Philippine official lobbies for migrants
By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Philippines' secretary of foreign affairs yesterday reaffirmed her intent to press internationally for laws protecting women from sexual violence and trafficking, one of the aims of her latest mission abroad.
And Delia Domingo Albert, who met with the Hawai'i Filipino community at a Philippine Consulate reception last night, also said she's hoping recent meetings with an important Islamic organization will help to encourage the peace process in Mindanao and other regions of her own country torn by terrorism.
ALBERT
Albert arrived at the reception just after a discussion with Adm. Thomas Fargo, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command, about counterterrorism and the delivery of 24 Huey helicopters to the Philippines.
Her meeting also touched on the joint U.S.-Philippines Balikatan military exercises, just concluded on the island of Palawan.
"They were very much welcomed by the people of Palawan," she said. "They would like to see more humanitarian activities, more medical help ... they would have wanted (the military) to stay longer."
But the subject eliciting the most passionate response from Albert lay in her efforts to lobby for the welfare of the 8 million Filipino migrant workers laboring overseas in more than 100 countries. Albert's mission since she left the Philippines March 9 included attending the 60th United Nations Commission on Human Rights, which had a special focus on violence against women.
She presented two resolutions from the Philippines: One urges the development of penal sanctions internationally to punish acts of violence against women, and the other presses for a global campaign against sexual violence and trafficking of women and girls. The Philippines take a particular interest in such measures because 3 1/2 million of Filipino migrant workers are women, Albert said.
"We hope to place responsibility on both the sending and receiving countries," she said.
The first stop on Albert's trip was Ankara, Turkey, to attend the Organization of Islamic Conferences, an association of 56 Islamic countries.
"To be able to participate is crucial in bringing to that organization's attention the strides taken by the Philippines government in implementing the peace agreement of 1996 in Mindanao," Albert said.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has been fighting for an independent Muslim territory in Mindanao and other islands of the southern Philippines, is an observer at meetings of the organization, she said.
On the local front, Albert said she met briefly with Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday and sought her cooperation with plans for a celebration in two years of the centennial of the immigration of Filipinos to Hawai'i.
Reach Vicki Viotti at vviotti@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8053.
