L.A. Filipinos Tell Aquino Focus on Jobs and Livelihood Not Labor Export
For Immediate Release
June 08, 2012
Contact: Terrence Valen (NAFCON President)
415.333.6267, info@nafconusa.org
L.A. Filipinos Tell Aquino Focus on Jobs and Livelihood Not Labor Export
(Los Angeles, Ca) On Friday June 8th, Filipinos in Los Angeles, representing the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON), will tell Philippine President Aquino to focus on creating jobs and livelihood in our homeland instead of prioritizing labor export and overseas remittances to hold up the nation’s economy. Aquino will be attending a meeting in Los Angeles at 5:30pm in the Hilton LAX, following a visit with President Obama in Washington D.C.
NAFCON President Terrence Valen explained, “It’s a tragedy that every day more than 4,200 Filipinos leave the Philippines searching for work abroad. That’s 1.5 million a year! These talented and hardworking Filipinos have infinite potential but Aquino’s Labor Export Program (LEP) fails to fully utilize their abilities for the Philippines.”
“Worse yet, the LEP separates families. As a father it really saddens me that so many parents have to sacrifice seeing the growth of their children because the only choice the government provides them is to find work overseas,” continued Valen.
Beyond the inability of Aquino’s LEP to truly address issues of poverty and joblessness at home, overseas migrants also face extreme difficulties in host countries such as the U.S. NAFCON has aided hundreds of migrants who are victims of exploitation including labor and human trafficking in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, and New York.
“Their work and wages are stolen by their employers. They are harassed, threatened and abused, and they are fighting for their dignity in the midst of back breaking work as caregivers, hotel workers, hospital employees, schoolteachers, and other professions. These workers are not only seeking NAFCON’s legal and moral support, they are also seeking to empower themselves and find justice,” added Valen.
NAFCON has identified several government-recognized recruitment agencies that utilize Aquino’s LEP to systematically exploit and scam Filipino migrants to turn a profit. “We believe that Aquino should take responsibility for the severe exploitation that Filipino migrants face by immediately punishing agencies involved and ultimately ending the LEP,” Valen said.
Currently NAFCON is preparing for launching its Dignity and Justice for Immigrants and Migrants Campaign. If you would like to get involved with NAFCON’s efforts to protect and advance the rights and welfare of Filipinos in the U.S. and around the world please visit us at www.nafconusa.org.###
