Thousands join Labor Day protest

CEBU, Philippines - More than 6,000 workers yesterday trooped to two different sites not to celebrate Labor Day but to protest and air dismay against the Aquino administration yesterday.

The protesting workers braved the heat of the sun as they held a rally in front of Metro Gaisano in Colon led by Bayan Muna, and another rally at Fuente Osmeña spearheaded by the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines and Partido ng Manggagawa (ALU-TUCP and PM).

“Sa ikatlong Mayo Uno ni PNoy, bokya pa rin ang mga manggagawa. Workers still have received nothing significant from PNoy after three Labor Days,” PM-Cebu spokesperson Dennis Derige said.

PM, ALU-TUCP, Akbayan and several transport groups unite, pushing the slogan “Manggagawa Naman” as they demand that workers’ issues be a priority in the national agenda.

In particular, PM is advancing its “Apat na Dapat” set of concerns which include regular jobs with living wages; housing, education and health care services for all; cheaper prices of food and utilities; and equal rights and opportunity for women.

On the other hand, Bayan Muna, Kilusang Mayo Uno, UP Union of Progressive Students, Anak Pawis, MCWD Worker’s Union, CINAPRO and NADSU were demanding for P125 wage increase across the board for private workers and P6,000 wage increase for government employees monthly.

The Bayan Muna-led rally strongly opposed the Oil Deregulation Law, Electric Power and Industry Reform Act, labor contractualization bills, regionalization of wages, value-added tax and lately, the 2-tier wage system (this wage system has two schemes, productivity-based pay and floor wage pay).

Bayan Muna representative Jaime Paglinawan said that the wage of the laborers should have legal and living standards.

Paglinawan added that they are not convinced of Pnoy’s “walang kurap, walang mahirap”, instead, he said, “maramimg mahirap dahil maraming kurap.”

On the other hand, KMU chairman Winnie Badayos asked fellow laborers to support, as they sustained “The Laborers Agenda Legislations” that include labor regularization bills, family living wage bills, anti-contractualization bills, genuine land reforms and national industrialization.

Derige also criticized the non-wage benefits as “scraps meant for slaves” and insisted that workers are “not children that can be pacified with candy.”

The group also slammed the job fairs slated yesterday as a “farce.”

Meanwhile, Senator Loren Legarda in a statement paid tribute to the country’s workers, saying these heroes of hardwork are a valued part of the economy and the country would not function without them.

“I salute our country’s workforce for their significant contribution to the economy. The Constitution no less affirms labor as a primary social economic force,” Legarda said.

Bolstered by supporters from the workers sector, Makabayan senatorial candidate Teddy Casiño in a separate statement pledged to bring the policy issues of the working class to the Senate.

“Our workers continue to suffer low wages, widespread contractualization, massive unemployment and forced migration of labor because of the Aquino administration’s refusal to pursue genuine reforms that will give the poor economic relief and better living conditions,” said Casiño.

Cebu City North District congressional bet Junex Doronio for his part vowed to press for the wage increases of the ordinary workers, public school teachers, nurses, policemen, soldiers and other government employees in the event he is elected into the 16th Congress.

Doronio, former president of the Journal Employees Union said that there is an urgent need to review, if not repeal, Article 106 of the Labor Code of the Philippines that allows contractualization of laborers which has been abused over time.

“It is but hypocritical for this present administration to announce that the country’s economy has improved, yet the masses, the ordinary workers, teachers, nurses, policemen and soldiers, cannot say that the quality of their living conditions has also improved,” Doronio said.

He also called for the immediate end of labor contractualization, describing it as “exploitative and oppressive” to the workers.

Doronio added that the business owners should learn to “moderate their greed for profit” and appreciate that without the workers, no society can be fully developed.

An estimated 300 students from different universities joined the workers.

Most of the participants are Mass Communication students from UP, CTU, CNU, UC, ACT, USC, SWU and CIT.

The group was led by Visayas Coordinator of the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL), Nieb Hadin Makiling, a 4th year psychology student in the University of Cebu.

Makiling said that as future workers, the youth should speak out and support the cry of the workers by becoming involved.

Aside from the noise from the rally, the observance of the Labor Day in Cebu City was peaceful and orderly, said Cebu City Police Office acting director Mariano Natu-el, Jr. —Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, Niña G. Sumacot with John Stephen Anuada and Cathlene Lou D. Tacoloy, Christina Ybañez (FREEMAN)