion in the first 10 months of the year, up 7.9 percent from $14.231 billion a year earlier, according to the Bangko Sentral.

The money sent home by OFWs totaled $1.673 billion in October, a new monthly record signaling the advent of money transfers for the Christmas season, the central bank said in a report on remittances.

“Christmas is very much celebrated in the Philippines since more than 90 percent of its population are Catholic. Christmas shopping and giving gifts to family and friends have always been an indelible part of Filipinos’ culture," said Alcoba.

With that kind of tradition at play, “remittances from abroad will surely soar during the holiday season… More money spent would then benefit the individual businesses and the whole economy in general which would likewise reflect on the currency (peso)," according to Alcoba.

“Moreover, improved consumer sentiment during this season would lead investors towards the higher yielding assets and away from the US dollar. Such would also indirectly benefit the peso exchange rate," he added. — HS, GMANews.TV

...literary masterpiece

Pinay author in longlist for Man Asian Literary Prize

12/21/2010

 

Author Cris Yabes at the Turtle Islands in Tawi - Tawi.

Filipina writer Criselda Yabes has made it to the longlist of the prestigious Man Asian Literary Prize 2010 for her first fiction novel Below the Crying Mountain.

She is the lone Filipino among the 10 contenders that include Nobel Prize for Literature winner Kenzaburo Oe, who wrote The Changeling. The others in the longlist are:

Three Sisters by Bi Feiyu
Way to Go by Upamanyu Chatterjee
Dahanu Road by Anosh Irani
Serious Men by Manu Joseph
The Thing About Thugs by Tabish Khair
Tiger Hills by Sarita Mandanna
Hotel Iris by Yoko Ogawa
Monkey-man by Usha K.R.

Now on its fourth year, the Man Asian Literary Prize is an annual award that recognizes the best novels by Asian writers and carries a cash prize of US$30,000.

A shortlist of five novels will be announced in February 2011 and the winner will be announced during awarding ceremonies on March 17. This year's judges are British writer Monica Ali, Harvard University professor Homi Bhabha, and Malaysian novelist Hsu-Ming Teo.

Yabes is a journalism graduate of the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman and has worked for several international news agencies. In 2008, Below the Crying Mountain won the UP Centennial Literary Prize for fiction in English.

The Man Asian Literary Prize website described her book as follows:

In Below the Crying Mountain the Moro rebellion that broke out in Sulu in the 1970s and that continues to wound the nation is seen vividly through the lives of the mestiza Rosy Wright, the Tausug girl Nahla, the rebel leader Prof. Hassan, the soldier Capt. Rodolfo as well as in the quest of the book’s narrator. The personal is political as war fuels the clash of emotions, histories, and cultures.

Among the five published books of Yabes are Sarena’s Story: The Loss of a Kingdom, which won the UP Centennial Literary Prize for Creative Non-Fiction.

Yabes lived in Paris for several years before returning to Manila in 2006. An excerpt from her latest book on Mindanao scheduled for publication next year was recently featured in the series of articles on the Ampatuan massacre anniversary on GMANews.TV, where she is an occasional contributor. - Jayme Gatbonton/YA, GMANews.TV

...the youth power

Alcala bags Singapore Youth crown

Manila Bulletin - Monday, December 20

 

MANILA, Philippines - Malvinne Ann Alcala capped her remarkable campaign in the Singapore Youth International Badminton Championships 2010 by beating local bet Xiaoyu Liang, 21-15, 21-18, to rule the girls' Under-17 crown at the Yio Chu Kang Sports Hall last Sunday in Singapore.

The 15-year-old Alcala got off to a hot start then held off the rallying Liang in the second set with a steady game to pull off the 37-minute victory before a dejected hometown crowd. "It was tough but I really gave my best shot to win this one," said Alcala, who reached the main draw of the tough Hong Kong Super Series last week. "This win only proved that we can be at par with the best."

The victory came on the heels of her 21-16, 21-19 triumph over Indonesian Febtria Adistra Ratoputri in the semifinal round. She earlier beat Nastasia Kristiani Patricia, 21-4, 21-7, then booted out another Indonesian, Uzchi, 21-8, 21-13, before downing Wing Yung Ng of Hong Kong, 21-11, 21-13, in the quarters.

The top-seeded Alcala's latest triumph also made her the player to beat in the Ming Ramos-Victor National Open, Youth and Corporate Badminton Championships unfolding Dec. 27 at Club 650 and PSC Badminton Hall. Registration for the Ming's-Victor Cup is ongoing, according to the organizing Philippine Badminton Association.

"This win is also a big boost for Phl badminton. I will continue to strive hard and train to bring more honors to the country," said Alcala, who also cited PBA president Amelita "Ming" Ramos for providing and supporting the Filipino players' campaigns abroad.

Alcala's title romp also averted a shutout for the Filipino campaigners who reached the semis in the other age-group divisions but lost their bids and settled for bronze medals.

...pambansang kamao

Pacquiao named for 'Boxer of Decade' award

December 20, 2010

mb.com.ph

The Pambansang Kamao in Action. The punch that Margarito never forgets.

MANILA, Philippines — Manny Pacquiao heads a cast of champions nominated by the World Boxing Council (WBC) for the coveted Boxer of the Decade (2001-2010) award.

Also vying for the award are Americans Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko, Mexican Erik Morales and Thai Pongsaklek Wonjongkam.

Pacquiao was also nominated for the Boxer of the Year award, alongside Argentinian Sergio Martinez and Canadian Jean Pascal.

The WBC, headed by Jose Sulaiman, said the winners of the awards will be announced by the end of the year.

The past ten years have been amazing and memorable for Pacquiao, who fought a total of 19 times on US soil, winning 16 (12 by KOs), drawing twice and losing only once.

Since his electrifying American debut in June 2001, Pacquiao has been in the ring with the crème dela crème of prizefighting, racking up victories over the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez.

This year alone, Pacquiao chalked up two impressive wins over much bigger men: Joshua Clottey of Ghana and Antonio Margarito of Mexico.

In 2011, Pacquiao is booked to surface possibly against Shane Mosley in a welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas after a year-long absence.

Through the years, Pacquiao has received award from almost every award-giving body.

The 32-year-old Pacquiao, regarded as the current pound-for-pound king, has won the Fighter of the Year award from the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) three times, the same number of times The Ring magazine also named him for the same award.

The BWAA also named Pacquiao The Fighter of the Decade aside from being recognized by sports publications as the world’s premier puncher.

...sustainability

Philexport sees sustained export growth in 2011

By EDU LOPEZ

mb.com.ph

December 19, 2010

The Philippine Exporters Confederation (Philexport) is confident that the export sector's strong recovery this year would be sustained in 2011.

Philexport forecasts that export earnings would hit $50 billion by the end of 2010 compared to last year's level of $38.4 billion.

Total export sales from January to September 2010 already reached $38.298 billion, led by the electronic products.

Philexport president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. told a recent Philexport general membership meeting that the foreign exchange rate may not affect this year's revenue forecast, citing the peso's depreciation to P44 despite the influx of dollar remittances sent by the overseas Filipino workers for their families during the Christmas holidays.

The peso closed at P44.15 to the US dollar on Thursday from previous day's P43.94. The high growth path may no longer come from Philippine traditional trading partners, said Ortiz-Luis.

He said that exports to the United States and Europe continued to decline until September this year, an indication that economies of these countries have not fully recovered.

In contrast, sales to the ASEAN trade bloc have accounted for 30 percent of total. And for the whole of East Asia, Philippine exports already represents close to half of all exports at 41 percent, he added.
Ortiz-Luis sees bright market prospects in Asia, particularly China and India.

"China and India alone have a combined population of 2.5 billion people, millions of them getting more prosperous each day. We need to find out what we can produce in abundance that the Chinese and Indians may want to buy," he said.

The government is helping industry players open and expand markets with these two huge markets as well as with other new trading partners like New Zealand and Australia.

"This new decade, more Asian countries are riding on the crest of the third and perhaps final wave of rapid development in the rest of Asia. We now know where we are going and must move in concert now and get there."

Ortiz-Luis said the aggressive push in opening up new markets with the country's trading partners in Asia plus the market for halal food in the Middle East was specifically spelled out in the new Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP).

The PEDP for the years 2011 to 2013 is now being fine tuned in time for implementation starting next month.
Apart from this initiative, another new strategy that has been added in the plan is the strengthening of the value chain.

This is through new investments and long-term partnerships for each of the export industries, particularly those that use indigenous raw materials like food processing, furniture, handicrafts, fine and fashion jewelry and Christmas décor.

...fighting for what is right

Filipina caregivers win $70K-plus in back wages

By Cesar Nucum Jr.
INQUIRER.net
12/19/2010

SAN FRANCISCO, California, United States—Two Filipino homecare workers reached a settlement over unpaid wages with which they will be paid over $70,000 in unpaid wages and penalties by their employer.

The Filipino Community Center (FCC) and the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns in Northern California (NAFCON-NorCal) made the announcement December 17.

Victoria Aquino was handed a check representing part of the $60,000 due her in back wages and restitution, while Lourdes Aquino was given a check payment for her full claim of $11,000. The checks were presented by their lawyer Marci Seville, who is also director of the Women’s Employment Rights Clinic (WERC), a nonprofit organization helping abused caregivers.

“This community and worker victory is a landmark case among the thousands of Filipino migrant workers leaving the Philippines every day in search of work abroad, many ending up right here in the US as caregivers,” said Terrence Valen, FCC director. “We are inspired by Tita Vicky and Tita Lourdes standing up and fighting for their right to a fair wage. FCC and NAFCON-NorCal will continue to work with them and thousands of others facing similar workplace rights violations.”

The case of Aquino and Torres underscores the widespread exploitation occurring in the caregiver industry.
Aquino and Torres worked as live-in caregivers, on call 24 hours a day, solely responsible for six patients at Parks Family Rest Home. They toiled 14 or more hours per day without being paid the required San Francisco minimum wage and overtime pay, or receiving legally required meal periods.

Aquino told FilAm Star she started working for Parks Home in 2007 when she was already over 60 years old at the time, worked 7 days a week, singlehandedly and lovingly caring for six elderly and disabled patients, cooking every meal, cleaning, sorting and dispensing of up to 14 medicines per patient, doing laundry, and helping to maintain the three-story care home facility. At times, some patients hurt her physically.

“When I went to the Philippine Consulate in 2008 to check on my passport, I saw a brochure of the Office of Labor and Standard Enforcement (OLSE) and after being told by employees of the consulates what OLSE does, I went to their office where I was attended to right away and was made to sign a complaint,” recounted Aquino who is from Sta. Ana, Manila and a legal immigrant.

Aquino added that the OLSE immediately investigated the care home after she reported every shortcoming of her employer, to include coercing her to sign incomplete employment papers.

“The owner was so alarmed by the complaint I filed that a reliever was hired right away,” she said. “But that did stop us from still working long hours from 6 a.m. to late in the evening, and was then on call all night for patient needs.”

The reliever turned out to be Torres who shared the grief suffered by Aquino and later on decided to file her own complaint as well.

The women also sought help and found the support of the FCC and WERC at Golden Gate University School of Law. Together, the FCC and WERC built a growing campaign to support Filipino caregivers and their workplace rights. Aquino and Torres won an initial victory in April 2010, when their workday was reduced from over 14 hours to 8 hours per day, but without any reduction in pay.

While happy that their efforts paid off in the end, Aquino and Torres reminded every one of the lessons learned from their ordeal.

“I hope that owners of care homes, especially those owned by Filipinos, will no longer violate the laws and cause sufferings on fellow Filipinos,” said Aquino to FilAm Star. “I urge them not to shortchange their caregivers and not abuse them by making them work like a horse.”

Torres, on the other hand, urged fellow workers in the industry to speak out when needed.
“Do not be afraid to let your voice be heard. This is the only way to make the abusive employers pay their employees the right salaries and treat them right,” Torres asserted.