Labor groups vow to campaign vs admin bet

MANILA, Philippines — Still reeling from a failed campaign promise of President Duterte, labor groups vowed to campaign against the administration senatorial candidates in the 2019 mid-term elections should he not put an end to job contractualization.

Duterte’s endorsement will work against those who will run for senator in next year’s elections, according to Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO) secretary general Josua Mata. 

“Being endorsed by the President will be like a ‘kiss of death’ for them as far as the working class is concerned. We will not support them,” Mata said.

He said the workers are angry and disappointed because Duterte did not fulfill his campaign promise to end contractualization. 

Because of this, he said workers would not support the senatorial bets of the administration unless the President signs an executive order (EO) stopping the “endo” or end of contract scheme. 

Mata downplayed threats that such EO would drive investors away from the country. 

“If investors leave, it’s not because of us. It’s because of our high electricity costs – which is the highest in Asia – and the traffic problem. It is not because of the workers,” he said. 

On May 1, labor organizations in the country will launch a major indignation rally to show their dismay on Duterte for not signing EO on “endo.”

Instead, the President will certify as urgent the proposed Security of Tenure Act that has been pending in Congress.

At least 10,000 police officers will be deployed on the streets of Metro Manila in anticipation of protest rallies by labor groups on May 1, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said yesterday.

NCRPO director Camilo Pancratius Cascolan said the figure does not include the 3,000 officers deployed for the summer vacation.

“There are no threats monitored as of the moment,” Cascolan told The STAR in a text message.

In an interview over dzMM, Cascolan is confident that the mass actions will be peaceful as they had met with labor group leaders.

“I hope they will follow what was agreed upon,” he said.

Partido nag Manggagawa chairman Renato Magtubo said around 50,000 demonstrators from various labor and other sectoral groups would join the rally on Tuesday.

“We are expecting to mobilize at least 50,000 people,” Magtubo said in a news forum in Quezon City.

The protesters will gather at Welcome Rotonda and will march toward Mendiola near Malacañang for a program from 10 a.m. to noon.

Mata said other mass actions would take place in key cities nationwide such as Bacolod, Cebu, Davao, General Santos and Iloilo.

He said the march will be historic as it is only the second time that workers from various labor groups of different ideological perspectives will join forces for a common goal, which is to end job contractualization.