Bro. Eddie targets OFW votes in Hong Kong

Despite financial restraints on his campaign, presidential candidate and television evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva launched an initiative to reach out further, targeting migrant Filipino workers in Hong Kong which has the highest percentage of registered absentee voters all over the world.

Villanueva, the lone candidate of the newly recognized political party Bangon Pilipinas Movement, is set to present his platform of governance to Filipino workers in a whole-day program which will be held at the Charter Garden in the former British colony’s central commercial center, BPM officials said.

Migrante Hong Kong chapter vice chairwoman Vicky Casia-Cabantac said Villanueva made some arrangements to meet the 90,000 registered absentee voters in the special administrative region to present his platform of governance.

"But our voting power can reach up to half a million because of our influence to families, friends and relatives," Cabantac said.

She said Villanueva was among the presidential candidates they have invited to hear out their platforms concerning the welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

Villanueva had promised prioritizing the interests and welfare of OFWs in spelling out his 10-point program.

He had proposed the redirection of efforts of foreign service corps to servicing the needs of OFWs on top of their diplomatic functions.

Villanueva said the horrible experience of Filipinos working abroad, citing the cases where Filipino women being sexually abused usually end up as suspects in the killing of their employers, was one of the main reasons why he decided to run for president.

"I can’t stomach the lack of action from our diplomatic corps on reported maltreatment and abuse of foreign employers to OFWs," he said.

"This is a clear sign of economic deterioration and moral erosion in the government."

After the Hong Kong gathering, Villanueva will return tomorrow to continue his campaign here.

He has officially launched his campaign last Feb. 11 at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City which was attended by some 20,000 supporters, many from the Jesus is Lord (JIL) movement which he also led. On Feb. 22, another rally will be held at the Quirino Grandstand at Manila’s Rizal Park.

Villanueva’s supporters have passed the hat where every supporter pledged to shell out P2 minimum to finance his campaign.

Villanueva said he does not want to be tagged as traditional politician and declared he has been following election rules since he declared his candidacy.

Migrante, for its part, declared it will be launching campaign sorties to the Middle East, Europe and North America "to gather support of OFW families in the home front."

Migrante is campaigning for a partly-list representation at the House of Representatives in the May 10 elections.