Labor, urban poor groups join protest campaign vs PPA

Thousands joined the National Day of Protest against the controversial Purchased Power Adjustment rate yesterday as militant labor unions and urban poor organizations launched protest marches in major road networks in Metro Manila.

The militants said the protest actions were only a prelude to a general strike they would stage in July when President Arroyo delivers her second State of the Nation Address before the joint session of Congress.

The protest actions were capped with an hour-long synchronized noise barrage as the clock struck six last night and a 30-minute "protest lights off" in some 50 urban poor communities across Metro Manila and the cities of Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Iligan and Davao.

Traffic stood still late yesterday afternoon on Ortigas Avenue as militant groups like Sanlakas, Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng Maralitang Lungsod (KPML) and other organizations under the coalition Mamamayan Laban sa PPA laid the Manila Electric Company offices under a "symbolic" siege.

Large numbers of workers from Valenzuela, Malabon and Caloocan walked out of their factories to block traffic.

Meanwhile, workers from Paranaque, Las Piñas and Taguig took up positions at the meeting of the Bicutan Interchange and the South Expressway .

The militant groups also picketed the National Power Corporation offices on Quezon Avenue in Quezon City and the Navotas Gas Independent Power Producer (IPP) in the northern town.

At around 10:00 a.m., yesterday, around 100 urban poor residents of Navotas boarded some 50 boats in a "boat picket" at the Navotas Gas, the first IPP in the country. Around 500 protesters blockaded the Meralco Depot in Dasmariñas in Cavite.

Also, workers from factories in Laguna converged at the Meralco offices in San Pedro and Calamba towns and proceeded in a motorcade to the Calamba Crossing. The militant workers staged rallies in the two Meralco offices. In Nueva Ecija, Sanlakas picketed the Nueva Ecija Electric Cooperative to oppose the PPA and the proposed rate increase in the province.

At the industrial belts of North and South Manila, thousands of workers walked out of their factories to stage rallies at the Bicutan Interchange in Parañaque and at the Malinta Exit in Valenzuela. Thousands of workers from Marikina, Pasig and Rizal, meanwhile, trooped in front of the Meralco Building in Ortigas.

In Metro Manila, the simultaneous noise barrage were held in big urban poor communities. Many other communities under the coalition Mamamayan Laban sa PPA nationwide joined the noise barrage and lights-off protest.

"Instead of a rally in Mendiola, we launched mass actions in areas that are closer to where the masses live and work in order to ensure their participation in the protests," said Wilson Fortaleza, Sanlakas president said, "The medium is the message. Widespread protests convey the message that the workers and the poor are fed up with the burdensome PPA charges."

Fortaleza said the mass actions were launched to call the attention of the government and the members of Congress and the Senate before both Houses are adjourned for recess that the consuming public is not satisfied with their current proposals to merely reduce and suspend the PPA. – Romel Bagares and Mayen Jaymalin