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At least 5,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong have
committed to participate in the “No Remittance Day” campaign
scheduled on April 6.
It is the second time this action is being done
in Hong Kong.
Some 2,000 from different OFW groups are also
joining the protest rally on Sunday (March 30) at the Grand Hyatt
Hotel where President Arroyo is scheduled to speak before
representatives of the Filipino community.
Gloria Step Down Movement–HK (GSM-HK)
spokesman Eman Villanueva said in a statement that the group has so
far collected 5,000 signatures in the former British Crown Colony as
of March 23 from the five posts they have set up on Charter Road,
Worldwide House, Charter Garden, Hong Kong Bank, and Garden Road.
The “No Remittance Day” campaign was
conceived in February to encourage migrant Filipinos to stop sending
money to the Philippines on certain days of each month as a form of
protest against the Arroyo administration that it accuses of
neglecting the plight of OFWs.
The first “No Remittance Day” in Hong Kong
was on March 2, the first Sunday of the month when most OFWs remit
their salary. Affiliates of the militant Migrante International in
many countries followed this act on March 8, coinciding with the
worldwide observance of International Women’s Day.
GSM-HK also reported that other migrant
workers’ groups in Hong Kong helped make the rounds to gather
signatures.
“If the response of OFWs in the sign- up day
is any indication, (Mrs. Arroyo) will face the wrath of OFWs who
have had enough of her plunder, lies, irresponsibility and
neglect,” Villanueva said.
Among the groups supporting GSM-HK are United
Filipinos in Hong Kong (Unifil-Migrante), United Pangasinan,
Cordillera Alliance, Abra Tinguian Ilocano Society, and the Filipino
Migrant Workers’ Union.
Earlier this month, GSM-HK urged OFWs to snub
any activity involving the President’s visit to show their dismay
over her administration.
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