Republic of the Philippines HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Quezon City FIFTEENTH CONGRESS First Regular Session HOUSE RESOLUTION No.

920 _____________________________________________________________________________ Introduced by Representatives TEDDY A. CASIO, NERI JAVIER COLMENARES, LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN, RAFAEL V. MARIANO, ANTONIO L. TINIO, EMERENCIANA A. DE JESUS and RAYMOND V. PALATINO _____________________________________________________________________________ RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE SOLIDARITY OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO THE PEOPLE OF EGYPT IN THEIR STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRACY AND THE IMMEDIATE OUSTER OF THE US-BACKED AUTHORITARIAN REGIME OF HOSNI MUBARAK AND CALLING ON THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL FILIPINOS IN EGYPT

WHEREAS, since January 26, mounting street protests calling for an immediate end to the USbacked authoritarian regime of Hosni Mubarak have erupted in Cairo, Egypt. The protests show no sign of dying down as fatalities and injuries continue to rise; WHEREAS, in a ploy to quell the unrest, Mubarak has promised to step down when his term ends in September but this has been rejected by the Egyptian people who demand his immediate ouster; WHEREAS, Egypts worsening socioeconomic problems, like high inflation, unemployment and poverty, coupled with its poor human rights and democracy record, have driven its people to the streets and call for a change in government; WHEREAS, the Mubarak regime is a United States-backed dictatorship that has ruled for 30 years. Since 1979, Egypt has been the second largest recipient of US foreign aid next to Israel. The US which has strong interests in Egypt, notably its preferential access to the Suez Canal (which is a key transit point in the international oil market) and the continued backing of Israeli aggression against Palestine - has provided $2 billion in economic and military assistance to Egypt annually and continues to support authoritarian regimes that serve US interests. Egypt under the Mubarak regime has been a steady ally of the US and has supported the latter's so-called War on Terror especially in the Middle East;

WHEREAS, it is incumbent upon the Aquino government to join international calls for an end to the Mubarak government. The Egyptian peoples exercise of their sovereign right to end the regime that has abdicated its fundamental duty of serving its people is the same power exercised by Filipinos when we toppled the Marcos dictatorship in 1986 and deserve our utmost support; WHEREAS, measures must be in place by the Philippine government to ensure the safety of the estimated 6,569 Filipinos in Egypt who are mostly based in Cairo and Alexandria. Majority of these are domestic workers (estimated at 3,000), while others are students (estimated at 1,674) and 500 others are residents. Republic Act 8042 or the Migrant Workers Act provide for a P100-million emergency repatriation fund which must be readily made available; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the House of Representatives express its solidarity to the people of Egypt in their struggle for democracy by calling for the immediate ouster of the US-backed authoritarian regime of Hosni Mubarak and call on the government to ensure the safety of all Filipinos in Egypt.

Adopted,

TEDDY A. CASIO Bayan Muna Party-list

NERI JAVIER COLMENARES Bayan Muna Party-list

LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN Gabriela Womens Party

RAFAEL V. MARIANO Anakpawis Party-List

ANTONIO L. TINIO ACT Teachers Party-list

EMERENCIANA A. DE JESUS Gabriela Womens Party

RAYMOND V. PALATINO Kabataan Party-list