Gabriela Party-list Solon Joins Fact Finding Mission in Zamboanga

Gabriela Women's Party Rep. Luz Ilagan will join a Fact Finding Mission in Zamboanga City from October 3 to 6 to check on the condition of Filipinos deported by the Malaysian government from Sabah, during the third wave of massive crackdown on undocumented migrants which started in 2002.

With Ilagan in this mission are Connie Bragas-Regalado of Migrante International and Atty. Clare Padilla of the National Union of People's Lawyers and Engender Rights.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) pegged the number of deportees from the contested state at around 35,000 since January this year. More are expected to arrive in the ports of Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi in the coming months, as the Malaysian government estimated the number of undocumented Filipino migrants to be around 200,000. Most of those deported by boat are women and children, who are now staying in evacuation centers and makeshift houses.

“The Arroyo government continues to prove its inutility. Findings of previous missions, as well as news reports, on the grim situation of the Sabah deportees already exposed its shortcomings in terms of providing assistance to the victims who had to endure inhumane treatment during their detention in jails and lack of food or water during deportation to the southern Philippines. But until now, after six years and two massive crackdowns and six years, it remains ill-equipped even in providing the most basic services,” Ilagan said.

Mostly Mindanaoans who fled the country to escape the armed conflict between the government troops and Moro rebels, the deportees have been staying in Sabah for almost three decades and have found jobs that even poor Malaysians normally shun because of low pay such as construction and factory workers, domestic workers and entertainers.

“They are the representation of poor Filipinos. Forced by circumstances otherwise avoidable to work and stay in another country, they are living proofs of the Arroyo government’s failure in leading the country to development due to lack of policies that will genuinely raise the living standards of Filipinos.”

The Fact Finding Mission aims to come up with a report and policy recommendations which will be presented to the International Assembly of Migrants and Refugees (IAMR) on October 29 and 30. An initiative of the International Migrants Alliance, IAMR is an alternative to the 2nd Global Forum on Migration and Development which the Philippine government will be hosting.