Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants

A study on Filipino foreign domestic workers in global cities, entitled "Globalization, Labor Export and Resistance" has come out as a book recently in the US. Written by Prof. Ligaya Lindio-McGovern and published by Routledge, the volume "examines the aggressive implementation of neoliberal policies of globalization in the Philippines, and how labor export has become a contradictory feature of the country's international political economy while being contested from below."

Again, caught with its pants down. The Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants, a migrant-serving group based in Hong Kong scored the Philippine government over reported political backlash to Filipino workers in and bound to Taiwan of its decision to deport 14 Taiwanese nationals to Mainland China. “When the news broke out in Taiwan, there have been calls echoed in the local media in Taiwan for President Ma Ying-jeou to conduct stiffer political actions against the move such as freezing the importation of Filipino workers. Recent developments have shown that such is the case even if there is no formal announcement…

“While the new minimum wage is a welcome news, the exclusion of almost half of foreign workers in Taiwan who are caregivers or work in households makes it discriminatory and unjust.” This was declared today by Joram Calimutan, program coordinator, of the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM), a regional migrant centre based in Hong Kong as Taiwan’s Council of Labor Affairs earlier announced a new minimum wage for industrial-, agricultural-, and institution-based workers for this year. The recent increase in minimum wage adjusted the monthly minimum salary to NT$17,880.00 from NT$17,280 or an hourly minimum rate of NT$98 from…

“Evidently, the Indonesian Consulate has sided with the recruitment agencies instead of serving and protecting Indonesian migrants in Hong Kong. They have openly refused to assist victims of cases of high agency fees and have continued to allow recruitment agencies to harass Indonesian migrants, their employers and families back home.” This was declared by Eni Lestari, coordinator of United Indonesians Against Overcharging or PILAR as more than 350 Indonesian migrants trooped to the Indonesian Consulate from East Point Road in Causeway Bay to protest its continued indulgence of recruitment agencies in extorting exorbitant fees from Indonesian migrant workers in Hong…

Finally after more than a year of struggle, the remains of Marilou Sables, an undocumented OFW in Taiwan was exhumed and cremated on July 31st and will be repatriated on August 7. What the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), the de facto Philippine Embassy in Taiwan, initially wanted was for her remains to be left in an unmarked grave and they would just provide a scholarship for her daughter. Migrante-Taiwan and other organizations and individuals, however, persisted in ensuring that her body be sent back home as it was MECO itself which was negligent in handling this case. Marilou…

A consultation on forum on the campaign for Domestic Work as Labor was conducted by the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM) together with the International Migrants Alliance, Asian Migrants Coordinating Body and the Mission For Migrant Workers (Hong Kong). Download report here.

“The Indonesian Consulate’s decision not to permit Indonesian Domestic Workers in Hong Kong to renew their contracts with the same employer through direct processing shows that it chooses to hold on to their lies on protection, serve the interests of recruitment agencies, and continue denying the rights of Indonesian Domestic Workers.” This was declared today by Eni Lestari, coordinator for PILAR, before 400 Indonesian workers gathered at East Point Road, Causeway Bay to call for the lifting of the ban on direct hiring with same employer implemented by the Indonesian Consulate in January 2010. The said rule is considered by…