Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) led by standard bearer, former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada on Easter Sunday courted votes of 95,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) based in Hong Kong by promising that under another Estrada administration, OFWs worldwide would receive better benefits from their receiving countries.

Estrada was joined by his running mate, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, reelectionist Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senate Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada. His wife former Senator Dra. Loi Ejercito also joined the PMP candidates.

The group attended the noontime Filipino Easter mass at St. Joseph’s before proceeding to the Chater Garden for the Easter program of OFWs dubbed “Ang Lahing Kayumanggi.” The Hong Kong-based OFWs will be the first to experience the automated elections under the Overseas Absentee Voting System on April 11, 2010.

During the program, Estrada said that he would order negotiations with receiving countries for better benefits for OFWs in his first 100 days. He made the promise as he lamented the plight of the OFWs.

“It is bad enough that you are forced to sacrifice the company of the people you love for wages that would provide a decent living, education for your children, and food on your family’s table back home. It is worse when you are shortchanged in the country you have moved to on top of the sacrifice of being away from home,” Estrada said in a statement.