Beware of ‘holiday pork’ – labor leader

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino

PRESS RELEASE

December 29, 2018

Beware of ‘holiday pork’ – labor leader

Labor leader Ka Leody de Guzman of Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) warned the public today against the “full force of patronage politics” as politicians casually give out gifts allegedly out of benevolence during the holiday stretch but are actually engaging in premature campaigning.

De Guzman issued this warning after an estimated 40,000 people endured long queues on Christmas Day in Davao City as they expected a present from President Rodrigo Duterte.

"Patronage politics rears its ugly head by donning a Santa Claus outfit. The yuletide holidays before an election year is a time for grand giveaways by traditional politicians”.

He alleged that the usual recipients are barangay officials and workers who would be expected to mobilize votes for them in upcoming polls.

De Guzman added that "holiday pork is deadly, not only the traditional fatty food associated with the holidays but more the lagresse by politicians who use the holidays to exploit the poverty, misery and desperation of the majority of our countrymen".

The labor leader condemned what appeared to be gift-giving sponsored by generous, incumbent politicians, but according to him is actually insulting because the gifts were actually derived from people's pockets via their taxes.

"Duterte could not boast of his popular support as showcased by the tens of thousands in queue in Davao. The long queues are reflective of the millions who live below the poverty line in the city that he once ruled for twenty-two years. Proof that his 'Change is coming' remains illusory to the workers and the poor," he furthered.

The PLM candidate for senator says he was not surprised that the Palace remained mum when the issue of pork barrel during the last sessions of Congress hit the headlines earlier this month.

“The Executive branch could have easily intervened by abiding by the Supreme Court decision prohibiting pork barrel allocations to legislators but even enabled them. They are just as accountable as the legislators. The president himself not only tolerates the scamming of the poor but is actually leading in the perpetuation of poverty, misery and desperation,” he pressed.

De Guzman likewise dismissed the recent Social Weather Station survey result which claimed that the president’s net satisfaction rating climbed to ‘very good’, gathering plus six points from his September rating.

He explained that the “shameless full-display of gift giving schemes that exhibit political patronage” at the highest levels of our government is the reason behind Duterte’s popularity ratings.

"No amount of chicanery and blinding survey results can fool a hungry mob as the air of hopelessness thickens as the new year approaches with the administration all set to unleash the second wave of oil excise taxes on January that will further aggravate prices of basic goods,” the labor leader concluded.###

Labor leader predicts brain drain to worsen with next round of TRAIN 1 oil excise taxes

Press Release 

28 December 2018

Labor leader predicts brain drain to worsen with next round of TRAIN 1 oil excise taxes

Veteran unionist and senatorial aspirant Ka Leody de Guzman of the militant Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) in a statement warned on Friday against the “imminent and increasing exodus” of young, talented and skilled Filipinos in search of greener pastures abroad in 2019 as the second tranche of oil excise taxes takes effect on January 1.

Citing results of a Gallup poll conducted from 2015 to 2017 which indicated that the Philippines’ potential net migration index (PNMI) stands at – 9 percent, the labor leader claimed that frustration has been building up alongside a restive labor front specially among the young adults.

Gallup, an American management consulting company says the PNMI measures the total potential net change to the adult population by subtracting those who would like to move out of a country from those who would like to move into a country.

"The best and the brightest of Filipinos have been leaving the country with the continued implementation of the neoliberal policies of deregulation, liberalization, privatization, contractualization ever since the Cory Aquino administration. But runaway inflation induced by the oil excise taxes of the Duterte administration since last year maybe the final straw to break the camel's back,” De Guzman said.

He explained that even if the poll was conducted from 2015 to 2017, before the meteoric rise in the price of basic goods but the rising inflation rate in 2018 which is expected to continue in 2019 with the second wave of oil excise taxes, will only give more reason for our young workers and college graduates to migrate to other countries.

The poll also revealed that 16 percent highly educated Filipinos will likely leave the country to work or live abroad. Also, about 13 percent of the Philippines' young population — aged 15 to 29 seeks to move out if everyone around the world could migrate where they wanted.

“Unfortunately, with the taxation shift from income to consumption, the tax burden is more felt by the the poor although they did not benefit from the increased exemptions to income taxes. Worse, they are overtaxed and yet they hardly feel the social services and safety nets that were promised to be part of the tax reform measures.

We could not blame the youth for opting to migrate abroad; bled dry by taxes, unserviced and abandoned by the state, and now further agitated by the recent acquittal of politicians charged with plunder,” De Guzman surmised.

However, the labor leader added that the suceeding administrations were not "alarmed over our brain drain as they all adhered to the tacit policy of labor exportation, as OFW remittances keep the consumption-based economy afloat".

He laments that the “ruling elite do not have a vision of sound national development based on industry and agriculture, that generates more jobs for the majority of our countrymen. They are mere rent-seekers who live on taxes created by migrant Filipino workers".

To prove this assertion, the BMP leader cited the utter failure of the government to produce one million jobs annually as mandated by its Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 as the practice of contractual employment remains prevalent.

He says that measly number of jobs generated is easily negated by the hundreds of thousands of workers who lose their jobs as their contract expires or as the principal employers replace their subcontractors.

In order to impede the brain drain, De Guzman proposes that government veer away from its falsified export-oriented, import-dependent economic path.

“We should pursue the modernization of agriculture and economic industrialization while ensuring living wages and regular jobs, in order to provide not only for the needs of the Filipino consuming public but also to the working class that created all social wealth," he concluded. ###

Faulty economic and labor policies, not Chinese workers, to blame for unemployment and underemployment

PRESS RELEASE
December 2, 2018

Faulty economic and labor policies, not Chinese workers, to blame for unemployment and underemployment

To counter what it sees as “misplaced nationalism”, labor leader Ka Leody de Guzman today of Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) said that “Chinese migrant workers are not the enemy” as netizens point to the influx of migrant workers from China as a cause to the prevailing problem of lack of regular jobs.

De Guzman clarified, “As a country with a proud history of anti-colonial struggles and as a responsible member of the community of nations, we should not tolerate encroachments of any foreign power to our sovereignty but neither should we approve of xenophobia and racism”.

“Senator Villanueva should be criticized for fanning the flames of hatred against the Chinese workers and its people. We should learn to demarcate between the government of China and its people. Chinese migrant workers, who come to the Philippines to work, are no different from overseas contract workers, who seek greener pastures abroad because of the lack of regular jobs with decent wages in the country”, Ka Leody, who is also seeking a Senate seat under the Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) added.

Sen. Villanueva earlier pressed for a crackdown on illegal Chinese workers as he also eluded that they are competing with Filipino workers in the domestic labor market. Senator Risa Hontiveros also issued the same sentiment.

“As a workers’ organization, the BMP extends its class solidarity with the Chinese migrant workers and calls on the Duterte government to guarantee their safety against racist attacks, verbal or otherwise, in the same way that we want host countries to protect and safeguard overseas Filipino workers,” he emphasized.

Ka Leody expressed deep sympathy with the Chinese workers in the country “because I am a worker and I know how they feel”. De Guzman was a garments worker from Aris Philippines before he served trade unions and labor organizations as a full-time organizer.

According to the Labor department, they have issued 119,814 special working permits to foreigners from 2015 to 2017. Of the total, 51,000 permits were issued to Chinese nationals, with some 2,000 related to jobs in the construction in the past three years.

He said that, “It is evident that the seething anger to Chinese migrant workers, as evident in various comments in social media, is rooted in the desperation of our countrymen for the lack of decent jobs in the country. The recent Social Weather Station survey points to eroding job optimism with an estimated unemployment of some 9.8 million Filipinos”.

“Some of our irate countrymen, unfortunately, are barking up the wrong tree. They should blame the Duterte regime and its predecessors for the tacit policy of labor export, which relied on OFW remittances to keep the economy afloat, and for the state abandonment of local agriculture and industry, sectors that traditionally composes the bulk of the jobs generated for our labor force”.

“But if they are condemning Duterte’s subservience to the Chinese government,  BMP will gladly join them in protests against onerous foreign loans and its aggressive expansionist drive in the Southeast Asia, with Malacanang as its witting accomplice,” he concluded. ###

Pahayag sang BMP Negros

PAHAYAG SANG BMP NEGROS

The Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) Negros condemn the Barbaric acts of those group of Gunmen resulting Sagay Massacre.

"Hustisya para sa tanan nga biktima sang Sagay Massacre" kag sa tanan pa gid nga mga biktima nga may katulad sini nga paghimakas. kami ang nagapati nga bunga ini sang mapiguson nga sistemang kapitalismo kag palpak nga programang agraryo ini ang obligasyon kag nagapanguna nga katungdanan opisyal sang gobyerno, ilabi na gid sa DAR Negros.

Isulong nga "tapuson na" ang Pribado nga Pagpanag-iya paagi sa tingob nga Paghili-usa, pagpangabudlay kag alalangay nga pagbahinbahin sang Produksyon kag pagpanag-iya sini sa tanan nga may ka-angtanan sa kusog pangabudlay.

Labor leader calls to expedite the dismantling of haciendas in light of Sagay massacre

Press Release

23 October 2018

Labor leader calls to expedite the dismantling of haciendas in light of Sagay massacre

Veteran labor leader Leody de Guzman today condemned and blamed the Duterte administration for the massacre of nine farmers who were tilling privately owned farm land in between harvest and planting season to meet their families food requirements. Among the victims in the Hacienda Nene massacre in Sagay City included two minors and four females.

The labor leader said that the Sagay incident “will most likely occur again because of the current administration’s neglect and lack of resolve to address the plight of peasants and farmworkers three years into the president’s term”.

“As chief executive, Duterte has the authority to promulgate policies that will address the root causes of all agrarian disputes and expedite the process of the turning over huge tracts of land to agrarian beneficiaries but instead Duterte simply sat on the clamor for the redistribution of land,” said De Guzman, chairperson of Bukluran ng Manggagawang.Pilipino and candidate for a Senate seat under Partido Lakas ng Masa.

A study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) published last December 2017 reported that more than 600,000 hectares of agricultural land remain undistributed. The majority of which are in the Bicol region and the Negros provinces.

He also lamented that the administration in the past three years could have easily issued marching orders to the Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board but instead the president opted to neglect their needs and even encouraged the encroachment of foreign companies on Mindanaoan farm lands.

De Guzman ascertained that even if the police capture the culprits and the mastermind to the brutal slayings agrarian unrests will continue to erupt nonetheless as the issue of landlessness and inexcusable neglect for the sector remains.

“Not unless the landlessness of the rural multitude is addressed, there will be massacres of hapless peasants dotting the archipelago. Poverty and social injustice will sweep the countryside fueling the rise of insurgency,” he warned.

The plight of the peasants and farmworkers, according to De Guzman “is further exacerbated by the liberalization of agriculture, the lack of government support for its modernization as cartels remain unchecked leaving the rural folks poor, hungry and desperate”.

He adds that the police should not blame the farmers for trespassing on privately owned farm land. “Their grumbling stomachs has driven them to plant crops that they can live on till the next planting season. We must seek policy reforms in order to alleviate their conditions”.

The labor leader also believes that food inflation brought about by the increase of excise taxes since January of this year contributed heavily to yoke burdened by farmers.

De Guzman called on the public specially the land reform claimants to utilize next year’s election to support candidates with realizable, concrete platforms to resolve land disputes and to punish rabid anti-land reform candidates by organizing a protest vote.###

Labor group tells Comelec Commissioner to stand firm vs. ‘political bullies’

Press Release

20 October 2018

Labor group tells Comelec Commissioner to stand firm vs. ‘political bullies’

Commission on Elections commissioner Rowena Guanzon gained the support of a militant labor group and urged her to “stand firm against politicians and incumbent partylist groups in pushing for the dire reforms needed to make our electoral processes more inclusive”.

Speaking before the launching of “Eleksyon 2019,” Guanzon said she supported moves to amend Republic Act No. 7941 or the Party-list System Act since the anti-political dynasty constitutional provision lacks an enabling law to deter members of political clans to use the partylist elections as a backdoor for their ambitions.

Several incumbent officials came out with statements castigating Guanzon and reminded her to abide by the 2013 Supreme Court ruling that allows established political parties and non-marginalized groups to participate in the partylist elections

“Incumbent officials are doing everything in their power to stifle the electoral process by discriminating against the marginalized sectors who seek societal change via the elections. Waged and salaried workers account for almost 43 million of our population and yet we are the least represented in Congress,” lamented Luke Espiritu, president of Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP).

The group welcomed the statements of Commissioner Guanzon and says it is refreshing to know she seeks that our elections return to the spirit to why the partylist system was infused in our electoral process in the first place.

Espiritu asserts that, “this is precisely the reason why we seek change by vying for a seat in Congress because discrimination and injustice has been molded and structured in our laws, making it impossible for democracy to work”.

Despite the 2013 SC decision, the group admits that it will take a Herculean effort on their part to come out triumphant in the 2019 elections.

Another obstacle to the inclusivity of the electoral process BMP claims, is the Senate bill 911 (SB 911) of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian that proposes to penalize those the COMELEC may deem as nuisance candidates.

SB 911 did not gain the support of the poll commissioner and called it discriminatory.

He adds, “Gatchalian’s bill is elitist to say the least. There should be no monopoly in public service. The barring of candidates from marginalized sections and even branding them as nuisance practically makes elections an exclusive exercise of the rich and famous”.

“Penalizing poor candidates will further breed marginalization and social injustice. SB 911 is not only a mockery of the elections but a mockery of democracy as well”, the labor leader reasoned.

The group advised Senator Gatchalian that if he genuinely seeks to reinforce the sanctity of our electoral processes, he must enact a bill that will prohibit candidacies of those with major offenses against the people.

“Plunderers, human rights violators, protectors of criminal syndicates, those who tolerate impunity and the like are the ones that should be prohibited from running. They are the ones who mock the entire legal system even if their day jobs are legislators,” he suggested.

BMP banded with groups Teachers Dignity Coalition, womens group Oriang, Sanlakas and Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng Maralitang Lungsod to form Partido Lakas ng Masa Coalition which seeks a Senate seat as well as representation in House of Representatives through the partylist elections.###

Nationwide protests against new version of proposed Charter: RBH No. 15 (Cha-cha, ‘nak) is the evil spawn of the Duterte-GMA alliance

PRESS RELEASE

October 19, 2018

Nationwide protests against new version of proposed Charter: RBH No. 15 (Cha-cha, ‘nak) is the evil spawn of the Duterte-GMA alliance

Protests in several key cities and urban areas were held today to condemn the Resolution of Both Houses No. 15 (RBH No. 15), a new version of proposed changes in the Constitution sponsored by House Speaker Gloria Arroyo, along with 21 other lawmakers.

“Duterte has long since harped on Cha-cha and federalism as the solution to the misery and poverty of the Filipino people. But with RBH No. 15, his ulterior motives are brought to the fore. Their version of Cha-cha is self-serving to say the least. It would not address the urgent concerns of the workers and the poor - skyrocketing inflation, starvation wages, contractualization, the continued defunding of social services in the national budget,” Partido Lakas ng Masa Coalition (PLM Coalition) spokesperson, Leody de Guzman said.

He added, “RBH No. 15 paves the way for a more liberalized plunder of the national economy and the nation’s coffers, by foreign monopolies and political dynasties. It is an evil spawn - a Cha-cha, ‘nak – between Gloria Arroyo - a rabid pro-capitalist economist before she became president - and Rodrigo Duterte - the warlord from Davao and current resident of Malacanang”.

Deleted: Prohibition on political dynasties and term limits of public officials

The labor leader explained that RBH No. 15 removed the prohibition on political dynasties after failing to enact an enabling law to implement the ban on dynasties for more than three decades.

“Without this, voters will be forced to choose the lesser evil among political clans, or between rival siblings of a ruling dynasty, in the upcoming May 2019 elections,” he expounded.

The RBH No. 15 also junked the prevailing term limits for public officials. “The term limit brought discomfort to political dynasties as they were forced to transfer position to their spouse or their children in order to maintain in power. The Duterte-GMA Cha-cha sought a Gordian Knot solution to this overriding concern of political dynasties”.

Deleted: Entire articles on “National Economy and Patrimony” and “Social Justice and Human Rights”

The RBH No. 15 also junked the entire section of the Constitution on “National Economy and Patrimony”. De Guzman said, “The spirit of the prevailing highest law of the land is ‘the Philippines for Filipinos’, hence the 40% limit on foreign corporations in select industries including their ownership on our resources - natural and man-made. This view is obsolete for neoliberal economists like Gloria Arroyo. Now, as if the liberalization of the local economy is not enough, they want a more liberalized set-up to entice more foreign investors to own our country. This proposal is very dangerous, if not treacherous, especially with the expansionist drive of Chinese capital, particularly in Southeast Asia”.

The labor leader, who is also running for the senate, elucidated, “Even though the 1987 Constitution has defects, it has an entire article on ‘social justice and human rights’ it gave recognition to structural injustices in Philippine society. Hence, the creation of an entire article containing the rights of labor, agrarian reform and natural resources, urban land reform and housing, health, women, and the role of people’s organization, in order to protect the majority poor from abuses by the rich and the powerful”.

“Yet, the existing Charter merely granted a nominal recognition to these rights because political power remained concentrated in the hands of the elite. The civilian population is virtually taken out of the political sphere in between elections. In RBH No. 15, some of these rights are scattered throughout the proposed constitution. But without recognition to the principle of social justice and the existence of structural injustices, these rights become ineffectual and illusory”.

Member organizations of PLM Coalition held protests in several cities Friday against RBH No. 15. The mass actions, held in Manila, Laguna, Negros Occidental, Leyte and Cebu, also highlighted the urgent demands on gut issues such as the call for price control on all basic commodities, the scrapping of the TRAIN Law, abolition of contractualization, the enactment of a P750 national minimum wage and the repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law. ###

Economic managers hit once more for “kid’s gloves approach” to inflation

Press Release

17 October 2018

Economic managers hit once more for “kid’s gloves approach” to inflation

Progressive organizations lashed out today at the Development Budget Coordination Committee for not taking measures bold and decisive enough to combat imminent price hikes as Filipinos prepare for the yuletide season.

They likewise criticized them for prescribing “the same, worn-out developmental strategy” without addressing the main causes that gave way to runaway inflation.

The groups Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) and Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) said that the country’s economic managers need not to look far to curb inflation. The solution, they said, is “staring at them all this time. Of all the commodities that can impact the prices of basic commodities at multiple levels, oil prices must be checked”.

They strongly demanded for the immediate scrapping of the entire excise tax package on crude oil as well as the collection of value added tax (VAT) on petroleum and petroleum products to unburden consumers with overtaxation.

BMP President, Luke Espiritu said that, the economic managers are “deliberately acting naive” to the impacts of a continued collection of excise taxes and VAT on oil. “It is an historical fact that the demand for oil increases as winter sets in on the Global North. Such demand will inevitably push commodity prices upward as global petroleum prices rise”.

“Defering on the oil excise tax collection for 2019 does not alleviate the yoke on the shoulders of daily wage earners and those belonging to the infomal labor sector who did not benefit from income tax exemptions,” he added.

The labor group decried that the economic managers are more concerned with the loss of revenue if they suspend all levies mandated by the TRAIN Law.

“Again, these economists are looking at the wrong place if they seek for revenue. The disposable income of the poor is already close to nil after being overtaxed. The logical choice for them is to levy the multi-billionaires who have acquired so much wealth, not the poor,” he explained.

Meaniwihle, the groups also welcomed recent statements by Senator Cynthia Villar who regretted to have supported the TRAIN Law that led to inflation. Villar joins Senators JV Ejercito, Grace Poe and Nancy Binay who have called for the suspension of the TRAIN Law and Senators Ping Lacson, Risa Hontiveros, Antonio Trillanes III and Bam Aquino who voted against it.

Espiritu declared, “The harm and damage has been done and all the workers and the poor got was a simple sorry, which may be better than callous indifference but won’t make a difference until words are matched up with concrete actions”.

On Tuesday, the country’s economic managers revised the country’s economic outlook by adjusting its inflation forecast for the year to a range of 4.8% to 5.2%, from the previous 2% to 4%.

They also planned to employ tax reform law's social mitigating measures, and policy interventions in the education and labor sectors towards job generation, enticing investors by accelerating its infrastructure program, reducing the corporate income tax rate, restrictions on foreign investments, and the cost of doing business.

Meanwhile, Sonny Melencio, chairperson of PLM chastised the bourgeois economists for the lack of bolder and more decisive measures they have set to curb inflation.

“Their prescription, which caused the malady in prices, has not changed. They still subscribe to the market-driven economics in a period of monopoly and regulatory capture. What is needed is price control and greater regulation,” he said.

PLM asserts the recommendations of the economic managers must be felt by the poor. It must reach the talipapa level in order to have a substantial impact on the Filipino household.

“It is imperative that the Duterte administration address overtaxation of fuel to mitigate the impacts on the measly incomes of the poor in the months to come,” he concluded. ###

Groups say deferment of second tranche on fuel excise tax will not curb inflation

Press Release 

16 October 2018

Groups say deferment of second tranche on fuel excise tax will not curb inflation

As many welcome the recent order to defer the collection of the second tranche of oil excise taxes under the TRAIN Law, progressive groups insisted that the order has no effect on runaway inflation.

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) and Partido Lakas ng Masa, claimed in a statement that the deferment order by President Rodrigo Duterte was “a flimsy attempt” to control the forseen impacts to be inflicted by the second round of excise tax collection yet it does not raise a finger to address the price shocks generated by the first tranche.

The groups argued that Duterte’s deferment order greatly differs from the actual suspension of the oil excise taxes. They said, it “merely acknowledged without admitting, much less act on” the excessive strain caused by the entire tax reform package on ordinary Filipino families.

The progressives also decried the continued inaction of the government to curb inflation as the implications of first tranche of the TRAIN Law remains in full effect.

Under the first tranche, excise taxes on diesel fuel are pegged at P2.50 per liter and P7.00 per liter for gasoline.

The administration merely deferred on the P4.50 excise tax increase for diesel and P9.00 for gasoline under the second tranche.

“The Duterte administration remains condemnable for remaining adamant to the pleas of majority of Filipinos living on intermitent incomes who have been adversely affected by overtaxation,” said Luke Espiritu, president of BMP.

“The sharp rise of self-rated poor families of latest SWS survey should speak volumes and requires the administration’s full attention and swift action. Deferring on the excise tax collection for 2019 has no effect on the economic crunch currently besetting the poor,” he added.

BMP says that besides the non-fulfillment of the promised benefits under the TRAIN Law, the administration has not made any effort to address the structural injustices inflicted on the poor.

“Not only are workers burdened with overtaxation but also suffering from failed policy reforms or the lack of it. Contractualization remains to be in full swing three years into Duterte’s term, the massive budget cuts on social services and with the inflation rates hitting 6.7% last month, purchasing power of workers have obviously weakened immensely”, Espiritu lamented.

Despite the economic managers’ denial of the TRAIN Law’s contribution to inflation, Sonny Melencio, chairperson of PLM urged them to go beyond their statistics and projections and admit that they overlooked the impact of the US-China trade wars, the rising prices of petroleum in the global market and the struggling foreign exchange rates that makes imports more expensive, all of which contribute to spiraling inflation.

Melencio called for the immediate scrapping of the TRAIN Law to address the budgetary contraints of Filipino familes before the yuletide season and that they may enjoy a reprieve from the taxes levied against them.

He also warned that, the deferment shall be proven ineffective and will only drive more people to the streets as price hikes will be inevitable in the next two months due to the increase of global petroleum prices.

“Not unless Duterte acts on this, the administration’s senatorial line up as well as their other allies in Congress shall reap a catastrophic protest vote from the impoversihed social classes, reminiscent of the 2016 national elections”, Melencio foretold.

BMP and PLM also announced that they will hold joint protests in the weeks to come to call for immediate price control side by side with their demands to end contractualization, an increase in the national budget for social services, a P750 national minimum wage and the scrapping of the oil deregulation law. ###

More workers join hunger strike at Pacific Plaza Towers

Press Release

13 October 2018

As management refuses to recognize right to security of tenure

More workers join hunger strike at high end condo

The hunger strike initiated by four striking employees of Pacific Plaza Towers (PPT) which commenced last October 5 has increased to sixteen as of press time, as the board of directors and building management continue to deny the workers their legitimate demands of regularization and reinstatement.

More than two months has passed since employees of the high-end condominium at the Bonifacio Global City went on strike and today on their ninth day on indefinite hunger strike after its management denied the right of the workers to security of tenure and fired seventeen of them, including two union officers.

Since the hunger strike begun, their non-violent protest has gained public sympathy after pictures and statements of support were posted in social media.

“We are elated that people we have never met in our lives have visited us in our picketline bringing whatever thay can afford even with the price hikes. Their sympathy is what drives us to continue in the struggle”, says Judy Pastorpede, spokesperson of PUNYAL or Pacific Plaza United Action of Labor-SUPER Federation.

Among those who have expressed sympathy and regularly visited their picketline besides their families are college students from different universities including Ateneo and UP Diliman and groups such as Partido Lakas ng Masa and Sanlakas.

Supporters of the hunger strike shall also hold a solidarity hunger strike from Sunday evening to Monday evening.

However the strikers claim that they draw more inspiration from fellow wage-earners from the surrounding high-rise buildings who drop by their picketline regularly to inquire about their condition and the status of their strike. They say that it is also heartwarming to read short messages from workers from all over the country who have grown sympathetic to their cause via social media.

Pastorpede says that despite their management’s hardline stance to their demands for regularization and reinstatement, “Wasto at makatwiran ang aming pinaglalaban. Kakampi naman ang batas, kakampi namin ang milyong kapwa naming manggagawa na dumaranas ng kaparehong kalupitan sa ilalim ng sistemang kapitalismo”.

He adds, “paano kami susuko kung dito nakasalalay ang kakainin at kinabukasan ng aming mga anak? Hindi namin maaring isuko ang aming karapatan kilalanin bilang regular na empleyado dahil kung hindi, wala na kaming dignidad na ipagmamalaki sa aming mga anak”.

For militant labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, the PPT hunger strike should have been unnecessary if only the supposed constitutionally guranteed rights of workers to Security of Tenure were not only recognized but also enforced as promised by the Duterte administration.

“It is a travesty of justice that those whose rights have been consistent denied and are those who have to undergo the painful realization of hunger as well as the fact that laws are easily circumvented to fulfill the interests of the filthy rich,” they said in a statement.

Beside Pastorpede, the others who joined the hunger strike include Lino Revilla, Jovanny Nalua, Edgar Virtuzado, Cris Rafales, Allan Cabigonas, Retanley Inocencio, Nino Galjilla, Abdul Tambungalan, Victor Vallega, Ali Glodeviza, Jerome Maderazo, Herald Apino, Enrico Lipit, Diones Chaves and Sammy Miranda.

The union believes that there are many decent and sympathetic residents because they are confident that have served them well but they claim that the resolution to the standoff will require the termination of Feliza Ramos, Roland Rojo and PPT general manager Minda Barlis.

They allege that the three are rabid violators of labor rights and have blocked initiatives for an early resolution to the labor dispute.###

Striking workers on Posh Condo to go on Hunger Strike

Press Release

05 October 2018

STRIKING WORKERS OF POSH CONDO TO GO ON HUNGER STRIKE

Barely two months on strike and with no positive response from their management, workers of an upscale condominium in Bonifacio Global City decided to go on an indefinite hunger strike to press their demands for reinstatement and regularization.

Union members Abdul Tambungalan, Judy Pastorpede, Victor Vallega Jr and Lino Revilla, employees of Pacific Plaza Towers said in a statement to the media that they have been left with no other option in order for the building management to heed their constitutionally guaranteed rights to security of tenure.

“If this will be our final act for our grievances to be heard and for the exploitation to end then so be it. The PPT is already slowly killing us and our families, it would be better to die a slow death with a noble purpose than being killed slowly and painfully under this atrocious capitalist system,” the strikers said.

“We have done everything in our power to assert our rights but the management have dismissed all our pleas and conciliation efforts, they have connived with the local police detachment and BGC marshalls to break our legitimate strike, they have consistently harassed our picketline since day one,” they added.

The employees complain that the PPT has dismissed three regular employees on baseless allegations of sabotage and are also in the process of dismissing the remaining workers.

Just recently, the management of PPT filed for a temporarry restraining order before the National Labor Reconciliation Commission against their picketline on the unfounded claim of obstructing students because the picketline is on a designated bus stop and obstruction of a fire hyrant

.

The union, Pacific Plaza United Action of Labor - SUPER Federation says the allegations have weak evidence and has been countered with their own evidence. The NLRC as of press time has not acted on the petition for a TRO.###

WHAT WENT ON BEFORE

Employees of Pacific Plaza Towers went on strike on August 6 after the building management refused to reinstate and regularize seventeen (17) workers they wrongly regarded to be employees of Polystar Manpower Agency, instead of being directly absorbed as regular employees and accorded with security of tenure, rights, and benefits under the Labor Code.

The retrenched employees were joined by the remaining seventeen (17) workers the PPT management deemed ‘regular employees’, in a concerted effort to bring the condominium’s operations to a standstill and force the management to grant them their demands.

The union allege that PPT management is a union-busting after two of its officers were included among those retrenched. Other violations committed include the non-remittance of SSS, Pag-ibig, and Philhealth contributions despite being deducted from our semi-monthly pay; delayed salaries and undisclosed deductions by Polystar; failure to meet Occupational Health and Safety Standards; failure to fully apply the P21/day wage increase issued by the Regional Wage Board on October 2017; and many others.

Pacific Plaza Towers is home to rich Filipino luminaries, politicians (including two Senators), media personalities, expats, and foreign dignitaries.###

On the firing of DOLE Usec. Joel Maglungsod

Press Release

03 October 2018

On the firing of DOLE Usec. Joel Maglungsod

Labor disputes to increase unless labor policies are altered

Militant labor group Bukluran Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) says that President Rodrigo Duterte is mistaken to think that the sudden dismissal of Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod will neutralize the increasing militance of the labor movement.

The group claims that it would be erroneous to conclude that the rise of labor disputes the past two years is credited to Maglunsod.

“Duterte has no one to blame but himself for the recent rise of labor disputes because he raised the expectations of millions of wage-earners when he promised to abolish contractualization upon assuming the presidency,” said BMP president Luke Espirtu.

Militants assert that even the End Endo Bill before the Senate which he recently certified as urgent does not abolish trilateral work arrangements. The Senate proposal still allows the contracting out of ‘usually necessary or desirable’ work in the business of principal employers.

They view the dismissal of Maglunsod is this administration’s way to appease Duterte's true bosses- the foreign and local capitalists.

“It is evident that the firing of Maglunsod signifies where Duterte’s loyalty really lies,” he revealed.

BMP explained that not unless a major policy shift is promulgated, the workers will continue to assert what is rightfully theirs. Labor groups are unanimous in pushing for the abolition of contractualization, living wages and scrapping of the regressive TRAIN Law.

“Ultimately, removing Maglunsod will not dampen the fighting spirit and militance of workers because the exploitative and oppressive policies remain intact,” Espiritu concluded.###

On Duterte certifying End Endo Bill as urgent: All form, no substance, says labor group

PRESS RELEASE

01 October 2018

On Duterte certifying End Endo Bill as urgent 

All form, no substance, says labor group

As Senate Bill 1826, also known as the “End Endo Act of 2017” getting the Palace approval last September 21 as it was certified as urgent to be passed by the Upper House, socialist group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) was “not quick to applaud Duterte for his latest trickery”.

In a statement sent to the media the group said that, “While it may appear that Malacanang is rushing the Senate to end the scourge of contractualization with his certification to SB1826 as an urgent bill however, SB1826 did not remove the legal basis of this patently anti-worker scheme for cheap and docile labor. It continues to allow trilateral work arrangements that contracts out of ‘usually necessary or desirable’ work in the business of principal employers”.

BMP laments that Duterte did not even bother to study the salient features of this bill. The group fears that his only intent was to dispel doubts on the populist image of his regime, especially after its satisfaction ratings fell due to his administration’s helplessness against runaway inflation.

“The president’s certification is all form but without substance, he is desperately conjuring the illusion that he could deliver on his campaign promises, especially with his much ado about nothing ‘change is coming’ rhetorical stunt has crumbled,” BMP president, Luke Espiritu clarified.

“Duterte may be successful over the short-term, with some labor groups wrongly congratulating him for this bogus policy change regarding contractual employment. But the bitter truth will soon be revealed to the millions of contractual workers who would find that their working conditions remain precarious, unsafe, lowly paid, and unstable – even with the eventual passage of SB1826,” he warned.

The BMP is calling on Senate Labor committee head Senator Joel Villanueva to quickly address the loopholes of SB1826 before it is passed in the Upper House and transmitted to the Bicameral Committee. “There is still time for the senators to rectify,” they said.

“The workers will not accept any compromise of their rights. SB1826 like its counterpart in the House of Representatives will be outrightly rejected by the workers”. Espiritu hinted that, the proponents of the watered down anti-Endo bill will be suffer immensely in next year’s national elections”.

The labor group will be setting up camp in front of the Senate this week dubbed “Endo Watch” to push for the prohibition of the contracting out of “usually necessary or desirable work, which should be performed by a regular employee, as stipulated in Article 280 of the Labor Code”. ###

Criminalization of legitimate labor dissent slammed

Press Release

30 September 2018

Criminalization of legitimate labor dissent slammed

Militant labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) today denounced the arrest of thirteen officers and members of the DBSN Farm Agriventures Workers Union after they were picked up Wednesday evening by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

The workers were charged with libel under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 or Republic Act 10175 after pictures of workers holding flags and placards taken before they left for Manila to hold a camp-out in front of the National office of the Labor department to seek an audience before Secretary Silvestre Bello were uploaded at Facebook.

“This is a classic case of harassment. The owner of DBSN could no longer deny the veracity of the accusations of rampant violations of labor standards in his farm as well as the legitimacy of the workers demand for regularization, the Labor department says so,” claimed BMP president and union legal counsel, Luke Espiritu.

Of the thirteen arrested workers, ten are being detained at Camp Downes at Ormoc City including its union president, Ailieen Claros and spokesperson Josephine Jaballa. The remaining three are held at municipal police station of Albuera.

He explained that the the case filed against the workers could not constitute online libel since both the DOLE regional office and the National Labor Relations Commission have found the company guilty of gross violation of labor laws and ordered the regularization of its employees, even if the management has filed an appeal before the agencies.

Workers at DBSN Agriventures are paid for P285 to work for 15-hour shifts, the regional minimum wage for workers in Region 8 for 8-hours of work, without overtime pay and premium among its many labor standard violation despite being is one of the biggest poultry dressing plants in the country. It was accredited by the National Meat Inspection Service and certified as an ISO company by TUV-Rhineland.

“The sub-human conditions of employees and the outright non-payment is already condemnable, to say the least. To add harassment and criminalization to salvage the owner’s ill reputation and multi-billion profits is new low for an ISO-accredited company,” he deplored.

Upon labor inspection early this year, the poultry farm was found guily of: No proof of coverage or remittance of SSS contributions, non-payment of Overtime Premium Pay, non-payment of Service Incentives Leave Pay, non-payment of Holiday Pay, illegal deduction (personal protective equipment such masks, gloves, and aprons, and delivery and transport expenses by boat), non-payment of Night Shift Differential Pay; Labor-only contracting in violation of D.O 174, and non-payment of 13th Month Pay.

BMP maintained that the criminalization of labor struggles shall not make the workers cower in fear but will only reap a flurry of protests and ignite labor unrest further.

“The right to regular jobs and proper compensation are guaranteed by the constitution and no amount of criminalization could override these rights”.

They likewise called on authorities to dismiss the trumped-up charges, free the detained laborers and expedite the implementation of regularization as ordered by state agencies.

DBSN Agriventures, the poultry supplier of the Magnolia brand of San Miguel Pure Foods Inc. and Jollibee’s ‘chickenjoy’ is based in Albuera, Leyte and is owned Mayor Ramon Oñate, Municipal Mayor of Palompon town, also in Leyte.###

HARASSMENT. Workers of poultry farm DBSN Farm Agriventures decry the criminalization of their legitimate grievances for regularization and proper compensation after they end up in jail for a cyber libel case filed against them by their employer, Mayor Ramon Oñate, Municipal Mayor of Palompon, Leyte.

BMP warns organized labor from supporting watered down bill

PRESS RELEASE

September 25, 2018

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)

As Duterte certifies anti-contractualization bill as urgent: 

BMP warns organized labor from supporting watered down bill

As president Duterte certified Senate Bill 1826 or the “Security of Tenure and End of Endo Act of 2018”, as urgent, socialist labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) warned today the broad trade union movement from rushing in to support the said measure.

“Organized labor must maintain its critical and independent stance. It should not allow itself to be used as a deodorizer to a fascist regime that is not only quickly losing popular support due to runaway inflation but to also bolster the illusion that the president is fulfilling his campaign promises,” the group said in a statement.

They pointed out that, “Duterte has all the authority to prohibit the contracting out of work, as per Article 106, but he continues to fumble by pointing workers to push for regularization through legislation. He is making a fool out of the Filipino public”.

The militants claim that the Security of Tenure bill was already certified as urgent by the Executive as early as July 2017 when the LEDAC or the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council approved the Common Legislative Agenda (CLA) for the 17th Congress.

BMP president Luke Espiritu warned fellow labor leaders that, “The devil is in the details”. He says that labor leaders should enlighten workers to see beyond motherhood statements and grandiose labels and not muddle the issue.

Senate Bill 1826, under its Section 3 permits trilateral work arrangements that contract out usually necessary and desirable work of principal employers to manpower agencies. Hence, despite the supposed limitations, it still allows the scourge of contractualization to continue and to harm workers’ rights and welfare,” said

“As it appears that the process to address the legal basis of contractualization is finally moving, the labor movement should not be foolish to rush its support to either to SB 1826 or House Bill 6908. We should ask: in what direction is it moving to, is it to finally end contractualization or to merely conjure the illusion of a delivery of a popular campaign promise without any betterment to the conditions of millions of contractual employees?

A study of the devilish details would prove that SB 1826 tends to move towards the latter that the former. It is however but a tendency, as compared to HB 6908, which is far, far worse,” Espiritu added.

The BMP is calling on Senate labor committee headed by Senator Joel Villanueva to recast SB 1826 to “show sympathy to the misery by correcting the injustices inflicted on contractual workers instead of favoring the profits of principal employers, who employ contractors to supply them with cheap and docile labor”.

“We demand not a harmonized version of SB 1826 and HB 6908 but a total rejection of the House version. Our basic position is the prohibition of all forms of contractualization. But if the Senate insists on trilateral work arrangements and legitimate job contracting, as a compromise and as a transition phase, we propose that contractual workers should be paid 200% more the wages paid to regular workers.

This, Espiritu says, is not only to protect secure the incomes of employees who do not have continuous livelihood but also to serve as deterrent to the abuse of temporary work schemes against regular employment”. ###

Tula sa ika-25 anibersaryo ng BMP

TULA SA IKA-25 ANIBERSARYO NG BMP
ni Greg Bituin Jr.
- tulang akrostika, binubuo ng 15 pantig bawat taludtod

Pagpupugay sa Anibersaryong Pilak (ika-25) ng Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino - B.M.P.
Unyunismo, sosyalismo, taas-kamao kami
Kapitalismong salot ang kalabang anong tindi
Lulupigin ito kaya kami'y nagpaparami
Upang itayo ang lipunang tunay na may silbi

Rebolusyon ay isang daan tungong pagbabago
At edukasyon ay paraan para sa obrero
Na ang welga'y paaralan na dapat unawa mo
Na pagkakaisa nila'y mahalagang totoo
Gaano man kahirap ay magwawagi rin tayo

Manggagawa, magkaisa, ang aming panawagan
At manggagawa ang magpapalaya nitong bayan
Na kahit na matindi ang mga nararanasan
Ginagawa ang nararapat ng may katapatan
Ginigising ang bayan nang mabago ang lipunan

Ating itataguyod ang kapakanan ng uri
Gulugod ang prinsipyong tangan, layunin at mithi
Atin ding dudurugin ang pribadong pag-aari
Wakasan ang burgesya't elitistang paghahari
At ibabagsak na ang sistemang mapang-aglahi

Nanggugulang lagi itong kapitalistang ulol
Gunggong ang tingin sa manggagawang di makatutol
Palaban yaong mangggawang marunong pumatol
Ibagsak ang burgesyang may buntot na buhol-buhol
Lupigin ang kapital na asong kahol ng kahol

Igawad ang pamumuno sa uring manggagawa
Pagkaisahin natin ang hukbong mapagpalaya
Isipin natin paano haharapin ang sigwa
Ng kapitalismong nagdulot ng hirap at luha
Organisadong manggagawa ang ating adhika

* Ang tula'y nilikha ika-14 ng Setyembre 2018, kasabay ng pagdiriwang ng ika-25 taon ng BMP.

Manggagawa, Walang Kompromiso sa Laban sa Kontraktwalisasyon!

Pahayag ng Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)

Miyerkules, Pebrero 28, 2018

Mula pa nang umpisang nahalal si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, batid namin na hangga’t kasangkot ang kinatawan ng malalaking kapitalista sa kanyang gobyerno, hinding hindi niya maitutupad ang pangako niya sa manggagawa’t masa. Ang malala pa, simula’t sapul pa lang tahasan na siyang panig sa polisiyang neoliberal, na nagpapalawig sa dambuhalang negosyo samantalan nilulugmok pa sa hirap ang manggagawa’t maralita.

Marami nang palpak na pangako si Duterte sa masa. Nang sinabi niyang walang demolisyon, dumami ang demolisyon. Nang sinabi niyang kapayapaan sa mga rebeldeng grupo, ang dala niya’y patayan sa kanayunan na pinalala pa ng Martial Law sa Mindanao. Nang sinabi niyang lupa sa mga magsasaka, pinalayas ang maraming magbubukid sa kanilang lupang tinatamnan. Nang sinabi niyang hindi bubuwisan ang mahihirap, ang dala niya’y dagdag buwis sa pamamagitan ng TRAIN Law. Nang sinabi niyang walang krimen, lumala pa ito dahil dumagdag ang kapulisan sa hanay ng mga kriminal at mamamatay tao.

At nang sabihin niya kahapon na hindi na niya wawakasan ang kontraktwalisasyon ng trabaho, na tahasang taliwas sa kanyang naunang pangako na “contractualization must stop,” muling binali ni Duterte ang kanyang pangako sa manggagawa. Ang sabi niya, “kompromiso” na lang sa mga kapitalista, wag silang pahirapan sa kanyang negosyo, tutal, “that’s their money” daw.

Samakatuwid, sa tinuran na yan ni Duterte, ang sigaw ng mga manggagawa sa kanya: MANLOLOKO! SCAMMER! Daig mo pa ang sindikatong Budol-Budol!

Una sa lahat, pinahihirapan daw ng mga manggagawa ang mga kapitalista sa kanilang negosyo kapag hiningi ang regular na sahod? Isa kang ungas, Mr. Duterte. Palibhasa’y hindi ka manggagawa kaya hindi mo nararamamdaman ang hirap ng walang tiyak na seguridad sa trabaho, ang gutom para pagkasyahin ang maliit na sahod, ang kawalan ng benepisyo, at ang pambabastos ng mga kapitalista sa amin dahil hirap kaming magtayo ng unyon o samahan. Idagdag pang pabigat ang sumisirit na presyo ng bilihin dahil sa TRAIN Law mo.

Ang guminhawa sa iyong gobyerno ay mga kapitalista, hindi kaming manggagawa’t maralita. Ang primerong halimbawa ay si Henry Sy, ang Contractualization King ng Pilipinas. Noong 2017, umangat ang yaman ni Henry Sy nang mahigit LIMANG BILYONG DOLYAR, mula $12.7 bilyon noong 2016 sa $18 bilyon sa 2017. Ito ay dahil sa pagtitipid nito sa labor sa pamamagitan ng pag-empleyo ng mahigit 160,000 na kontraktwal na manggagawa. Mismong ang anak ni Henry Sy na si Harley Sy ay inaming nag-eempleyo sila ng mga “seasonal” o pansamantalang manggagawa.

Pangalawa, ang yaman ng mga kapitalista ay hindi sa kanila. Galing iyon sa lakas-paggawa ng mga manggagawa. Para may produksyon at kita, kailangan ng kapitalista ang lakas-paggawa ng isang manggagawa. Ngunit kakaunting oras lamang ng kabuuang walong oras na produksyon ng isang manggagawa ang binabayaran ng kapitalista sa pamamagitan ng sahod. Kaya walang karapatang sabihin ni Duterte na sariling pera ng kapitalista ang kanilang kita. Pera iyon ng manggagawa na siyang naghirap para malikha iyon. Samantalang ang kapitalista, walang kahirap-hirap, patamad-tamad lang sa opisina at libangan, subalit kumikita ng milyon-milyon kada minuto.

Pangatlo, hindi dapat nakikipagkumpromiso ang gobyerno pagdating sa kapakanan ng manggagawa at masa. Ang manggagawa ang siyang naghihirap araw-araw. Konti na nga lang ang kinikita, pero maraming gastusin dahil sa dagdag buwis. Kulang sa tulog, madalas puyat, dahil walang masakyang tren, bus, o dyip. At isang malaking banta sa manggagawang kontraktwal kapag padating na ang endo. Kapag endo, tambay, gutom, at nagiging desperado sa buhay. Ibebenta na nga ang ating lupa’t likas na yaman sa mga dayuhan gaya ng Amerika at Tsina, ibebenta pa ang ating kinabukasan sa mga kapitalista. Scammer nga talaga si Duterte kung ganon. Isa syang bentador!

Ganitong ganito rin ang aktitud ng nakaraang administrasyon ng dilaw na Liberal Party. Tahasang pagpapalakas ng kontraktwalisasyon, dagdag-buwis, pagsasapribado ng pampublikong serbisyo, malakihang pangungutang, at pagpayag na salaulain ng mga kapitalista ang ating likas na yaman. Sa madaling salita, isa ring trapo, ipokrito sa masa, at tuta ng kapitalista si Duterte. Wala siyang pinag-iba sa mag-inang Aquino, Arroyo, Erap, at Ramos. Dagdag pa, dahil mamamatay-tao at diktador ang asta ni Duterte, kaya wala rin siyang pinag-iba kay Marcos.

Manggagawa, hindi tayo kailanman papaloko sa kung sinong nag-aastang tagapagsalba natin. Ngayon ang panahon na hindi na tayo maninikluhod at hihingi na lang ng limos, kapwa sa gobyernong manggogoyo at sa kapitalistang walang ibang inintindi kundi pigain ang ating lakas-paggawa.

Wala na tayong aasahang ano pa man sa tahasang anti-manggagawang rehimen ni Duterte. Kung kaya, ngayon na ang panahon na magkaisa tayo laban sa kontraktwalisasyon. Sa halip na magpatali sa kaso-kaso o kaya tripartismo—na mga pampabansot lamang na kaparaanan ng estado sa hanay ng mga manggagawa—ngayon na ang panahon ng pagkilos. Muling patampukin ang isang kilusang manggagawang palaban, mulat-sa-uri, at may abilidad na pangunahan ang laban para sa isang makataong lipunan kung saan hindi na api ang manggagawa’t masa.