Militant labor groups kick off campaign for party-list

MANILA, Philippines — As the campaign period officially started yesterday, militant party-list group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) kicked off its campaign by going to depressed areas nationwide.

The labor group campaigned in towns in Bulacan where members vowed to push for affordable housing should they win in the party-list elections.

Union leaders also distributed campaign leaflets in Cavite Economic Zone to highlight their demand for national minimum wage, regular jobs, affordable housing and higher budget for education.

In Metro Manila, a group of students from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) also distributed campaign materials of the party-list groups in the Metro Rail Transit and Light Rail Tansit stations in Metro Manila.

Youth leaders solicited donations for senatorial candidates who will embody their advocacy for real change.

Labor groups also launched yesterday the so-called “#Labor Vote 2019” campaign to encourage workers nationwide to vote for pro-labor candidates.

Christian Llyod Magsoy of Defend Job Philippines said they will be embarking on voters’ education campaign as well as push for workers’ advocacy in both the national and local elections.

In past elections, Magsoy said workers’ issues were also used in campaign slogans and publicity stunts of candidates and political parties to get the support of labor groups.

Former communications assistant secretary Mocha Uson launched her campaign as a party-list nominee yesterday in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

Uson, who hails from Dagupan City, said she was invited as guest in the Transportation Summit held at the Pangasinan Training and Development Center attended by commuter vehicle operators.

She said that the AA Kasosyo Party-list, of which she is a nominee, aims to uplift the lives of Filipinos by giving them opportunity to have their own livelihood as well as help overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who will be needing assistance to have their own livelihood once they return to the country.

Environmental party-list group Luntiang Pilipinas said that disaster-prone Philippines needs a “green revolution” that could help prevent the drastic effects of climate change and environmental degradation.

The group formed by Sen. Loren Legarda joined the campaign yesterday and has endorsed first nominee Michael Lim Ubac, a former journalist before he joined the organization.

Ubac believes their green party that champions the cause of the environment should have a voice in Congress to help craft policies that will hopefully dispense with any rehabilitation of places like Manila Bay and Boracay.

“We need more legislators in Congress who understand the issues affecting our environment and who have the capacity to push a coherent, consistent and comprehensive pro-environment agenda in the context of the Philippine setting,” he said. – With Delon Porcalla, Cesar Ramirez