By LOUI GALICIA, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau 01/22/2009 6:56 PM
Two Filipino filmmakers are already making a name at the 2009 International Film Festival Rotterdam which opened on January 21.
Lav Diaz is nominated for IFFR's Tiger Awards Competition for Short Films 2009 for his film "Purgatorio."
Diaz has been called "maestro" by IFFR being the master of full-length films. Purgatorio is his first short film.
In fact, one of his films at the festival, "Melancholia" is extremely long and runs 480 minutes.
Diaz is competing with 26 other nominees for films shorter than sixty minutes. A jury will choose three winners who will be awarded 3,000 euros each.
Meanwhile, young filmmaker Raya Martin, who has been dubbed by Dutch press as "wonder boy from the Philippines," received his third grant from the Hubert Bals Fund.
Martin received funding for his digital project "How to Disappear Completely," a documentary-style film following a group of actors trying to survive in the jungle.
The project runs parallel to the making of another Hubert Bals Fund-supported project "Independencia," for which Martin also received funding in the Script Development Category in the HBF Fall 2007.
Another Pinoy who received a grant from Hubert Bals fund is Francis Xavier Pasion in the Script Development Category for his project "Malaya Women Project (The Persistence of Memory)”.
The Hubert Bals Fund is designed to bring remarkable or urgent feature films and feature-length creative documentaries by innovative and talented filmmakers from developing countries closer to completion.
It provides grants that often turn out to play a crucial role in enabling these filmmakers to realize their projects.
Winning a grant from the HBF is a big achievement in itself as the competition is very stiff. In order to be selected, filmmakers from southern or developing countries can enter their projects twice a year and hundreds of applications are received in each of the selection rounds.
The Filipino films currently featured at the IFFR are:
Adela, Adolfo B. Alix Jr.
Altar, Rico Maria llarde
Beneath the Cogon, Rico Maria Ilarde
Green Rocking Chair (Juan Baybayin), Roxlee
Manila's Dark Room, Lav Diaz
Melancholia, Lav Diaz
Next Attraction, Raya Martin
Now Showing, Raya Martin
Purgatorio, Lav Diaz
Service, Brillante Mendoza
Stray Heart, Mario Cornejo
Three Days of Darkness, Khvan de la Cruz
The Middle Mystery of Kristo Negro (Day tingnga ti misteryo ti Kristo Negro), Khavn De La Cruz
The festival ends February 1.
SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/01/22/09/filipino-filmmakers-make-waves-rotterdam-filmfest
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Pinoy engineers in demand in Holland, Belgium
Pinoy engineers in demand in Holland, Belgium
By LOUI GALICIA, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau 01/16/2009 2:06 AM
Even if many experts have said that the worst effects of the world economic crisis will be felt this year, 2009 looks promising for some lucky Filipino engineers.
The reason is that there is a big demand for experienced engineers in The Netherlands and Belgium.
Holland already opened its market for the so-called “knowledge migrants” and Belgium is already expected to follow this year.
In fact, through Dutch engineering employment company JVR Consult, twenty-five Filipino engineers have been recruited and have already arrived in Holland before the end of 2008.
“Marami sa mga engineers sa atin na experienced talaga na pwede dito pero parang wala pa silang knowledge doon na mayroon palang kailangan dito sa Europe. Kasi ngayon ang focus ng karamihan na mga engineers lalo na sa oil and gas industry, eh sa Middle East, Canada at sa U.S.,” said Jeffrey Pamucol, one of JVR Consult’s first recruits.
“Hindi nila alam na dito sa Europe eh marami palang kailangan ngayon at madali pala ang proseso kasi noong sinabi sa amin noong kumpanya, eh in a matter of 15 days nabigyan kami ng visa. Ganoon lang kadali, basta kumpleto lang iyong requirements ng paper mo,” Pamucol told Balitang Europe.
At a recently-held acquaintance party for the engineers, RP Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and EU Cristina Ortega and RP Ambassador to The Netherlands Romeo Arguelles and his wife attended in order to show their appreciation to JVR Consult and to welcome the Pinoys.
The two envoys even brought some of their staff members in order to introduce them to the engineers and provide information on the services offered at the embassies.
This year, JVR Consult will need forty engineers in Holland and 15 in Belgium for the petrochemical, oil and gas industries.
With familiesPart of the good news about the hiring is the family reunification program that comes with the package.
“Meron silang kasama na mga myembro ng kanilang pamilya. And that is what I like very much with what is being done with JVR. Nagawa na nitong JVR Consult ang pagpapadala na nitong IT engineers with their families kasi ito noon ang problema natin. Naiiwan noon ang mga family ng mga migrant workers na nagpupunta sa Middle East, sa Asia, even in Europe or in the U.S.,” Ortega said.
“Europe is a developed region, developed world, mas maraming mga conveniences, mas maraming rights na maibibigay sa ating kababayan so ito ang aking hope and prayer na dumami ang ating highly skilled workers. Dumami ang mga professionals natin para ipakita natin sa mga tao dito sa Europe na di lang po naman mga domestic helpers ang magagaling sa atin,” Ortega added.
Apart from being able to bring their family members, the perks also include an initial contract of one year, annual salary of not less than 45,000 euros or P240,000 per month depending on the age bracket, free education, housing allowance, health benefits and special tax exemption.
“The government allows that not only the engineer will get a working permit but also the complete family is allowed to work. On top of that a special tax ruling that means that the first ten years that you live here in the Netherlands… the first 30% of your gross income is tax free,” said Jan Van Rossum, director and CEO of JVR Consult.
Demand higher
Even if many industries in Europe have been affected by the present crisis, JVR Consult believes that the demand for engineers will even be higher in the coming years.
According to JVR Consult, there are very few local graduates of engineering in Holland and Belgium and that the population is slowly ageing.
Van Rossum said that the average age of a worker in Holland and Belgium is 48 years old.
“That means that the number of all the people who soon will retire is tremendous and for that purpose, we are foreseeing a huge future for young people who are willing to come to the Netherlands,” Van Rossum said.
“We need to take these people from other countries. Highly educated, well-experienced and so that’s the reason we are going to look for the Filipinos in the Philippines and other countries to get them interested to work in Europe,” added Jos Van Dyck, manager of JVR Consult Belgium.
Ortega said that it may be sooner than expected that her dream to see a surge in Pinoy professionals exercising their respective trades in Europe will come true.
“Marami din po tayong mga professionals and probably because of this new immigration policy, iyong ating mga dating teachers na nannies ngayon ay maging teachers na. ‘Yong ating dating engineers, engineers talaga sila pero just to get work eh nag-da-driver sila eh maging engineers na sila. ‘Yong ating mga nurses para lang magkaroon ng trabaho dito eh pumapayag na maging caretaker eh maging nurse na rin sila,” Ortega said.
SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/01/15/09/pinoy-engineers-demand-holland-belgium
By LOUI GALICIA, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau 01/16/2009 2:06 AM
Even if many experts have said that the worst effects of the world economic crisis will be felt this year, 2009 looks promising for some lucky Filipino engineers.
The reason is that there is a big demand for experienced engineers in The Netherlands and Belgium.
Holland already opened its market for the so-called “knowledge migrants” and Belgium is already expected to follow this year.
In fact, through Dutch engineering employment company JVR Consult, twenty-five Filipino engineers have been recruited and have already arrived in Holland before the end of 2008.
“Marami sa mga engineers sa atin na experienced talaga na pwede dito pero parang wala pa silang knowledge doon na mayroon palang kailangan dito sa Europe. Kasi ngayon ang focus ng karamihan na mga engineers lalo na sa oil and gas industry, eh sa Middle East, Canada at sa U.S.,” said Jeffrey Pamucol, one of JVR Consult’s first recruits.
“Hindi nila alam na dito sa Europe eh marami palang kailangan ngayon at madali pala ang proseso kasi noong sinabi sa amin noong kumpanya, eh in a matter of 15 days nabigyan kami ng visa. Ganoon lang kadali, basta kumpleto lang iyong requirements ng paper mo,” Pamucol told Balitang Europe.
At a recently-held acquaintance party for the engineers, RP Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and EU Cristina Ortega and RP Ambassador to The Netherlands Romeo Arguelles and his wife attended in order to show their appreciation to JVR Consult and to welcome the Pinoys.
The two envoys even brought some of their staff members in order to introduce them to the engineers and provide information on the services offered at the embassies.
This year, JVR Consult will need forty engineers in Holland and 15 in Belgium for the petrochemical, oil and gas industries.
With familiesPart of the good news about the hiring is the family reunification program that comes with the package.
“Meron silang kasama na mga myembro ng kanilang pamilya. And that is what I like very much with what is being done with JVR. Nagawa na nitong JVR Consult ang pagpapadala na nitong IT engineers with their families kasi ito noon ang problema natin. Naiiwan noon ang mga family ng mga migrant workers na nagpupunta sa Middle East, sa Asia, even in Europe or in the U.S.,” Ortega said.
“Europe is a developed region, developed world, mas maraming mga conveniences, mas maraming rights na maibibigay sa ating kababayan so ito ang aking hope and prayer na dumami ang ating highly skilled workers. Dumami ang mga professionals natin para ipakita natin sa mga tao dito sa Europe na di lang po naman mga domestic helpers ang magagaling sa atin,” Ortega added.
Apart from being able to bring their family members, the perks also include an initial contract of one year, annual salary of not less than 45,000 euros or P240,000 per month depending on the age bracket, free education, housing allowance, health benefits and special tax exemption.
“The government allows that not only the engineer will get a working permit but also the complete family is allowed to work. On top of that a special tax ruling that means that the first ten years that you live here in the Netherlands… the first 30% of your gross income is tax free,” said Jan Van Rossum, director and CEO of JVR Consult.
Demand higher
Even if many industries in Europe have been affected by the present crisis, JVR Consult believes that the demand for engineers will even be higher in the coming years.
According to JVR Consult, there are very few local graduates of engineering in Holland and Belgium and that the population is slowly ageing.
Van Rossum said that the average age of a worker in Holland and Belgium is 48 years old.
“That means that the number of all the people who soon will retire is tremendous and for that purpose, we are foreseeing a huge future for young people who are willing to come to the Netherlands,” Van Rossum said.
“We need to take these people from other countries. Highly educated, well-experienced and so that’s the reason we are going to look for the Filipinos in the Philippines and other countries to get them interested to work in Europe,” added Jos Van Dyck, manager of JVR Consult Belgium.
Ortega said that it may be sooner than expected that her dream to see a surge in Pinoy professionals exercising their respective trades in Europe will come true.
“Marami din po tayong mga professionals and probably because of this new immigration policy, iyong ating mga dating teachers na nannies ngayon ay maging teachers na. ‘Yong ating dating engineers, engineers talaga sila pero just to get work eh nag-da-driver sila eh maging engineers na sila. ‘Yong ating mga nurses para lang magkaroon ng trabaho dito eh pumapayag na maging caretaker eh maging nurse na rin sila,” Ortega said.
SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/01/15/09/pinoy-engineers-demand-holland-belgium
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Even Pinoys braved cold for Holland’s New Year’s thrill
Even Pinoys braved cold for Holland’s New Year’s thrill
By LOUI GALICIA, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau 01/07/2009 10:50 PM
A dive into the freezing waters of the North Sea is Holland’s warm welcome to the New Year.
At exactly twelve noon last January 1, people stripped to their bikinis or swimming trunks in order to swim in the icy seas in the country.
A tradition started by a small group of youth in 1965, the New Year’s dive has become a ritual held in the whole of The Netherlands and the biggest and most popular is in the seaside town of Scheveningen.
This year, only 6,500 braved the harsh winter conditions compared to 10,000 last year, because of ice and the biting temperature that day.
But many still joined in order to experience this thrilling event, including Pinoys.
“It’s really cold but it’s really cool to do it. I don’t know. It’s just the adrenaline,” Joshua Gonzales said.
It was Gonzales’s fifth time at the feat.
“The first time was in 2001 and it’s my fifth time to do it,” Gonzales said.
At the beach, the thick-skinned and gutsy raced to swim, dive or dip in the water.
The technique is to run as fast as you can and immerse your whole body in the freezing salty water immediately.
Those who were brave enough swam for a few minutes but the neophytes just dived in for a few seconds.
A young Dutch lad’s first time to the dive became an unforgettable experience he will forever cherish.
Although his whole body had goose bumps from the cold and his lips turned blue as he was interviewed by Balitang Europe after his dip, he was so happy to have done it.
“I wanted to do it one time in my life,” Bas, who didn’t give his surname, said.
The Dutch said that the dip in the frozen water is also a sure cure for the hangover from the New Year’s eve celebrations.
It’s because night before, almost everybody in The Netherlands were on the streets exploding firecrackers and fireworks and most are drinking alcohol until the wee hours of the morning.
Upon dressing up, the participants can warm themselves to the very popular Dutch soup called “erweten” soup or pea soup, which looks and tastes like the Western version of the Pinoy’s “ginisang munggo.”
After the colorful and explosive New Year’s eve, all the seaside towns of Holland were colored orange on New Year’s day as participants wear the traditional orange bonnet and gloves provided by a Dutch company sponsoring the event.
If the Dutch spend money on firecrackers and fireworks in the belief that they will drive away the bad spirit of the old year, the New Year’s dive is believed to give a fresh start to the new year.
“It’s really freezing. It’s really hard on your feet because your feet get really cold. Why are you doing it? Just because it’s possible and it’s a good start to the new year. Start the year fresh and start anew,” Paolo Tomas said.
SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/01/07/09/even-pinoys-braved-cold-holland%E2%80%99s-new-year%E2%80%99s-thrill
By LOUI GALICIA, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau 01/07/2009 10:50 PM
A dive into the freezing waters of the North Sea is Holland’s warm welcome to the New Year.
At exactly twelve noon last January 1, people stripped to their bikinis or swimming trunks in order to swim in the icy seas in the country.
A tradition started by a small group of youth in 1965, the New Year’s dive has become a ritual held in the whole of The Netherlands and the biggest and most popular is in the seaside town of Scheveningen.
This year, only 6,500 braved the harsh winter conditions compared to 10,000 last year, because of ice and the biting temperature that day.
But many still joined in order to experience this thrilling event, including Pinoys.
“It’s really cold but it’s really cool to do it. I don’t know. It’s just the adrenaline,” Joshua Gonzales said.
It was Gonzales’s fifth time at the feat.
“The first time was in 2001 and it’s my fifth time to do it,” Gonzales said.
At the beach, the thick-skinned and gutsy raced to swim, dive or dip in the water.
The technique is to run as fast as you can and immerse your whole body in the freezing salty water immediately.
Those who were brave enough swam for a few minutes but the neophytes just dived in for a few seconds.
A young Dutch lad’s first time to the dive became an unforgettable experience he will forever cherish.
Although his whole body had goose bumps from the cold and his lips turned blue as he was interviewed by Balitang Europe after his dip, he was so happy to have done it.
“I wanted to do it one time in my life,” Bas, who didn’t give his surname, said.
The Dutch said that the dip in the frozen water is also a sure cure for the hangover from the New Year’s eve celebrations.
It’s because night before, almost everybody in The Netherlands were on the streets exploding firecrackers and fireworks and most are drinking alcohol until the wee hours of the morning.
Upon dressing up, the participants can warm themselves to the very popular Dutch soup called “erweten” soup or pea soup, which looks and tastes like the Western version of the Pinoy’s “ginisang munggo.”
After the colorful and explosive New Year’s eve, all the seaside towns of Holland were colored orange on New Year’s day as participants wear the traditional orange bonnet and gloves provided by a Dutch company sponsoring the event.
If the Dutch spend money on firecrackers and fireworks in the belief that they will drive away the bad spirit of the old year, the New Year’s dive is believed to give a fresh start to the new year.
“It’s really freezing. It’s really hard on your feet because your feet get really cold. Why are you doing it? Just because it’s possible and it’s a good start to the new year. Start the year fresh and start anew,” Paolo Tomas said.
SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/01/07/09/even-pinoys-braved-cold-holland%E2%80%99s-new-year%E2%80%99s-thrill
Pinoys join Dutch tradition of Sinterklaas
Pinoys join Dutch tradition of Sinterklaas
By LOUI GALICIA, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau 12/08/2008 10:53 PM
At last, Filipina Carmela Javier can relax from juggling work and Christmas shopping for her kids.
Even the shops last weekend were not as crowded as in the previous weeks because the Christmas shoppers in The Netherlands have taken a much-needed respite.
They have just finished celebrating on Friday, one of the biggest occasions here which is Sinterklaas.Celebrated every December 5, on the eve of the feast of Saint Nicholas, Sinterklaas is a huge event of gift-giving in Holland and is more popularly known in the expat community as a Christmas for children.
That’s why every November, for more than ten years now, Javier is stressed and busy buying gifts because she also follows the Filipinos’ tradition of a Christmas with Santa Claus which means that her children will get Christmas presents twice.
“The kids have made their lists and I’m just halving it. Half of it goes to Sinterklaas and half of it goes to Father Christmas. And in my tradition, I never buy when it’s expensive so I necessarily go to three different stores, the big stores here and compare the prices,” Javier told ABS-CBN’s Balitang Europe.
Even the week leading to Sinterklaas finds Javier running in and out of shops, as if the Christmas countdown has been shortened.She aims to shoot two birds with one stone by finishing her Christmas shopping before Sinterklaas.
And with the present economic and financial crisis, she has become wiser in buying presents for both Sinterklaas and Christmas.
“In a way, I make my kids make a list and in the last years I managed to fulfill all what they put on the list.
This year I’m going to target for two each and the rest, in terms of quantity, maybe I’ll give them smaller gifts for the rest. My target is to give them two at least of the five that they list down,” Javier said.
Colorful parade
Following the Dutch tradition, the celebration of Sinterklaas is very regal and grand.
It begins on the third Saturday of November, when Sinterklaas arrives from Spain.Everyone, especially the children, patiently wait for the colorful and pompous parade to see Sinterklaas on his white horse called Americo and his more than two hundred helpers called Zwarte Piet or Black Piet.
The Zwarte Pieten (Dutch plural for Zwarte Piet) are very popular because apart from giving away “pepernoten” or ginger-spiced nuts, they also play and entertain children.
In fact, a lot of children always chose to dress up in Zwarte Piet costumes during the parade and also in their schools during Sinterklaas.
The parade is a signal that the children can start putting shoes under the chimney or by the door for the possibility that Sinterklaas will pass every night.
According to the Dutch legend, Sinterklaas keeps a red book that lists children who have been good all year long.
Good children will be very happy when they wake up as they will find little presents, chocolates or poems in their shoes while those who didn’t behave will find their shoes empty.
Even if it sounds heavy on their pockets especially in the present hard times, the Dutch Pinoys still join in the celebration of Sinterklaas because they find it to be a one, true and authentic tradition of sincere giving and loving just before Christmas.
SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM
http://news.abs-cbn.com/pinoy-migration/12/08/08/pinoys-join-dutch-tradition-sinterklaas
By LOUI GALICIA, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau 12/08/2008 10:53 PM
At last, Filipina Carmela Javier can relax from juggling work and Christmas shopping for her kids.
Even the shops last weekend were not as crowded as in the previous weeks because the Christmas shoppers in The Netherlands have taken a much-needed respite.
They have just finished celebrating on Friday, one of the biggest occasions here which is Sinterklaas.Celebrated every December 5, on the eve of the feast of Saint Nicholas, Sinterklaas is a huge event of gift-giving in Holland and is more popularly known in the expat community as a Christmas for children.
That’s why every November, for more than ten years now, Javier is stressed and busy buying gifts because she also follows the Filipinos’ tradition of a Christmas with Santa Claus which means that her children will get Christmas presents twice.
“The kids have made their lists and I’m just halving it. Half of it goes to Sinterklaas and half of it goes to Father Christmas. And in my tradition, I never buy when it’s expensive so I necessarily go to three different stores, the big stores here and compare the prices,” Javier told ABS-CBN’s Balitang Europe.
Even the week leading to Sinterklaas finds Javier running in and out of shops, as if the Christmas countdown has been shortened.She aims to shoot two birds with one stone by finishing her Christmas shopping before Sinterklaas.
And with the present economic and financial crisis, she has become wiser in buying presents for both Sinterklaas and Christmas.
“In a way, I make my kids make a list and in the last years I managed to fulfill all what they put on the list.
This year I’m going to target for two each and the rest, in terms of quantity, maybe I’ll give them smaller gifts for the rest. My target is to give them two at least of the five that they list down,” Javier said.
Colorful parade
Following the Dutch tradition, the celebration of Sinterklaas is very regal and grand.
It begins on the third Saturday of November, when Sinterklaas arrives from Spain.Everyone, especially the children, patiently wait for the colorful and pompous parade to see Sinterklaas on his white horse called Americo and his more than two hundred helpers called Zwarte Piet or Black Piet.
The Zwarte Pieten (Dutch plural for Zwarte Piet) are very popular because apart from giving away “pepernoten” or ginger-spiced nuts, they also play and entertain children.
In fact, a lot of children always chose to dress up in Zwarte Piet costumes during the parade and also in their schools during Sinterklaas.
The parade is a signal that the children can start putting shoes under the chimney or by the door for the possibility that Sinterklaas will pass every night.
According to the Dutch legend, Sinterklaas keeps a red book that lists children who have been good all year long.
Good children will be very happy when they wake up as they will find little presents, chocolates or poems in their shoes while those who didn’t behave will find their shoes empty.
Even if it sounds heavy on their pockets especially in the present hard times, the Dutch Pinoys still join in the celebration of Sinterklaas because they find it to be a one, true and authentic tradition of sincere giving and loving just before Christmas.
SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM
http://news.abs-cbn.com/pinoy-migration/12/08/08/pinoys-join-dutch-tradition-sinterklaas
Pinoy group marks 25th anniversary in Belgium
Pinoy group marks 25th anniversary in Belgium
By LOUI GALICIA, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau 12/14/2008 5:58 PM
A group of Filipinos promoting Pinoy migrant workers rights recently celebrated its 25th anniversary in Belgium.
The group called Samahan ng Manggagawang Filipino sa Belgium started with more than 100 Pinoys in 1983. Now however, they are down to 30.
According to Samahan, the decline in their membership may be due to the different Pinoy organizations that have sprouted in the country over the years.
“Noong maitayo ang Samahan, nagkaroon ng simbahan, nagkaroon ng relihiyon. Ang problema, dumami ang relihiyon. Noong una Ilokano, Bisaya, Tagalog magkakasama kami. Tapos nagkameron na ng regional. Me Kapampangan, Bisaya, Ilokano, Tagalog,” said Samahan founding member Lito Batacan.
RegularizationAlthough small in terms of number, the group said they are the most solid organization ever formed in the Western European country. In fact, the group was able to make giant steps, despite its small membership, in helping improve the status and lives of compatriots, especially undocumented workers, in Belgium.
Samahan members cites their contribution to the regularization of undocumented Pinoys as well as pushing for their membership in trade unions in Brussels.
“Noong 2000, after years of advocacy and lobbying with the trade unions, the major trade unions in Brussels finally accepted undocumented workers also to become members of the trade union. Bahagi ng trabaho namin doon eh ang pagpe-pressure din o paglo-lobby sa Belgian government na gumawa ng regularization,” Coop treasurer and Education Committee member Joyce del Rosario said.
Del Rosario explained that the regularization that happened in Belgium was not identical to the regularization in Italy which granted amnesty to the illegal workers.
“Ito ire-regularize iyong undocumented workers. Bahagi din ng trabaho ng Samahan noon eh tinulungan namin ang kapwa Filipino. Ang pag fill-up ng application form, pagkukuha ng requirements,” Del Rosario added.
Filipino chaiplancySamahan also initiated the establishment of a Filipino chaplaincy in Brussels so that now, the Pinoys can go to their own Catholic church every Sunday.
“Ang Samahan ang nag-request sa CBCP (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines) na magkaroon dito sa Brussels ng chaplain at makabuo ng chaplaincy. Through the Samahan, na-initiate namin dito na magkaroon kami ng chaplain na simula noon eh nagbigay si Bishop (Julio) Labayen ng awtoridad na magkaron dito ng chaplaincy,” founding member Aida Batacan said.
She added: “Naisip namin na magkaroon dito ng chaplaincy para lahat ng Pilipino dito sa Belgium at sa Brussels lalo na, na magkaroon ng isang lugar na pagsasamasamahin namin ang aming panalangin at pagkakaroon ng chaplain.”
The Philippine Embassy in Brussels and more than 200 Filipinos from different organizations attended the group’s anniversary to show their full support and gratitude to the group.
ServiceTogether, the Pinoys also remembered how the lives of Pinoys have progressed and changed for the better in more than two decades.
“Mas maganda na ang sitwasyon na ngayon ng mga Pilipino lalo na iyong mga may papers kasi parang secured na sila dito. Nakakabili na sila ng bahay. Ngayon pagkatapos ng regularisasyon, maraming nakauwi sa Pilipinas, para mabigyan ng pagkakataon na magkaron ng legal na papers, documents para mag-stay,” founding member Cesar Ambrocio said.
Since the day it was formed, Samahan has strived hard to promote justice, equality and the rights of Pinoy migrant workers in Belgium.
Samahan has proven that the success of an organization is not measured by the sheer size of its members but in its solidity and greatness in achieving its goals and reliability in terms of being of service to its fellow Filipinos.
WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/12/12/08/pinoy-group-marks-25th-anniversary-belgium
By LOUI GALICIA, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau 12/14/2008 5:58 PM
A group of Filipinos promoting Pinoy migrant workers rights recently celebrated its 25th anniversary in Belgium.
The group called Samahan ng Manggagawang Filipino sa Belgium started with more than 100 Pinoys in 1983. Now however, they are down to 30.
According to Samahan, the decline in their membership may be due to the different Pinoy organizations that have sprouted in the country over the years.
“Noong maitayo ang Samahan, nagkaroon ng simbahan, nagkaroon ng relihiyon. Ang problema, dumami ang relihiyon. Noong una Ilokano, Bisaya, Tagalog magkakasama kami. Tapos nagkameron na ng regional. Me Kapampangan, Bisaya, Ilokano, Tagalog,” said Samahan founding member Lito Batacan.
RegularizationAlthough small in terms of number, the group said they are the most solid organization ever formed in the Western European country. In fact, the group was able to make giant steps, despite its small membership, in helping improve the status and lives of compatriots, especially undocumented workers, in Belgium.
Samahan members cites their contribution to the regularization of undocumented Pinoys as well as pushing for their membership in trade unions in Brussels.
“Noong 2000, after years of advocacy and lobbying with the trade unions, the major trade unions in Brussels finally accepted undocumented workers also to become members of the trade union. Bahagi ng trabaho namin doon eh ang pagpe-pressure din o paglo-lobby sa Belgian government na gumawa ng regularization,” Coop treasurer and Education Committee member Joyce del Rosario said.
Del Rosario explained that the regularization that happened in Belgium was not identical to the regularization in Italy which granted amnesty to the illegal workers.
“Ito ire-regularize iyong undocumented workers. Bahagi din ng trabaho ng Samahan noon eh tinulungan namin ang kapwa Filipino. Ang pag fill-up ng application form, pagkukuha ng requirements,” Del Rosario added.
Filipino chaiplancySamahan also initiated the establishment of a Filipino chaplaincy in Brussels so that now, the Pinoys can go to their own Catholic church every Sunday.
“Ang Samahan ang nag-request sa CBCP (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines) na magkaroon dito sa Brussels ng chaplain at makabuo ng chaplaincy. Through the Samahan, na-initiate namin dito na magkaroon kami ng chaplain na simula noon eh nagbigay si Bishop (Julio) Labayen ng awtoridad na magkaron dito ng chaplaincy,” founding member Aida Batacan said.
She added: “Naisip namin na magkaroon dito ng chaplaincy para lahat ng Pilipino dito sa Belgium at sa Brussels lalo na, na magkaroon ng isang lugar na pagsasamasamahin namin ang aming panalangin at pagkakaroon ng chaplain.”
The Philippine Embassy in Brussels and more than 200 Filipinos from different organizations attended the group’s anniversary to show their full support and gratitude to the group.
ServiceTogether, the Pinoys also remembered how the lives of Pinoys have progressed and changed for the better in more than two decades.
“Mas maganda na ang sitwasyon na ngayon ng mga Pilipino lalo na iyong mga may papers kasi parang secured na sila dito. Nakakabili na sila ng bahay. Ngayon pagkatapos ng regularisasyon, maraming nakauwi sa Pilipinas, para mabigyan ng pagkakataon na magkaron ng legal na papers, documents para mag-stay,” founding member Cesar Ambrocio said.
Since the day it was formed, Samahan has strived hard to promote justice, equality and the rights of Pinoy migrant workers in Belgium.
Samahan has proven that the success of an organization is not measured by the sheer size of its members but in its solidity and greatness in achieving its goals and reliability in terms of being of service to its fellow Filipinos.
WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/12/12/08/pinoy-group-marks-25th-anniversary-belgium
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