Press Release - Anti-Smuggling Campaign

Press Release
August 12, 2009

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)
Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Transportasyon (PMT)

Militants trooped to the office of the Bureau of Customs
calling for the resignation of its officials.

Thousands of marchers belonging to the labor group, Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Transportasyon (PMT) and the urban poor’s Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng Maralitang Lungsod (KPML) marched on its way in front of the office of Bureau of Customs to denounce the unabated smuggling activities in the country.

Rally participants started converging as early as 7am at the corner of Capulong St. and R10 and were later joined by thousands of tricycles at around 8am. The rally participants already swelled to an estimated 3,000 strength before it proceeded to a huge march going to Del Pan Bridge along South Harbor in front of the office of the Bureau of Customs, where they held a rally.

During the rally, Mr. Teody Navea, Secretary General of the BMP articulated that, “The country is into deep economic crises and losing around 125 Billion pesos annually because of rampant smuggling is a no joke. The losses further aggravated the economic situation of our people where manufacturing industries were forced to close down and thereby contributing to job losses and in effect bolster the continuous rise in the unemployment rate. In the garment industry alone, a significant number of factories closed down last year and resulted to thousands of workers displaced. Unfortunately, this problem is unstoppable and to this date is hurting the industry and the Philippine economy in general.”

The group took turns in lambasting the concerned agency that is supposed to protect the economy and its people. For one, the Bureau of Customs was cited for its inability to put an end to the operations of these illegal activities particularly those involving the smuggling activities.

“Corruption is the root cause why the unabated problem of smuggling prevails in the Bureau of Customs. Officials of this agency have become coddlers and not real protectors of our economy. These people should have no place in the bureau and they richly deserve a virtual ouster or at the very least should be made to resign or vacate their posts.” Navea concluded. ###

Militants showcased real “People’s Meal “at Plaza Miranda

Press Release
August 11, 2009
Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM)
Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)

Militants showcased real “People’s Meal “at Plaza Miranda

In an apparent bid to show their disgust to the GMA administration, members of the militant Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) and Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng Maralitang Lungsod (KPML) under the umbrella Political Party Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) held a simple dramatization of a real people’s meal at the Plaza Miranda, Quiapo, Manila.

The group’s action is an attempt to show off to the government the irony of having a sumptuous and lavish dinner while its own people is wallowing on deep economic crises and in a quagmire of unprecedented poverty and helplessness.

Serving noodles and dried fish with rice touted as the ordinary meal of every Filipino, Sonny Melencio, Chairperson of the Partido Lakas ng Masa argued that “The 1M worth dinner of GMA and her entourage would mean over 11,000 Filipinos being benefitted for a day’s 3 square meals.”

“If 1M worth of noodles would be served, over 153,000 Filipinos would be benefitted, a far cry from the few elite Filipinos who lavishly spent dinner at Le Cirque in New York.” Melencio further elaborated.

The group lambasted the government’s insensitivity of the plight of the poor Filipinos. They cited the real situation confronting the nation like unemployment, unabated rising costs of oil prices and basic commodities and the effects of the global financial crisis resulting to job losses and company closures.

Meanwhile, Mr. Leody De Guzman, BMP Chairperson who spoke before the crowd articulated that “It is immaterial for the government to reason out that the money they spent was not taken from the people’s money but from its Congressman benefactor, what is lamentable is their nerve to do the act while its own people is suffering from hunger.”

“What GMA and her entourage have done is immoral and in effect overwhelming outrageous.” De Guzman concluded. ###