Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 27)— Several progressive worker groups assembled on Monday to renew their call for wage hikes, better social services, and an end to attacks on the 160th birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio.
The labor groups Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), Alliance of Genuine Labor Organizations (AGLO), National Confederation of Labor (NCL) and All Workers Unity (AWU) chanted as they marched
from Plaza Sta. Cruz to Liwasang Bonifacio carrying a streamer that read: “Laban ni Andres Bonifacio ay karugtong ng laban ng uring manggagawa hanggang sa kasalukuyan.”
[Translation: The battle of Andres Bonifacio in the past is also the fight of the labor groups today.]
They said that they will march from the gates of Malacañang in Mendiola, Manila to assemble on Kalaw Avenue, Manila on Nov. 30, Bonifacio Day. The holiday was moved to Monday, with Nov. 30 to be a regular working day this year.
The workers also called for a reestablishment of the National Minimum Wage, end of “contractualization scheme,” and job security.
“Ang mga manggagawa, pawang kontraktual na mas mababa pa ang sahod sa minimum wage ng kada-rehiyon. Napakataas ng presyo ng mga pagkain at serbisyo sa kasalukuyan…Napakarami nating mga kababayan, walang trabaho o kulang sa trabaho,” said Jerome Adonis of KMU.
[Translation: The workers in a contractual set-up have lower incomes than the minimum wage rate per region. Prices of food and services have being going up. We have so many fellow Filipinos who are unemployed and underemployed.]
According to the KMU last week, only 12 out of 17 regions were included in the wage hike in the Regional Wage Board, of which three are set to be included in December.
It added that 5.11 million of Filipinos are underemployed, while 2.26 million are unemployed.
RELATED: Jobless Pinoys hit 2.26M in September
The labor groups also said that they need better social services including healthcare, education, and housing through “reallocation of funds from Maharlika Investment Fund and Confidential and Intelligence Funds.”
They demanded an end to re-tagging, killings, and harassment, urging the government to respect their right to organize protests.
Adonis urged his co-workers especially from factories, communities, schools, transport sectors to join the mobilization on Thursday.
