Filipino Workers Letter to Malaysian Prime Minister

March 13, 2012

Mohammad Najib Abdul Razak

Prime Minister of Malaysia

C/o His Excellency Datu Seri’ Ibrahim Saad

Ambassador, Malaysian Embassy

Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Makati City

Warm greetings!

The Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (Solidarity of Filipino Workers), one of the biggest labor centers in the Philippines together with its allied organizations is deeply alarmed of the various cases involving some bank employees and extremely concerned of the state of human rights and trade union rights in Malaysia. These are clear violation against the free exercise of every worker in Malaysia.

We condemn the deviously premeditate dismissal of NUBE Vice President, Abdul Jamil Jalaludeen and National Treasurer, Chen Ka Fatt for carrying out trade union activity pursuant to the trade dispute with Maybank Bhd, a Malaysian Government Bank which brings the total number of Malaysian trade union leaders dismissed for trade union activity to an alarming figure of 17 thus far.

Unfortunately, the act of the Malaysian Ministry of Human Resources registering the Maybank Berhad sponsored in-house union to represent the very same category of employees represented by NUBE since 1960 is truly unimaginable.

More so, we are sending our strongest condemnation of the actions of the supposed protectors of human rights and trade union rights in Malaysia, the Ministry of Human Resources and Human Rights Commission condoning the violation of human and trade union rights by Maybank Bhd.

We cannot close our eyes seeing our brethren in Malaysia suffering from various injustices to which your country is truly responsible.

In so doing, we urge your Government to immediately resolve the following issues of concern:

1. Reinstate all 17 trade union leaders dismissed for trade union activities given his deteriorating health condition which was committed contrary to the protection accorded to trade unions and its members;

2. Cancel the registration of the management sponsored in-house union immediately;

3. Investigate on the allegations of intimidation, assault and battery of NUBE officials including a lady officer by the Security personnel of Maybank Berhad;

4. Investigate the involvement of Police intimidation and harassment of NUBE official against exercising their right to picket;

5. Investigate the seizure of the NUBE General Secretary’s CPU for no apparent reason;

6. Respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of trade unions and union activists in accordance with international labour norms and the Malaysian laws;

7. Pay back all the salaries of NUBE officials deducted by Maybank for trade union activities;

8. Stop impeding the functioning of NUBE as a trade union;

9. Engage in a respectful and peaceful dialogue to set up and institutionalise mechanisms to respect fundamental human rights in Malaysia and to end the violations which include intimidation, harassment, victimisation and unjust sentencing and dismissals;

As of the moment, our organization is pursuing a sustained campaign to support the struggle of the Maybank employees. We will do our share in projecting the issue in the global arena.

For a start, we are soliciting some support from various sectors in the Philippines through petition and protest letters pressuring your Government to heed the call of the Maybank workers. So far, we have been successful in uniting some of our allies and networks in our efforts to seek help and gain more strength in the fight for the interests and welfare of our fellow brethren in Malaysia.

We will monitor your actions and look forward to hearing about your positive intervention on this very serious matter.

Very truly yours,

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)

Metro East Labor Federation (MELF)

SUPER Federation

Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng Maralitang Lungsod (KPML)

Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Transportasyon (PMT)

Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM)

Workers picket Senate as impeachment court reconvenes

Workers picket Senate

as impeachment court reconvenes

[PRESS RELEASE, March 12, 2012] Some 50 workers from the militant Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) held a picket at around noon today in front of the Senate building to press for their "DISCLOSE ALL" demand.

BMP spokesperson Romy Castillo said, "We want the full disclosure of all evidences and testimonies – including those disregarded by the prosecution panel. We demand the revelation of dollar accounts, the perks received from Lucio Tan (Philippine Airlines platinum card), and the internal arrangements in government decisions – involving not just CJ Corona but of all high officials in the land”.

Castillo added, “There are those who say that a full disclosure by all government officials is irrelevant to the impeachment case. We dare say that these data are relevant if there is a grain of truth to president Aquino’s statement that the motive of the impeachment process is judicial reforms in accordance to with the regime’s mandate against corruption”.

In particular, the BMP declares that the people expects the “truth to come out regarding corruption and other abuses by government officials”.

But instead, Castillo averred, that the impeachment court – including the prosecution – “did not follow the people’s will because they averted the following: (a) the disclosure of Corona’s bank accounts on the pretext that they are waiting for an interpretation of the Foreign Currency Deposits Act by the high court, (b) the testimony of a PAL executive regarding the perks received by the chief justice, and (c) the internal arrangements on the Court on its decision regarding the TRO of Sec. de Lima’s hold departure order”. Thus, he concluded, “Workers could not help but assume that they are all covering up for themselves because government officials – not just Corona – run on the same modus operandi. The decisive act to dispel our doubts is for all state officials to disclose all public records, if they would not do so, the impeachment process is nothing but an obvious by-product of elite infighting between the Aquino and Arroyo camps". #

Marso 8: Araw ng kababaihan, Araw ng paglaya!

Marso 8: Araw ng kababaihan, Araw ng paglaya!

ni Teody Navea

Ang halaga ng araw ng Marso 8 ay singhalaga ng araw ng Mayo Uno sa hanay ng kababaihan. Matagal nang panahon na di nakakaalpas ang sektor ng kababaihan sa patuloy nitong dinaranas na kaapihan at pagsasamantala. Mangyaring gawin nating krusada ang araw na ito upang imulat ang malawak na bilang ng kababaihan sa tunay na diwa ng okasyong ito di lamang sa ating bansa kundi maging sa buong daigdig.

Ang sektor ng kababaihan sa Pilipinas ay masahol pa ang kalagayan, dahil bukod sa ito’y nabibilang sa mahihirap na bansa ay patuloy pang kinukunsinti ng isang sistemang imbes kakandili sa kanyang interes ay lalo pang nagsasadlak sa kanya sa matinding kaapihan at kahirapan. Patong-patong na dagan ang kanyang dinadala resulta ng samu’t saring isyu’t problema dulot ng kabulukan ng sistemang kapital kung saan ang sektor ng kababaihan ay niyuyurakan ang karapatan at hindi naipagkakaloob ang tunay na interes at kagalingan nito.

Sa gitna ng matinding krisis na kinakaharap ng bansa, ang sektor ng kababaihan ay lalo pang nalulugmok sa kahirapan at kaapihan. Kung kaya’t ang marapat na papel ng sektor ng kababaihan ay patuloy na isulong nito ang kanyang laban upang tuluyang mapawi na ang tunay na ugat ng pagsasamantala. Isang lipunang mangangalaga sa kanyang mga karapatan at kagalingan maging ang mga pangkabuuang serbisyo at proteksiyon bilang sektor ng kababaihan.

Kung gusto nating maunawaan ang mga mahahalagang isyung kinakaharap ng sektor ng kababaihan, ating ilalatag ang mga puntong kailangan nating ipanawagan upang maisakongkreto ang mga kahilingan nito.

Una, ang mga kababaihan ay marapat mapagkalooban ng disente at marangal na trabaho.

Dumarami ang mga kababaihan sa puwersa sa paggawa dahil sa ”flexibilization of labor”. Malaganap ang kontraktwalisasyon kung saan ang sektor ng kababaihan ang siyang napupuruhan. Nagagamit ng mga kapitalista upang lalo pang pagsamantalahan ang kanilang hanay.

Ikalawa, ang mga kababaihan ay patuloy ang dinaranas na kawalang proteksyon at panlipunang serbisyo.

Ang ating bansa ay nahuhuli kung usaping proteksyon ng kababaihan ang pag-uusapan. Ang marapat na pagpapasa ng isang panukalang batas para sa kanyang mga karapatan at kagalingan ay nauunsiyami. Mahigit isang dekada na ang RH Bill sa kongreso ngunit ito’y hindi maipasa hanggang sa kasalukuyan.

Ikatlo, pasan-pasan ng mga kababaihan ang hagupit ng patuloy na pagtaas ng mga batayang bayarin at bilihin.

Ang unang natatamaan sa walang humpay na pagtataas ng presyo ng langis at bilihin ay ang mga kababaihan kung saan sila ang namomroblema sa gastusin sa pang-araw araw. Sila ang pangunahing nagbabadyet at kung papaano nila pagkakasyahin ang maliit na kinikita ng kani-kanilang mga asawa.

Ikaapat, patuloy nilang nararanasan ang samu’t saring diskriminasyon sa iba’t ibang aspeto ng kanilang pamumuhay.

Sa pag-eempleyo, karaniwan nang hindi pantay ang pagtrato sa mga kababaihang manggagawa. Sila ay hindi nabibigyan ng pantay na serbisyo at maging ang mga patakarang umiiral sa mga lugar na kanilang pinagtatrabahuhan ay di umaayon sa kanilang katayuan bilang sektor ng kababaihan. Malaganap pa rin ang kaisipang umiiral sa isang sistema kung saan binibigyang diin ang kapangyarihan ng kalalakihan o sistemang “patriarchal”. Mababa ang pagtingin sa kababaihan at mas pinapahalagahan ang papel ng kalalakihan sa lipunan. Sila ay itinuturing na mga “sex object” o commodity sa ilalim ng lipunang kapitalismo.

Ikalima, karaniwang ang nagiging bunton sa mga dumarating na krisis ay ang sektor ng kababaihan kung saan hindi sila ligtas sa mga pang-aabuso at karahasan.

Ayon sa ilang mga pananaliksik at pag-aaral, marami sa mga kababaihan ang dumaranas ng karahasan sa kanilang mga tahanan bunsod ng epekto ng krisis kung saan ang kanilang mga asa-asawa na nagiging aburido, bugnutin at sila ang napagbubuntunan. Maraming naitatalang mga kababaihang dumaranas ng pambubugbog ng asawa at iba pang samu’t saring porma ng karahasan.

Sa paggunita ng Marso 8, ating balik tanawin ang mga kadahilanan kung bakit natin ipinagdiriwang ito sa kasalukuyan. Sa araw na ito binigyan ng pagkilala ang karapatan ng mga kababaihan kung saan ang karapatan nilang bomoto ay patunay ng pagiging pantay nito sa karapatan ng mga kalalakihan. Ngunit hindi rito nagtatapos ang laban ng kababaihan. Ang tunay na diwa ng emansipasyon sa kababaihan ay di natin makakamit hangga’t ang ating lipunan ay nakapailalim sa bulok na sistemang kapitalismo. Kailangan nating lumaya upang mailatag at maipundar ang isang lipunang sosyalismo kung saan ang adyenda ng sektor ng kababaihan ay nasa unahan.

Mabuhay ang kababaihan! Mabuhay ang uring manggagawa!

* Ang may-akda ang ikalawang pangulo ng sosyalistang organisasyong Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)

PR - Picket rally at House of Rep - DISCLOSE ALL

PRESS RELEASE

February 28, 2012

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino

Workers challenge Congress not to be "kontrabidas"

by disclosing all bank records

Some 150 militant workers from the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) staged a picket at the Batasan gates of the House of Representatives to demand the "full disclosure of all bank records - not just the SALNs (statement of assets, liabilities and net worth) - of all Congress representatives".

The protest is a reaction to a proposed bill by Pampanga representative Dong Gonzales, which seeks to ban the portrayal of lawmakers as crooks in movies and television.

Art Imitating Life

"The image problem of our lawmakers stems not from the bad publicity it gets from their kontabida roles in films and TV shows. This just a case of art imitating life, though projected to its extremes," BMP president Leody de Guzman said.

He added, "How can they not be perceived as criminal masterminds when most of them come from political clans that seem to rule over their legislative districts like feudal lords? We cannot blame the public for thinking that politicos enrich themselves by illegal means especially since the wealth accumulation happens while the majority of the poor are getting poorer".

Height of Hypocrisy

"If Rep. Gonzales wants to rescue the sorry image of Batasan, he should, instead, demand the full disclosure of all bank records - including dollar accounts - of all congress representatives. It is the height of hypocrisy for Congress – through the House prosecution panel in the impeachment court – to use bank records for Corona's conviction when they themselves do not disclose their financial records to the public," de Guzman argued.

DISCLOSE ALL not Censorship

The BMP calls on Congress to junk the said proposal by Rep. Gonzales, calling it a "censorship" that infringes the right to freedom of expression. "Censorship and infringement to the right to freedom of expression would only add blemish to the already tainted image of Congress. DISCLOSE ALL kung ayaw nilang maging kontrabida sa mata ng publiko! Kung walang ninakaw, walang itatago!" de Guzman concluded. #

Sunstar: Group urges government officials to disclose bank records

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breaking-news/2012/02/20/group-urges-government-officials-disclose-bank-records-207089

Group urges government officials to disclose bank records

Sunstar, www.sunstar.com.ph

Monday, February 20, 2012

MANILA -- Some 100 militant workers went to the Supreme Court on Monday to challenge government officials to disclose their bank records, currently a hotly-debated issue in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

This developed after President Benigno Aquino III and Corona exchanged tirades to reveal each other's Statement of Assets of Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN). Corona even revived the issue of Aquino's psychiatric records in 1979, when he allegedly suffered from depression and melancholia.

"If Noynoy (Aquino) and Corona are truly sincere in their calls for transparency and public accountability, we challenge them to disclose their bank records. Also, if genuine democracy exists in the country, the 'people's right to know' should have the primacy over the property rights of individuals," Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) president Leody de Guzman said.

For his part, a student leader from the University of the Philippines-Diliman chided Corona for demanding Aquino's psychological records, calling such statements as "juvenile."

"You hear that kind of taunt from schoolyard bullies, never from a chief justice of the Supreme Court. Such statements only serve to distract the public from the real issue regarding his bank accounts. Corona just gave another reason for the public to doubt his fitness to remain as chief justice," UP-College of Social Sciences and Philosophy chairperson JC Tejano said.

Some senator-judges have urged Aquino and Corona to exercise restraint amid the word war between the two. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)

ABANTE: Mga madre, labor group kinukulit si CJ sa $ account

http://www.abante.com.ph/issue/feb2012/news04.htm

Mga madre, labor group kinukulit si CJ sa $ account

Aries Cano/Juliet de Loza ng pahayagang ABANTE

Nakisali na rin sa panawagan ang Association of Major Religious Superiors of Women in the Philippines (AMRSWP) kay Chief Justice Renato Corona na pahintulutan nitong buksan ang kanyang dollar accounts para maibuyangyang ang katotohanan at mapatunayan sa sambayanan na wala itong itinatago.

Ayon pa sa mga madre, malaking katanungan kung ang temporary restraining order (TRO) na inisyu ng Supreme Court (SC) ay magbibigay-daan sa pagdiskubre sa katotohanan o paraan ng pagpi­gil sa pagsisiwalat nito.

Binakbakan din ng grupo ang Chief Justice sa kawalan umano ng “delicadeza” nang humirit ito ng proteksyon sa SC Justices na direktang nasa ilalim ng kanyang pamumuno.

“We therefore implore Chief Justice Renato Corona to listen to the stirrings of truth, justice and res­pect the Senate Court and the impeachment proceedings,” dagdag pa ng grupo.

Maging ang militanteng Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) ay nakikalampag para maibu­yangyang sa publiko ang “lahat” ng bank records, kasama ang dollar ­accounts, hindi lang ni Corona kundi ng lahat ng government officials, kasama si Pangulong Benigno Aquino III.

“SALN is not enough! We demand the full disclosure of ALL bank records including dollar accounts by ALL government officials, not just Corona,” ayon kay BMP president Leody de Guzman.

ABS-CBN News: BMP dares gov't officials: Disclose your bank accounts

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/02/20/12/bmp-dares-govt-officials-disclose-your-bank-accounts

BMP dares gov't officials: Disclose your bank accounts

By Ina Reformina, ABS-CBN News

Posted at 02/20/2012 1:54 PM | Updated as of 02/20/2012 1:54 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Some 40 workers under the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) staged a picket in front of the Supreme Court (SC) today to call on all government officials to disclose their bank accounts amid the ongoing impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

The campaign comes in the wake of the presentation of evidence by the House Prosecution Panel on Article 2 of the Impeachment Complaint against Corona for non-disclosure of his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

While taking the position that all government officials should disclose their SALNs, BMP said the bank accounts, including dollar accounts, of all public officials must be disclosed to the public as well.

"SALN is not enough, we demand the full disclosure of all bank records including dollar accounts by all government officials, not just Corona," BMP president Leody de Guzman said.

"If Noynoy (President Aquino) and Corona are truly sincere in their calls for transparency and public accountability, we challenge them to disclose their bank records. Also, if genuine democracy exists in our country, the 'people's right to know' should have the primacy over the property rights of individuals," he added.

The group bore with them plackards that read" "Disclose all," "Lahat! Di lang si Corona," and "Lahat! Pati dollar accounts."

They also called on the high tribunal to lift a temporary restraining order (TRO) it issued in favor of Philippine Savings (PS) Bank where the Chief Magistrate supposedly keeps his dollar accounts.

In issuing the TRO, the Supreme Court stressed that under the Foreign Currency Deposit Act, only the depositor may waive his/her right to absolute confidentiality of foreign currency accounts.