3,000 Filipinos leave the shores of the Philippinesdaily, filipino overseas contract workers, largelywomen, are being deployed to different countriesaround the world to work as domestic workers, nannies,elderly caregivers, among others. On the global stage,our people are exposed, generally, with no rights toprotect them.

As the Philippine economy fails to improve under asystem reeking with corruption, we can expect thatthis aggressive outmigration, touted as an economicsolution to our homeland's troubles and downturns,will produce more cases like Fely's that will not behandled properly because the orientation of ourconsular offices abroad is not to help migrants withtheir basic problems, but help them remit theirearnings back to the Philippines.

We recognize that the startling statistics of bodiesof overseas workers returning dead to the samePhilippine shore they left are deplorable. Oftenkillings and homicides of migrant workers are castedoff as suicides by authorities and foreigngovernments. Without proper and objectiveinvestigations, the deaths of migrant workers areforever forgotten. Philippine Consulates and Embassiesare more interested in closing cases of maltreatment,distress and death rather than actually offeringassistance and pursuing investigations for victims ofabuse like Fely.

In the US, Filipino domestic workers are suffering indehumanizing conditions: living in isolation, lackingcontact with their families, often without benefitsand sometimes working without pay. These issues havebrought about unbearable lives for Filipino domesticworkers here in New York and all over the globe.

We lambaste for the Philippine Government via theConsulate and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)for never contacting the family in the Philippinesabout their mother's death and investigation until 2weeks after her death. Holding back such informationis inhumane and insensitive to the Garcia family.

In receiving a letter of official authorization byGarcia's family to act on their behalf, Atty. ArnedoValera and Philippine Forum/KABALIKAT have beennegotiating for monetary support for the necessaryexpenses for Garcia's medical procedures,transportation costs back to the Philippines, andother expenditures. Recently, partial support receivedfrom these negotiations is covering Garcia's returnhome. We demand that the Philippine Consulate staytrue to their word and provide full financial supportfor Fely Garcia!

Acting on behalf of the Garcia family in thePhilippines, we, domestic workers, Filipino communitymembers, community organizations, women's advocates,and allies demand a:

1. full and unbiased investigation from the NewYork Police Department of all parties involved in FelyGarcia's death ;

2. complete disclosure of details of the case,investigation and autopsy from the New York PoliceDepartment and the Philippine Consulate to Garcia'slegal advisor, Attorney Arnedo Valera, and the Garciafamily;

3. total financial support of necessary expensesfor Garcia's medical procedures, transportation costsback to the Philippines shouldered by the PhilippineConsulate;

4. concerted initiative from the PhilippineConsulate to assist the Justice For Fely! Campaign inpursuing a second investigation for the death ofFelisa Garcia; and

5. an allocation of resources from the PhilippineConsulate to collaborate with local community-basedand grassroots organizations to create a long-termtask force to research, understand, analyze andsupport Filipino domestic worker issues.

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The Philippine Forum, a community service organizationin Queens, is a founding member of National Alliancefor Filipino Concerns(NAFCON). KABALIKAT DomesticWorker Support Network is program of Philippine Forumworking with Filipino domestic workers in New YorkCity.

To make a donation to the Justice for Fely Campaign,make checks to Philippine Forum, write Justice forFely on the memo, and mail to Philippine Forum at54-05 Seabury Street, Elmhurst, New York 11373.

For more information on the Justice for Fely Campaign,contact the Philippine Forum/KABALIKAT at 925-726-5768or email [email protected] To get to the PhilippineForum office, take the V, G and R trains to GrandAvenue/Newtown Station in Elmhurst, Queens. Exit onSouthside of Queens Boulevard . Walk towards 54thAvenue and turn left on Seabury St . Take the sideentrance to the First Presbyterian Church of Newtown.

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Thank you,Valerie Francisco