By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA

(© Journal Group Link International)

Lawyer Asks also Filipino Ambassador to the UN for an Audit of Several Billion Pesos in Reserve-and-assistance Funds for Overseas-Filipino Workers that the Arroyo Dispensation Failed to Account

C HICAGO (jGLi) – A Filipino-American lawyer at the head of a migrants group was given access to attend “international meetings, conferences and panel discussions that tackle human rights and migration issues.”

Arnedo S. Valera, co-executive director and spokesperson of the Washington, D.C.-based Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC), was appointed recently UN Representative for Migration and Human Rights by the Foundation for the Support of the United Nations (FSUN) in New York.

This appointment will enable Mr. Valera to take part in international meetings, conferences and panel discussions that tackle human rights and migration issues under the auspices of FSUN.

Atty. Valera completed the process of securing the UN pass on Jan. 13, 2011 at the UN Headquarters in New York City.

He met with Ms. Janet Salazar of FSUN and Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Libran Cabactulan in New York to discuss ways on how to best secure and protect Filipino migrants in the U.S.

“Forging a genuine partnership is a big challenge on the issue on human rights and migration. But we have to find creative ways for partnerships between governments, NGOS, and the civil society to understand fully well the nature of migration and why human and labor trafficking is a serious global problem,” said Mr. Valera.

For her part, Ms. Salazar stressed the importance of immigrants both to their home countries and their host countries.

“Thus, governments must find ways that they are protected and given due recognition,” she said.

The Philippines ranks second in the watch list on human-and-labor trafficking worldwide for the past two years.

In response to this, the MHC has recently lobbied for Philippine Senate to pass a law protecting the rights of migrant workers in a Magna Carta for Migrant Workers.

Missing Funds for OFWs and Filipino Migrants

A tty. Valera also asked Ambassador Cabactulan to call for the audit of the billion pesos designated as reserve and assistance funds for Overseas-Filipino workers and migrants which have remained unaccounted for by the previous administration.

"These funds if used properly can help immigrants in dire situations,” Mr. Valera said.

Ambassador Cabactulan expressed openness to forging partnerships with the NGOs and the civil society as a whole and said that he will make the necessary recommendations to government on human rights and migration issues.

Mr. Valera will attend the 24th General Assembly of CoNGO (Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations) in Consultative Relationship with the UN on January 17-19 at the UN Headquarters in New York to discuss the broad range of issues covering gender equality, education, governance, and racial equality. # # #

Editor’s Note: To contact the author, please e-mail him at:  (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)