Message of Solidarity to Migrante International on Celebrating 20 Years of Struggle and Service

As a compatriot and chairperson of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS), I am happy to extend solidarity to Migrante International in celebrating its 20th year of struggle and service to migrant workers and their families. I greet all its chapters outside and inside the Philippines.

I am grateful for the launch of the JMS Academy. This is a great honor. I am hopeful that many migrant workers would be able to study and train in this Academy and grasp the situation of the Philippines and the world and excel in raising the consciousness, organization and mobilization of migrant workers and their families.

It is correct and appropriate to celebrate the 20 years of struggle and service of Migrante International. We must expose and oppose the four-decade bankruptcy of the labor export policy and other neoliberal attacks against Filipino workers inside and outside the country. We must boldly expand ranks of migrants and their families in order to advance the struggle for national democracy.

The current situation is favorable for uniting the widest range of the sector for our national-democratic aspirations. The issues of the sector, including the issues and mass struggles of the Filipino workers inside and abroad are intensifying. The ground is more fertile for advancing the struggle through campaigns and mass actions. Thus, bigger victories would be won and the struggle for genuine change would be advanced.

Since assuming the presidency, Duterte has uttered daring words that he is the first Left president, that he would fight for the rights of the people and the workers and change national and social conditions. But no steps have been taken to realize the promises of national industrialization, genuine land reform, improvement of wages, increase in employment and respect for people’s rights. The new regime is still unable to show any measure to stop forced migration and family separation.

Duterte’s “war against drugs,” Oplan Tokhang, is the most infamous of his policies. The principal targets are neither the big drug lords nor their accomplices among officers from the level of generals and governors and higher but suspected street pushers and addicts and poor urban communities. Thousands of these pitiful people have been killed. Even in the countryside, Oplan Tokhang is being used as a pretext for the military to encroach on the territories of the people’s revolutionary government and sow terror among the peasants, communities and people.

Until now, the Duterte regime has no clear and solid actions regarding “endo,” wage increase, agrarian reform and social services. The president makes daily pronouncements withdrawing his uttered promises. The scandal of thousands and thousands of Filipino overseas workers being harassed in Saudi Arabia and the inability of the new regime to help them in any way cannot be covered up.

Even amidst the intensifying world crisis of capitalism, migration restrictions and expanding wars, the number of our compatriots being forced to leave the country is increasing due to lack of regular employment and sufficient wages in the Philippines. Duterte’s bureaucracy has done nothing to develop the economy. It has merely continued the neoliberal policies pursued by Aquino.

Corruption continues in government. Bureaucrats profit by conniving with the imperialists, big compradors and landlords. It is not surprising that Aquino, Butch Abad and other yellow leaders are still free despite the fact that they are the ringleaders of massive corruption. Until now, Duterte has no clear and stable program to develop the economy through national industrialization and genuine agrarian reform.

While Aquino and Arroyo are free despite the gravity of their crime of corruption, more than 400 political prisoners remain in prison even if the people have widely petitioned for their release. The Duterte regime insists that it would free the prisoners if the NDFP agrees to an indefinite bilateral ceasefire agreement which is a sign of surrender, pacification and negation of the agreed substantive agenda of the peace talks.

Even while a unilateral ceasefire is in place, the military continues to trespass on and occupy Lumad and other communities, harass, arrest and file trumped-up criminal charges against activists. These are part of the AFP and PNP’s violation of the unilateral ceasefire and in pursuit of Oplan Bayanihan. It is malicious to continue Oplan Bayanihan which was earlier imposed and implemented by the US on the Aquino regime.

However, we wish to indicate to the Duterte regime that the NDFP genuinely desires a just and lasting peace, the release of political prisoners through amnesty, a bilateral ceasefire agreement, an agreement on national industrialization and genuine agrarian reform and a federal system as long as it will end political dynasties and provide adequate resources for the planned development of the economy.

The Duterte regime must continue to be challenged to end neoliberal policy for the development of a sovereign economy and the conservation of national patrimony and achieve an independent foreign policy. Unequal agreements such as the Mutual Defense Pact, VFA and EDCA must be abrogated. Balikatan exercises and provocations in neighboring countries must cease.

We must continue to challenge the Duterte regime to make true its pronouncement to stop the labor export policy (LEP) during its term. Expose LEP bankruptcy over the past four decades. Scrap laws and anti-migrant policies—RA 8042, which was amended by RA 10022, OWWA Charter Law, extortion from migrants, budget cuts for services and others implemented by DFA, DOLE, POEA and OWWA agencies. Out a stop to the growing number of cases of distressed OFWs whose human rights are being violated.

We in the ILPS have great confidence that you will be able to fulfill all the tasks to expand and consolidate Migrante International. We wish you success in fulfilling the 11 points you have set in the conduct of your actions and struggles for the immediate and long-term interest of the migrant workers and their families. Eventually, Filipino workers should be able to work in the Philippines with their families and their countrymen because a developing and prosperous economy will be existing within the framework of the new democratic system.

Long live Migrante International!

Long live the migrant workers and their families!

Long live the Filipino people!