MANILA, Philippines - Migrante International urged the Philippine government on Friday to help address the plight of thousands of undocumented Filipino migrants in the United Kingdom.

Migrante’s chapter in the UK said Manila needs to act with dispatch in view of the allegedly increasing cases of detention, inhumane treatment and deportation of arrested undocumented workers.

‘’We call upon the Philippine government and its satellite consulate here to address the needs of its people abroad and play a part in the lobbying efforts for regularization,’’ Migrante-UK secretary-general Jamima Fagta said in a press statement of the group.

‘’We are certainly worth more than the pounds we send back home. Shouldn’t (President) Arroyo’s government make it a priority to protect the rights and interests of any of its constituents, especially when they are in grave danger?’’ she added.

On May 4, hundreds of Filipinos joined some 10,000 migrant workers of different nationalities who held protest in Trafalgar Square in London during the National Day of Action for Justice for Migrants, calling on the British government to give amnesty to all migrants.

Migrante UK said it had called on the UK government to immediately implement a regularization policy for all undocumented migrant workers.

Rafael Maramag, coordinator for Migrante UK, said Britain hosts more than 50,000 undocumented migrants who continually face exploitation, day-to-day abuse and curtailment of their basic human rights.

He also cited recent cases of detention, inhumane treatment and deportation of arrested undocumented workers.

Migrante UK, together with Kanlungan UK, an alliance of Filipino community organizations, launched its own campaign for the protection and regularization of undocumented Filipino migrants early this year. Since then, both groups have launched several forums about the campaign and other related issues like the Philippines’ labor export policy and the UK’s current immigration laws.

Migrante UK said that they shall reach out to other local trade unions and groups as they continue with the campaign.

“Already, migrant workers are being targeted for massive lay-offs, racist policies and brutal crackdowns as the global recession worsens. We call upon and will work with our local counterparts as we struggle for the upholding and protection of our jobs and rights," said Maramag. D’Jay Lazaro, GMANews.TV