By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

Benjamin Galap Yango

BAGUIO CITY — A petition letter is being circulated in the net asking the concerned Philippine government agencies to extend assistance to bring home the body of Benjamin Galap Yango believed to have died of a heart attack in his apartment in Harbin, China.

According to the letter, Yango, 33, is from Bontoc, Mountain Province and Benguet. He is married to Fely Tomino of Kabayan, Benguet and they have two children.

The letter further stated that Yango has been an English teacher at Longdi Prinary School in A’cheng, Harbin, China since 2007 until he met his death. Yango was believed to have succumbed to a heart attack 2 or 3 days before the Chinese police found his body inside his apartment.

The letter stated that the remains of Yango is still in a morgue in Harbin, China.

“In pursuit of protecting the rights of overseas migrant workers who continue to provide millions of remittances to the coffers of the government, respectfully asking your immediate action for the release of financial assistance to expedite release of the body of Yango, and to enable repatriation as soon as possible to the deceased’s hometown in Bontoc, Mountain Province,” the letter appealed.

The said letter was addressed to the consul of Philippine embassy in China Pablito Mendoza, the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, Overseas Welfare Workers Administration (OWWA) administrator Carmelita Dimzon and Labor Secretary Marianito Roque.

The amount needed for the repatriation of Yango is RMB 86,000 or P544, 800. The letter said the longer the body stays in the morgue, the higher the cost.

“Concerned government agencies including the Philippine Embassy in China have been repeatedly asked by Benjamin Yango’s widow to provide assistance to facilitate the repatriation of her husband’s remains to the Philippines, only to be met by a negative response,” the letter stated.

The petition letter now with 46 signatories is requesting concerned government offices to provide the necessary monetary assistance for the repatriation of the body. “Especially, we call on OWWA to provide and/or facilitate financial assistance for the human remains of Benjamin Yango to be repatriated to Philippine soil as part of its responsibility and duty to provide services for migrant workers and their families who continue to provide a big part of the economic backbone of the country.”

The petition also reiterated that one of the responsibilitties of the Philippine Embassy is to protect and promote the welfare of Filipino Overseas Workers.

The petition letter also stated their support to Benguet Province’ Governor Nestor Fongwan’s appeal to the DFA to follow-up the Philippine Embassy in China to facillitate the repatriation of the body as soon as possible.”

The petitioners have also urged Mt. Province Governor Maximo Dalog for his help. The petitioners apppealed as well to the OWWA, DFA, the Philippine Embassy in China and to the employer of Yango, Ms. Wang Ying to help in the repatriation. #nordis.net