SIKLAB

Filipinos in Canada applaud Philippine Congress Resolution calling for investigation into the Live-in Caregiver Program

Press statement for immediate release: March 7, 2005

(Vancouver, BC) Filipinos across Canada are applauding the latest Philippine Congress Resolution to investigate the Live-in Caregiver Program of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). On March 2, 2005, several members of the Philippine Congress introduced a resolution calling for an investigation into the LCP.

The Party-lists recommended measures to protect the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) working as caregivers in Canada as well as in other countries. "This is a landmark resolution for OFWs in Canada", says Glecy Duran of SIKLAB (overseas Filipino workers group). "Since the LCP was created in 1992, the countless reports of abuse and exploitation of domestic workers have rarely been acknowledged by the Philippine and Canadian governments." Resolution No. 643 was introduced by Anakpawis Representatives Crispin B. Beltran, Rafael V. Mariano; Bayan Muna Representative Teodoro A. Casiņo; Gabriela Women's Party Rep. Liza Largoza-Maza; Bayan Muna Representatives Satur C. Ocampo and Joel G. Virador.

The resolution highlighted how 93% of domestic workers under the LCP are Filipino, thus making this an issue for both the Philippine and Canadian governments to take seriously. The resolution also stressed that despite CIC's regulations regarding the LCP, they do not enforce or monitor standards of working conditions in the employers' homes. SIKLAB along with other Filipino organizations under the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada (NAPWC) have been calling on CIC to scrap the LCP and other temporary worker programs. They advocate that Canada instead remove the LCP's mandatory live-in requirement and allow workers to enter as permanent residents to prevent abuse and exploitation. According to NAPWC and SIKLAB, the LCP is an exploitative and racist policy that sentences Filipinos to a lifetime of live-in domestic, cleaning, and other service sector work. "The LCP steals our dignity and strips us of previous experience and education. Even after we finish the required 24 months of live-in domestic work within a three year period, we still continue to be low wage workers trapped as a segregated pool of cheap labour," explains Duran. "This resolution is an inspiration to OFWs across Canada. We will continue heightening our efforts in exposing and opposing these exploitative policies of the Canadian government," vows Duran.

"We look forward to the Philippine and Canadian governments' action in response to this important resolution." SIKLAB will be gathering the Filipino community during a day-long consultation to celebrate its 10th anniversary on April 16, 2005 under the theme "Halina at sama sama nating itaguyod ang karapatan at kapakanan ng migranteng Pilipino" (Come! Join us in upholding our rights and welfare as overseas Filipino workers). This day-long event will include cultural activities, children's activities, testimonials from community members about their experiences, group sharings, and a look at the 10-year history of SIKLAB.