PR - Labor Slams Palace Inaction on Soaring Food Prices

Press Release
20 June 2014

Contact person:
Gie Relova 0915-2862555
BMP-NCRR Chapter, Secretary-General

Blames Food Insecurity on Erroneous Trade Policy
Labor Slams Palace Inaction on Soaring Food Prices

MILITANT labor strongly denounced the Aquino administration for doing nothing about the alarming increase of the prices of essential provisions. The group called on the government to act quickly and decisively by controlling prices and not simply allow market forces dictate prices of prime commodities. The militants believe there is a good chance that the market may have been tampered by abusive market players since there has been only minuscule change in global prices since 2008.

Just two weeks ago, the World Bank reported that internationally traded food prices increased by 4.0 percent. The leap was led by wheat and maize, up 18 percent and 12 percent, respectively.

“It is not enough that the bawang caravans make their rounds across the metro’s marketplaces, they should be doing the rounds on a regular basis and will be proven insufficient in periods such as this one. Another thing, the looming crisis involves other commodities too, not only onions,” said Gie Relova of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP).

Relova angrily challenged Aquino, “to man up and use his executive powers” to control the prices of commodities since its affects all Filipinos, making it a national and immediate concern. “If Aquino fails to act upon the most fundamental of all the needs of the entire hundred million Filipino population, then the hungriest of them all, the impoverished masses will act upon their grumbling bellies in a manner the government shall surely regret”.

Reacting to statements made the other day by Presidential Communication Operations Office Secretary Sonny Coloma, he asserted that, “For Coloma to simply pronounce that Filipinos must tighten their belts and accept high prices as they are, is tantamount to state abandonment because our belts have long been tightened, thanks to their erroneous pursuit of neo-liberal trade liberalization partnered with wage suppression”.

The BMP insists that under a liberalized economy an underdeveloped agricultural country such as the Philippines will periodically suffer from price shocks since it is forced to compete with highly modernized farming practices, common among developed nations.

“It’s the modern-age tale of David and Goliath, but with a very different ending. The Philippines shall be economically brutalized under this trade policy,” the labor leader quipped.

The labor leader believes that the quintessential issues of smuggling, bribery of customs and trade officials, hoarding, price manipulation, market speculation and other corrupt trade activities will remain as common as dirt if the Aquino administration continues not to admit that the country’s food security is in constant peril under a flawed trade policy.

Government economists, the BMP asserts, “Must move beyond its current state by de-liberalizing basic agricultural commodities by freeing itself from the dictates of the World Trade Organization and international financial institutions, and aggressively prioritize and pursue the modernization of our agriculture to achieve self-sufficiency”.

However Relova was also quick to add that, “Liberalization of certain commodities will only be acceptable if it is directly advantageous to our land tillers and must not impede domestic growth”.

The labor group pledges that they shall launch protest actions one after the other until their demands for price-control is granted and the liberalization of agriculture is overturned.###

6.12.14 Protesta laban sa pork at bulok na sistema, inilunsad

6.12.14 PROTESTA LABAN SA PORK AT BULOK NA SISTEMA, INILUNSAD

Araw daw ng kalayaan kaya itinaon ang pagkilos ng Koalisyong Protesta 6.12.14  sa araw na iyon (Hunyo 12, 2014) upang ipakita ang pagkadismaya ng taumbayan sa animo'y sarswelang nagaganap sa pamahalaan, lalo na sa isyu ng pork barrel. Nais nilang lumaya na ang bayan mula sa paghahari ng iilan, pandaraya ng mga trapo, at pandarambong ng mga kawatan sa pamahalaan sa kaban ng bayan. Araw daw ng kalayaan, ngunit sa katunayan, batay sa kasaysayan, ang Hunyo 12, 1898 ay deklarasyon ng kalayaan ng bansa mula sa mga Kastila ngunit pagpapailalim sa mga Amerikano, na makikita mismo sa Acta de Independencia - isang dokumento ng deklarasyon ng kalayaan. Kung pagpapailalim ito sa mga Amerikano, ito ba'y kalayaan? O mas angkop na tawagin itong Araw ng Kadayaan, dahil hindi naman talaga lumaya ang bansa, kundi lumaya lang sa España para pasakop sa mga Kano? Ayon nga sa pamagat ng polyetong ipinamahagi roon ng Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP): "Walang Tunay na Kalayaan Kung Malayang Pinagsasamantalahan ng Iilan ang Nakararaming Mamamayan".

Maraming mga indibidwal at mga grupo ang nagsitungo sa Bonifacio Shrine sa Mehan Garden sa Maynila bilang pakikiisa sa panawagang "Jail All" - o ikulong lahat ng mga sangkot sa pork barrel scam, sila man ay oposisyon o maka-administrasyon. Sa likod ng Bonifacio Shrine ay naroon naman ang Kartilya ng Katipunan na nakaukit sa pader sa malalaking titik na sumisimbolo naman na dapat yakapin ng taumbayan ang Kartilyang ito ng kalinisan ng pagkatao. Naniniwala ang iba't ibang grupong ito na dapat ikulong lahat ng sangkot sa pork barrel scam dahil malaki ang kasalanan nila sa mamamayan lalo na sa pagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan ng bilyon-bilyong piso para sa kanilang mga sarili.

Napakahaba ng martsa at sama-samang pagkilos ng grupong BMP, Sanlakas, Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng mga Maralita ng Lungsod (KPML), Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM), Alliance for Truth, Integrity and Nationalism (ATIN), Zone One Tondo Organization (ZOTO), Aniban ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (AMA), Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Transportasyon (PMT), Piglas-Kabataan (PK), SUPER-Federation, Makabayan-Pilipinas, Koalisyon Pabahay ng Pilipinas (KPP), Ang Grupo ng Organisadong Mamamayan (AGOM), at Proletaryong Rebolusyonaryong Kilusan (PRK). Nakasama nila sa Bonifacio Shrine ang mga grupong Kilusang KontraPork, Workers Alliance Against Corruption (WAAC), NAGKAISA, Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC), Water for All Refund Movement (WARM), APL-SENTRO, Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), at marami pang iba. Ang estimasyon ay mga nasa humigit-kumulang sa apatnalibo ang lumahok sa makasaysayang pagkilos na ito.

Kita sa kanilang mga plakard ang mga panawagang "Ibasura ang sistemang pork, wakasan ang paghahari ng trapo", "Itayo ang gobyerno ng masa", "Ikulong lahat", "Panagutin si PNoy", "Noynoy, inutil, tuta ng kapitalista", "Panagutin si Noynoy, parusahan ang lahat", "Elitistang rehimen, itakwil", "Manggagawa, magkaisa at lumaban", "Parusahan ang mga magnanakaw sa gobyerno", at "JAIL ALL!" Sa polyeto naman ng BMP ay mababasa ang panawagang "Imbestigahan, Litisin at Ikulong LAHAT ng Kawatan (hindi lang si Pogi, Sexy at Tanda)".

Nagsalita naman sa entablado sina Ricardo "Dick" Penson ng ATIN, Atty. Aaron Pedrosa ng Sanlakas, Ka Leody de Guzman ng BMP, at marami pang iba. Nagsiawit naman sina Eli Buendia, Jograd dela Torre, Erwin Puhawan, at iba pa.

Adhika ng mga grupong ito at ng mga naging tagapagsalita na sumapit ang totoong kalayaan ng bayan, kung saan hindi na umiiral ang "Kasaganahan sa Iilan, Kahirapan sa Mamamayan".

Ulat at mga litrato ni Greg Bituin Jr.

BMP-ST, nakiisa sa pagkilos laban sa pork barrel at bulok na sistema

BMP-ST, NAKIISA SA PAGKILOS LABAN SA PORK BARREL AT BULOK NA SISTEMA

Nakiisa ang Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) - Southern Tagalog region sa lumalawak na kilos-protesta laban sa pork barrel at bulok na sistema. Nagtungo ang grupo sa Bonifacio Shrine sa Mehan Garden sa Maynila bilang pakikiisa sa panawagang "Jail All" - o ikulong lahat ng mga sangkot sa pork barrel scam, sila man ay oposisyon o maka-administrasyon.

Kasama nila ang mga grupong BMP-National, Sanlakas, Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng mga Maralita ng Lungsod (KPML), Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM), Alliance for Truth, Integrity and Nationalism (ATIN), Zone One Tondo Organization (ZOTO), Aniban ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (AMA), Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Transportasyon (PMT), Piglas-Kabataan (PK), SUPER-Federation, Makabayan-Pilipinas, Koalisyon Pabahay ng Pilipinas (KPP), Ang Grupo ng Organisadong Mamamayan (AGOM), at Proletaryong Rebolusyonaryong Kilusan (PRK).

Nakasama nila sa Bonifacio Shrine ang mga grupong Kilusang KontraPork, Workers Alliance Against Corruption (WAAC), NAGKAISA, Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC), Water for All Refund Movement (WARM), APL-SENTRO, Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), at marami pang iba. Ang estimasyon ay mga nasa humigit-kumulang sa apatnalibo ang lumahok sa makasaysayang pagkilos na ito.

Ayon kay Eli Guzman ng BMP-ST, "Dapat magtuluy-tuloy ang prinsipyadong pagkilos na ito upang makulong ang mga kawatan sa pamahalaan at mapalitan, hindi lamang ang mga nakapwestong kawatang pulitiko, kundi mapalitan mismo ang bulok na sistema ng isang sistemang walang pagsasamantala ng tao sa tao at pinatatakbo ng uring manggagawa."

Ulat at mga litrato ni Greg Bituin Jr.

Press Release: 06-12-14 anti-pork rally

 PRESS RELEASE
12 June 2014
Contact persons:
Leody de Guzman - BMP National President: 09205200672
Gie Relova - BMP-NCRR chapter Secretary-General: 09152862555

Thousands of Workers and Poor join Broad Anti-Pork Protests: 

Militants Bring Empty Pots and Pans to the Streets, Calls for Freedom for Corruption, Poverty and Trapo Rule

SOME 4,000 members of the militant Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) - from trade unions and urban poor associations - took to the streets today to join the broad people's anti-pork movement. The protest is the biggest anti-corruption rally since the Million People March in Luneta last August 26.

The BMP converged at along Plaza Salamanca along Taft Avenue and Kalaw Avenue at around 1:00 p.m. before marching to the Bonifacio Shrine near the Manila City Hall for the 3:00 joint program. Other groups had assembly points at Sta. Cruz Church, Liwasang Bonifacio and Welcome Rotonda.

Banging Empty Pots and Pans: Poverty for the Workers and the Poor, Luxury for Trapos and Political Dynasties

BMP President Leody de Guzman said, "Workers and the poor have brought empty pots and pans in today's Independence Day protests to highlight their worsening poverty amidst the affluence and luxury enjoyed by the trapos (traditional politicians) and political dynasties".

"Not only are starvation wages further slashed by withholding taxes, public funds are used to fill the pockets of corrupt politicians and their crafty cohorts like Janet Napoles and Godofredo Roque. Even the unemployed millions bear the tax burden when they pay the 12% VAT while buying their basic necessities. Worse, the national coffers are systematically plundered by both elected and appointed officials, whose sanitized SALNs (statement of assets, liabilities and net worth) blatantly reveal that the entire state bureaucracy is an elitist millionaires' club!," he clarified.

Freedom to Exploit the Toiling Masses, Freedom to Choose our Elitist Exploiters

He added, "As the Philippine government commemorates the country's so-called day of independence, the BMP finds no reason to celebrate under an elitist democracy that reeks with the stench of continuous corruption scandals. The kind of freedom that the Filipino people attained after the much-avowed restoration of democracy after the 1986 EDSA revolution is nothing but the freedom of the oligarchs to exploit the toiling masses and the freedom of the voting public to choose their exploiters".

Investigate, Prosecute and Jail All, Not Just Pogi, Sexy and Tanda!

Gie Relova, Secretary-General of the BMP National Capital Region-Rizal chapter, who led the group's contingent from Kalaw to the main assembly in Bonifacio Shrine, declared, "The workers and the poor are one with the Filipino people in its broadening protests against corruption. However, we emphatically emphasize that the present political controversies must lead to the investigation, prosecution and incarceration of all crooks and thieves in government, not just opposition senators Revilla, Estrada and Enrile. We challenge the Noynoy administration to "jail all" including its allies in government. If there is any truth to his electoral rhetoric "tuwid na daan", it must investigate all those implicated in the pork barrel scam, particularly Cabinet Secretaries Butch Abad and Prospero Alcala of the DBM and DA, respectively, TESDA chief Joel Villanueva and Senate President Franklin Drilon".

Privilege speeches by Revilla and Estrada did not gain support nor sympathy from the underprivileged masses Relova explained, "The BMP vows to educate the millions of unorganized Filipinos so that they will not used as cannon-fodders in the squabbling among rivaling elite factions. The recent privilege speeches by Revilla and Estrada did not gain an iota of support nor sympathy from the underprivileged masses. While their defense may expose the brand of selective justice by the Liberal Party to attack its rivals, it does not prove their innocence. The beleaguered senators have only justified the long-held public opinion that trapos, from whatever political party, are generally corrupt. Hence, the BMP is calling for total cleansing and meaningful reforms in government, particularly, in people's participation in governance and in the budgetary process".

"The Filipino people deserve to be part of the body-politic, not only as voters during elections and as taxpayers when we receive our salaries or buy our families' needs. We demand not just transparency in government records, through the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill but also democratic control in the drafting and implementation of the budget. After all, the people - especially the workers are the most tax-compliant sector of Filipino society," he concluded. #

Sigaw ng manggagawa: "NLRC Chairman Nograles, mag-resign ka na!"

SIGAW NG MANGGAGAWA: "NLRC CHAIRMAN NOGRALES, MAG-RESIGN KA NA!"

Hunyo 10, 2014 - Inilunsad ng iba't ibang grupo ng manggagawa, sa pangunguna ng grupong Workers Coalition Against Corruption, ang panawagang pagpapatalsik kay Commissioner Gerardo C. Nograles ng National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), kaninang umaga sa harap ng tanggapan ng NLRC sa Banaue St., Lungsod Quezon.

Inumpisahan ang programa sa pamamagitan ng pambansang awit na "Lupang Sinira", sunod ay ang awiting "Internasyunal" na pinangunahan ng grupong ChopSuey, kung saan nagtaas ng kaliwang kamao ang mga dumalo.

Ayon sa mga manggagawa, ang NLRC ay naging kalakalan na at katayan ng kaso ng mga manggagawa. Ibig sabihin, hindi talaga naglilingkod sa mga manggagawa ang ahensyang ito, bagkus ay natatalo pa ang mga dapat sanang panalo na ng manggagawa. Halimbawa na lang ay ang mga tinanggal dahil sa unfair labor practice. Dapat ibalik ang mga manggagawa, ngunit hindi sila nakakabalik, at hindi pa nababayaran. Sinabi pa nila, batay na rin sa mga plakard, na pinaka-corrupt na labor arbiters ng NLRC-NCR sina Arbiter Pablo Gajardo at Arbiter Enrique Flores.

Nagsalita sa entablado ang iba't ibang lider manggagawa mula sa Workers Coalition Against Corruption, lider ng Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), pangulo ng unyon ng Manila Plastic, pangulo ng unyon ng Digitel,  pati na si Atty. Jimmy Miralles at Atty. Paguio.

Ulat at mga litrato ni Greg Bituin Jr.

Luksang Parangal para kay Ka Romy Castillo, Isinagawa

LUKSANG PARANGAL PARA KAY KA ROMY CASTILLO, ISINAGAWA

Sa payak na burol ng isa sa batikang lider-manggagawa ay isinagawa ang luksang parangal sa huling gabi ng lamay, Hunyo 9, 2014, mula ikaanim ng gabi hanggang ikasampu ng gabi. Iba't ibang luksampati ang ipinahayag ng mga naging kasama ni Ka Romy Castillo (Marso 8, 1952 - Hunyo 5, 2014) sa burol nito sa Heaven Saint Memorial Homes sa Montalban, Rizal.

Si Ka Romy Castillo ang deputy secretary general ng Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) bago ito namayapa. Siya rin ang unang pangulo ng BMP noong ito pa ay Bukluran ng Manggagawa para sa Pagbabago mula 1993 hanggang 1996. Siya'y dating manggagawa ng Philippine Blooming Mills (PBM), nakulong, na-tortyur, at napalaya matapos ang pag-aalsang Edsa noong 1986.

Sa nasabing luksang parangal, ang tagapagpadaloy ng programa ay si Evelyn Jimena ng Teatro Pabrika. Nagbigay ng pambungad na awitin ang mga kasapi ng Teatro Pabrika. Unang nagbigay ng luksampati si Ka Leody de Guzman, pangulo ng BMP. Matapos nito ay umawit naman ang grupong ChopSuey.

Nagbigay din ng luksampati at pagpupugay sina Ka Domeng Mole, pangulo ng BMP Southern Tagalog (BMP-ST) chapter; Victor Briz, pangulo ng unyon ng Gelmart at isa sa tatlong bise-presidente ng BMP; Hernan ng PhilipMorris Fortune Tobacco Labor Union (PMFTC-LU); Lito Rastica at Jun Colocado ng Metro East Labor Federation (MELF); Anthony Barnedo, secretary general ng Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng mga Maralita ng Lungsod - National Capital Region-Rizal (KPML); Tita Flor Santos ng Sanlakas at Metro Manila Vendors Alliance (MMVA). Nag-alay naman ng tula si Greg Bituin Jr. na pinamagatang "Si Ka Romy, Sosyalista, Internasyunalista".

Nagbigay din ng pahayag ang isang pinsang babae ni Ka Romy na kanyang kababata. Nagsalita rin si Muzo, na kapatid ni Ka Romy.

Binasa rin sa luksang parangal ang pahayag na ipinadala roon ng Partido ng Manggagawang Pilipino (PMP) - Pinagsanib bilang pagpupugay kay Ka Romy.

Matapos noon ay nag-alay ng pulang rosas ang mga nangaroon bilang pagpapakita kung gaano ba nila kamahal ang namayapang lider-manggagawa.

Nagsalita rin sa harapan ang dalawang anak ni Ka Romy na sina Raisa at Riel. Nagpasalamat si Raisa sa pagdalo ng mga naroon, at ikinwento pa ni Raisa kung gaano sila kamahal at gaano sila inaruga ng kanilang ama bagamat salat sa buhay. Si Riel naman ay binasa ang inihanda niyang makahulugang pahayag na nakasulat sa Ingles.

Tinapos ang programa sa pag-awit ng Lipunang Makatao at ng awiting Internasyunal kung saan taas-kamao silang umawit. Kahit ang kapatid ni Ka Romy ay taas-kamao ring sinabayan ang kanta.

Nakatakda namang i-cremate ang mga labi ni Ka Romy kinabukasan (Hunyo 10).

Ulat at mga litrato ni Greg Bituin Jr.