The Bayanihan ng Manggagawa ng Konstruksyon ng Qatar or BMKQ held its 2019 General Assembly last 26 July 2019 at the Crowne Plaza in Doha, Qatar. BMKQ is a local chapter of the Philippine’s Federation of Free Workers (FFW), an affiliate of BWI. The annual assembly heard and ratified the President’s report for the year 2018-2019. In his President’s Report, Ressie Fos highlighted BMKQ’s continuing efforts in building and strengthening partnerships with the aim of promoting the rights and welfare of migrant workers in Qatar – “This is the reason why we fully support Bayanihan Qatar and other allied workers’ associations. This is why we nurture our relationships with Qatar’s Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs and our very own embassy here in Qatar and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO). This is why we take part in the broader Community Leaders Forum on Workers’ Welfare – a multi-national and muti-sectoral forum created by the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) in partnership with Qatar’s Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs”, said Ambet Yuson – BWI General Secretary.
Elected officers for 2019-2020 are as follows: Ressie Fos (President), Joseph Catarungan (Vice President), Mags Laja (Secretary), Ian Baldesco (Treasurer), Toto Libres (Auditor), Marino Ilustrado (Public Relations Officer) and Eliseo Bermido (Business Manager). Duly approved by the body, upon the proposal of BMKQ President, local area coordinators and working committee members were appointed, among others, Willy Fajardo, Bernard Dijamo, Presal Paclebare and Mon Paranas. Local area coordinators will be in-charge with mobilizing members and initiating activities in local areas so that BMKQ activities and programs shall be decentralized. The newly elected officers and leaders were sworn into office by Marco Polo Ferrer, BWI’s Community Liaison Officer for Qatar, witnessed by the Philippine Labor Attaché, Honorable David Des Dicang.
Immediately after the BMKQ assembly, the meeting of the Council of Leaders of Bayanihan Qatar was held in the same venue. Bayanihan Qatar is a federation of 22 grassroots organizations of Filipino migrant workers. Including its partners organizations, the organization mobilizes about 35 organizations in various programs to provide assistance to distressed workers. Bayanihan Qatar is a result of BMKQ’s effort to build broader unity of Filipino migrant workers in Qatar, especially those that are from the construction sector, domestic workers, hospitality workers and other skilled and semi-skilled workers. It’s newly re-elected President, Jerry Ronquillo, is also the head of BMKQ’s Education Committee.