I recently started volunteering with an Philippines based NGO called Migrante International as a policy researcher. Their work on a grassroots level to influence the Philippines’ foreign policies on Migration. Two news clips came up recently regarding Filipino citizens on death row overseas and Filipino citizens who are still stranded in deportation centers. I’m happy to see that Migrante International was cited in the media as the leaders in the movement.
Even though the media portrays Migrante International as strong and popularly supported NGO, the truth is quite the opposite. In fact, when I met with the E.D. of Migrante International and visited their office, I was surprised at their humble work place. Essentially, they work in very non-formal conditions. Most of their workers are volunteers, mostly previous overseas workers who had experienced some form of employment and deportation difficulties. Their office was not situated in the rich business districts of Makati or Taguig, instead they operated in a house located in the heart of Metro Manila, where sari-sari stores and jeepneys thrived in and along the streets. Computers were limited and instead of a proper cooling system fans were blasting to chase the heat away.
I asked Ms. RIna, Migrante’s E.D., how the organization sustains itself financially and she said that most of the money they receive comes from selling t-shirts and paraphernalia related to the cause of their NGO. They do not qualify for international or government funding simply because they are already blacklisted by the government as a “communist group.” This is due to their overly critical stance of the government’s migration foreign policies. Not to mention, they are also very capable of organizing mass rallies and protests for migrant rights.
In the end, I can understand why their overly critical position of the government and strong grassroots advocacy can be a considered a national threat. Since export migration is one of the biggest industries in the Philippines, having someone threaten that economic force can be disarming for future economic policies.
Regardless of the lack of support, Migrante has sustained itself and has been fighting for migrant rights overseas, even to the point of advocating to bring the dead bodies of Filipino workers back to the Philippines before Christmas so their families can properly bury their loved ones.
I think they are a perfect example of how passion overcomes adversity. Even though they have no money to adequately pay for their staff, they still prosper because they are driven by their passion for justice and the desire to continually challenge a system that has already been proven too difficult to change.