Philippine News Digest 28
June 25 - 04 July, 2002
Contents:
International Criminal Court starts to work
19% of Filipinos want to leave the country
One out of three Filipinos either unemployed or underemployed
International
Criminal Court starts to work
The International Criminal Court started work July 1 after being
ratified by more than 60 states- the minimum number of ratifications required
to put it into force- with stiff opposition from the United States, Russia and
China. The ICC will have the power to tackle genocide, crimes against
humanity, and war crimes. Anyone- from a head of state to an ordinary citizen-
will be liable to ICC prosecution for human rights violations, including
systematic murder, torture, rape and sexual slavery. President Bush of the US
says the “court could be used to
pursue US forces and officials with politically motivated prosecution
undermining our goal of bringing permanent security to the troubled areas of
the world”. Washington vetoed on June 30 the renewal of the UN
peacekeeping mission in Bosnia to higlight their concerns. The US wants
immunity from prosecution for its officials and soldiers who commit atrocities
outside the US borders. Source: Reuters in Philippine Daily Inquirer, 29 June
2002; AFP in Philippine Daily Inquirer, 4 July 2002.
19%
of Filipinos want to leave the country
Nineteen percent of Filipinos, or nearly one in every five, sees no
hope for the country and wants to migrate, according to the latest survey
conducted by Pulse Asia, Inc. What is striking is that a bigger percentage, or
31 percent of the upper class wanted to leave the country apparently out of
despair compared to the 12 percent of the poorest and least educated class.
Residents of Metro Manila (26%) were also among those most likely to leave,
together with those who have knowledge of life abroad (29%)- be it first hand
or from a family member. Only a small percentage of those living in rural
areas (11%) want to leave. Close to 25,000 Filipinos leave the country
everyday to seek employment or migrate elsewhere in the world. In 2000, there
were about 4.8 million Filipinos deployed overseas. This figure could rise up
to 7.4 million if we are to include undocumented Filipino overseas workers.
They are a big source of foreign exchange for the country. In 2001 alone, they
remitted $6.2 billion. However, the export of Filipino labor has its social
costs. The country is losing skilled workers and families have been broken
because of the long absence of either parents. Source: Philippine Daily
Inquirer, 26 June 2002.
One
out of three Filipinos either unemployed or underemployed
One out of three Filipinos who should be working is either jobless or
underemployed because their work and compensation is way below their
qualifications, according to Bukidnon Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri. The
unemployment rate as of April was pegged at 13.9 percent, and another 19.6
percent of the country's 35.1 million were underemployed. This means that in
addition to the 4.86 million unemployed Filipinos, nearly six million more
were underemployed, producing a social powder keg that threatens social
stability. Source: J. Cadacio, Today, 25 June 2002.
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