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When the tide is raised all sorts of boats rise with
it, from large to small ones, from the lowly
banca to the mighty battleship, and from the
old to the new.
We, presidential candidates to the May 2010 elections,
seek to raise the tide of Philippine politics by publicly
committing ourselves to a covenant of peaceful and clean
elections as well as good governance and transparency. We
recognize that how we and our followers conduct ourselves
during the campaign and election period is already indicative
and determinative of how we shall conduct ourselves
as public servants if and when we are elected.
We shall promote principled partisan politics by respecting
the dignity of voters and their consciences, and
their need for well-informed choices. We shall not resort
to vote buying and its variations, and condemn all forms
of intimidation, violence, and misrepresentation.
There is a river of change flowing through our land,
fed by various tributaries of change. People are searching
for meaningful political change that leads to a transformed
nation that allows them to dream and to work towards
achieving these dreams and promote the common good.
We want to be part of this meaningful political change
for a transformed nation. We commit ourselves and call
on our followers to be the change we and our people seek
at this crucial junction of our national life. We cannot do
STATEMENTS
Raising the Tide of Philippine Politics:
A Covenant for Presidential Aspirants to the May 2010 Elections
this by our powers alone. We call on all Filipino citizens to
journey with us and we hold ourselves accountable to them.
Finally, we ask the Lord to accompany us in this journey
of change and transformation that starts with ourselves.
So help us God.
Signed this 22nd day of January 2010 at the Cebu
International Convention Center, Mandaue City.
Candidates:
Sen. Benigno Aquino III
Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada
Sen. Richard Gordon
Former Secretary Gilberto Teodoro
Bro. Eddie Villanueva
Sen. Manuel Villar
Witnesses:
Gordon Alan P. Joseph, President
Cebu Business Club
Eric Ng Mendoza, President
Mandaue Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Consul Samuel Chioson
Cebu Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Rights, from page 21
ing cooperation between them to avoid
a competition that is extremely unfavorable
to ratification of the Convention.
Encouraging Western countries
to ratify; western receiving countries
are home to large migrant populations
and play an influential role in shaping
other countries’ attitudes towards the
Convention. Any strategy aiming at
fostering ratification will have to address
Western states’ reluctance towards
the Convention, despite the difficulties
that can be expected.
Helping countries implement the
Convention; once the Convention is
ratified and has entered into force, its
implementation needs to be fostered.
Along with the UN Committee monitoring
the Convention, there is therefore a
need to help countries – and especially
sending countries—to put the Convention
into practice.
The amount of work that is needed is
huge, and so are the efforts that will have
to be made. This may inspire some pessimism
and discouragement. However, the
Convention has the very merit of existing;
it represents a unique agreement at the
world level on the minimal degree of legal
protection that migrants should enjoy. It
makes sense therefore to make full use of
the Convention, which remains one of the
most crucial tools in improving migrants’
Victim, from page 21
be familiar with Republic
Act 8042 better known
as the Migrant Workers
and Overseas Filipino
Act of 1995. Knowing
this particular law can
protect migrant workers
from the possible
abuse of labor agents
and brokers. If they are
not able to personally
defend themselves, they
should know at least
that there are agencies
that can help them fight
for their rights. A worker
who knows the law but
unfortunately, is willing
to surrender its implementation
is doomed to
be violated. Moreover,
one maybe familiar with
the law but is afraid to
fight for its implementation
will definitely run the
risk of encountering the
same abuses that Joven
had suffered from. It is
therefore important that
people who are afraid
to fight for their rights
for fear of losing their
jobs, should know there
are institutions that are
willing to help them. In
most countries in Asia
and Europe, chaplains
for Filipino migrant communities
are expected to
assist migrant workers
in their social and labor
problems. All the OFWs
need to do is to approach
the priests that work in
their communities.
In the case of repatri-
rights throughout the world. I
(Fr. Paul Marquez, a priest of the
Society of St. Paul, is a staff writer of
Impact.)
ated OFWs, they can go
directly to POEA or OWWA
to seek assistance. ECMI
also continues to assist
any OFW who would encounter
problem in their
overseas work. For address
and telephone number
of migrant chaplains
overseas, OFWs can call
ECMI at 527-4135 to 42 or
they can also email ECMI
at ecmicbcp07@yahoo.
com. ECMI would like to
caution OFWs however
that it does not have a
direct link with countries
in the Middle East except
Israel, Kuwait and Lebanon.
Hence, assistance
to OFWs working in the
Middle East is difficult to
pursue. I
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