NAGKAISA Statement - Pork Barrel Regime a bane to Filipino workers

NAGKAISA Statement

November 7, 2013

Contact Persons: 

Leody De Guzman (BMP) – 09205200672 

Joshua Mata (APL) – 09177942431

Pork Barrel Regime a bane to Filipino workers

Official numbers and figures tell no lies—pork barrel, which include the Palace's Special Purpose Fund (SPF) and Congress' Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF)--has reached all-time highs under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III. SPF, which are funds under the discretion of Mr. Aquino, is set to be pegged at more than P400 billion in 2014 and out of that, PDAF will be pegged at P25 billion.

The public coffer is overflowing with money, yet this huge amount of money is spent upon the discretion of whoever sits in Malacanang, with no transparency and direct engagement with the people in determining government projects. Such ill-transparency and fiscal dictatorship is ridiculously upheld through Mr. Aquino's Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), a rip off from former dictator Marcos' decree (PD 1177 of 1977) which seeks to fast track government spending, but again, under the discretion of one person that is the President, making him the chef of quick fry pork.

This has been the system in past administrations, and this, in the eye of Filipino workers, is the legacy of Mr. Aquino—the leader of the current Pork Barrel Regime fueled by the undemocratic spending of our hard-earned money.

With Mr. Aquino defending and upholding the pork barrel system in his nationally televised public address, and with him hitting anti-pork groups, we in Nagkaisa—the biggest labor coalition in the Philippines—join in the people's call of scrapping ALL forms of pork barrel which, as government records show, is a major source of corruption in government.

We also the demand the filing of criminal cases against all government officials who have benefited, directly or indirectly, from the pork barrel. Justice and law enforcement must know no influence or position, and it must be dispensed without delay. Officials who determine the budget under the current system, such as Budget secretary Florencio Abad, Senate President Franklin Drilon, and House Speaker Sonny Belmonte must also be held accountable for crafting pork-filled budgets.

Instead of a Pork Barrel Regime, we want a government built upon genuine democracy, wherein working Filipinos who automatically pay their taxes are engaged in budgeting and policy making. Such participative budgeting system, in our view, is a major step toward combating corruption.

Finally, we in Nagkaisa demand the government to allocate our money, in the most transparent and democratic way, to social services and real jobs creation especially since the Filipino worker is getting poorer due to contractual labor and small wage.

Scrap all pork! Filipino workers, unite for a democratic, transparent, and accountable government! ###

NAGKAISA is the broadest coalition of labor groups in the Philippines to date composed of labor centers, federations and national unions, which include the Alliance of Filipino Workers (AFW), affiliates of the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP), members of SENTRO, Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), Confederation of Independent Unions in the Public Sector (CIU), Federation of Free Workers (FFW), Manggagawa para sa Kalayaan ng Bayan (MAKABAYAN), National Federation of Labor Unions (NAFLU), National Mines and Allied Workers’ Union (NAMAWU), National Confederation of Labor (NCL), Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA), Philippine Government Employees Association (PGEA), Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK), Philippine Transport and General Workers Organization (PTGWO), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-Association of Concerned Employees (TESDA-ACE). 

DAP dialogue another spin brewed by Palace - BMP

04 November 2013

DAP dialogue another spin brewed by Palace - BMP

Militant labor lashed out at Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma for his stubborn defense of the Disbursement Allocation Program (DAP) and called his invitation to a dialogue as another propaganda spin.

In an interview over government-run radio station, the Presidential spokesperson expressed President Noynoy Aquino’s intention to hold a dialogue with the critics of the DAP.

“What is the Palace’s expected output from this, to convert pork barrel critics into his yellow army of cheerleaders; there is nothing to cheer about in the first place. Transparency, accountability and good governance are mere sound bytes to Aquino and his graft-riddled government,” said Gie Relova of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP).

The PCOO-concocted dialogue came after netizens and various anti-pork barrel advocates were dismayed at the address Aquino made over primetime television last week.

Relova added that, “Is it not enough that he took up primetime air time to force the nation to listen to his whining, he had his chance to position himself with the people sickened by a rotten system and an abusive government but opted not to”.

The BMP leader also said that, “Even if we accept their invite and (Aquino) answers all of the peoples’ queries and showers us with data on the outcomes of his DAP, it will be all for naught because the gist of the issue is its vulnerability to abuse and the perpetuation of patronage politics at the highest echelons of power. Aquino and all Trapos can no longer dupe an awakened and indignant people.

The BMP together with its allied organizations demand the total abolition of the pork barrel system in all branches of government, including the infamous DAP of Aquino.###

Contact person:

Gie Relova 0915-2862555

Viol de Guzman on the formation of BMP in 1975

To Ate Viol de Guzman, maraming salamat po sa inyong ibinahagi! Mabuhay kayo!

PR - Maybank Employees Gear for Strike

20 October 2013

PRESS RELEASE 

Contact person: 

REGINALD RICOHERMOSO 

09278615220

Maybank Employees Gear for Strike

The three-hundred and sixty-nine strong national employees union of Maybank may be forced to go on strike in the following days if the bank’s management refuses to heed the demands of the labor union. Maybank, an international bank with a main office based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia has sixty-five branches nationwide. The union complains that bank management has refused to implement a provision on performance bonuses stipulated in their collective bargaining agreement. 

According to Regie Ricohermoso, union president of Maybank Employees Union, “The continued non-implementation of the performance bonus provision is a direct violation of the collective bargaining agreement on the part of the management”. 

The union filed a Notice of strike last June 3 before the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), but representatives of bank President Ferminio M. Famatigan Jr. refused to budge in all the conciliation meetings facilitated by the NCMB.

The union leader likewise added that, “The management’s blind refusal is forcing us to take drastic steps for them to realize that we are serious with our demands”. 

Ricohermoso also complained that instead of heeding union demands to preserve industrial peace in the financial institution, the union has been suffering continued harassment. “Even our employees’ cooperative is subject to their aggravation, Mr. Famatigan’s minions have also taken away our right to use bank facilities for our activities, also a violation of the collective bargaining agreement,” he said. 

In compliance with the Labor Code, the union shall be holding their nationwide strike vote on October 22 at October 23. The strike vote shall be facilitated by representatives of the DOLE despite of the pronouncement made by bank officials that shall not cooperate in holding a peaceful strike referendum. 

In solidarity with the embattled Maybank employees, Gie Relova, Secretary-General of the militant Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino - National Capital Region-Rizal chapter (BMP-NCRR) said that, “The outright non-compliance of a public contract by Maybank execs shows only how little respect the bank management has for those who dedicated their lives and sacrificed so much to make Maybank what it is today”. 

The BMP leader says that it shall muster and mobilize its affiliates in support to the union until management heed the workers’ demands.###

PR - Online petition vs. SSS execs gains ground

Press Release

12 October 2013

Contact person:

Gie Relova, Sec. Gen. BMP-NCRR

0915-2862555

Online petition vs. SSS execs gains ground

“Our salaries are already below the family living wage which the Constitution mandates and yet you fatten yourselves on the starvation wages we live on,” stated an online petition urging Social Security System (SSS) execs to return the performance-based bonuses amounting to more than P10 million.

The petition has gained steam after only three days that it was posted at the petition site change.org.

The petition signed by more than 400 signatories was initiated by Gie Relova of the labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) which picketed the SSS office at Quezon City last week.

The petition addressed to embattled SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emilio de Quiros further demanded that the bonuses once returned by the board members, must be used to fund increased benefits and also to discontinue the recently Palace-approved .6% increase in employees' contributions.

“The callousness of SSS officials is an abomination that deserves labor’s outright indignation. Workers haven’t gotten over their lobbying for the approval of the additional .6% burden and now their squandering what rightfully belongs to us,” Relova said.

Most of the responses by the netizens expressed disgust at SSS officials for what they branded as “shameful” and an “injustice”, were among the more refined comments. Others petition signatories went out in to calling the bonus recipients as “kapal mukha” and “pigs”, obviously referring to the pork barrel scandal which has hounded both the Legislative and Executive branches.

There were also sensible commentaries such as that of a certain Anna Kapunan who said that, “The bonus maybe legal but it is immoral to bask in bonuses that came from the hard work of the constituents who cannot even enjoy their benefits”.

“Those in GOCCs should be made to understand that they are no longer insulated. They no longer operate in a vacuum where their discretion is absolute. Government service should go back to its original intent - service,” said a certain Samantha Poblacion of Quezon City.

Among the petition’s signatories were former beauty queen Aurora Pijuan, veteran journalist Alfonso Pedroche and environmentalist Aileen Lucero.

When asked what will be the group’s next move if SSS officials refuse to give in to the demands, Relova explained that, “The online petition will most likely not be enough because as we all know, De Quiros and company have thick faces. The BMP will take the battle against this injustice to the streets”.### 

PR - Workers dub SSS bonus and per diem “Million Peso Pork”

PRESS RELEASE

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)

October 8, 2013

Workers dub SSS bonus and per diem “Million Peso Pork”

Militant labor under Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), accompanied by labor-led political party Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) slammed current commissioners of the Social Security System (SSS) board for the P10 million bonus issued to them last year, and in addition, the P276 million bonus to its employees.

In a picket before the SSS main office in Quezon City today, the workers named the more than P40,000 per diem of the directors as “Million Peso Pork” comparative to the current pork barrel controversy.

“This is a disgrace to the Filipino workers whose only hope for retirement relief is the miniscule benefit from SSS, the premium of which increased by 0.6 per cent just last month,” said BMP national president Leody de Guzman.

“With the huge per diem of our board of directors, we, as SSS members, seem to have been forced to feed these pigs with our lowly salaries,” he added.

BMP’s action came after news reports bared the multimillion bonuses, which amounted to more than P1 million per commissioner. De Guzman also cited the 2012 Commission on Audit (COA) Report on Salaries and Allowances, wherein SSS president and chief executive officer was reported to have received P4.35 million in salaries and allowances last year.

With the slogan “Million-Peso Kickback sa SSS, Ibalik sa mga manggagawa!” BMP called for the accountability of SSS board members, urging them to return the P10 million to the SSS fund and increase the benefits of members.

The groups also reminded SSS that the refund of the P788 million overcharged interest as reflected in the 2011 COA report has not taken place.

It can be remembered that COA chided SSS for using a wrong computation of loan interest based on the principal loan amount instead of diminishing monthly loan balance, as prescribed by the Central bank. COA recommended SSS to stop the use of said computation, which SSS admittedly has been practicing in 2001, and refund the overcharged amount to its members.

After the picket, members of both organizations ate tuyo (dried fish) for lunch, signifying the worsening poverty amongst Filipino workers while their supposed servants, as represented by the SSS board, are wallowing on huge perks.

BMP to COA: Ibunyag lahat ng report sa PDAF at Malampaya Fund

Press Release

26 Setyembre 2013

Para masagot ang privilege speech ni Jinggoy

COA sinabihan na ibunyag lahat ng report sa PDAF at Malampaya Fund 

‘Di inalinta ang pamamaril kuno sa tanggapan ng Commission on Audit (CoA), rinalihan ng mga miembro ng Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) ang ahensya upang ipanawagan ang pagsisiwalat ang lahat ng linalaman ng audit report ng Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) at Malampaya Fund. 

Hindi kuntento sa mga pahayag ng mga opisyal ng Palasyo na maingat at tinipid ni Pangulong Noynoy Aquino ang paggamit ng kanyang discretionary funds, hiniling ng BMP na ilabas ng CoA ang kumpleto at walang kinikilingang audit report ng Malampaya Fund para sa mga taong 2010 hanggang 2012, sa termino ng Pangulo at hindi lamang yaong sa ilalim ng rehimeng Macapagal-Arroyo.

“Si Noynoy mismo ang mahilig magbida sa adbokasiya niya ng mabuting pamamahala. Puwes, nararapat lamang na ang Malampaya Fund ang unahin ng CoA. Kahit na si Commissioner Grace Pulido-Tan ay itinalaga sa CoA ng mismong Pangulo, obligasyon niya na itaguyod ang Seksyon 28, Artikulo 2 ng Konstitusyong 1987 na nagasasaad ng “ipatutupad ng Estado ang patakaran ng lubos na pagsisiwalat ng lahat ng transaksyon nito na pumapatungkol sa interes ng publiko,” sabi ni Leody De Guzman, Pangulo ng BMP. 

Nitong Enero lamang, inilabas ng Komisyon ang Sirkular 2013-04 na nagbibigay alam sa lahat ng departamento, ahensya, korporasyong pag-aari ng gobyerno at mga lokal na pamahalaan na tumupad sa kaparehong probisyon ng Konstitusyon.  

“Hindi na dapat magtaka ang CoA kung bakit ito pinuputakte ng kritisismo mula sa lahat ng kampo, nasusuka ang masa sa direksyong pinatutunguhan ng piling-pili at maka-isang panig na audit reports na pangunahing magsisilbi sa mga opisyal ng Palasyo at hindi para bigyang hustisya ang ating mga kababayan, bintang ng lider-manggagawa. 

Dagdag pa ni De Guzman, “Ang atake sa opisina ng CoA ay maaring para takutin ang mga empleyado ng ahensya na isiwalat ang buong katotohanan sa mga abuso ng mga opisyal ng pamahalaan. Umaapila ang mga manggagawa’t maralita ng katwiran, sa pag-asang makikinig ang CoA sa sigaw ng taumbayan para sa hustisya. Hindi kami umaasa sa sindakan dahil ito’y nakabase sa takot kaysa sa mahinahong lohika”. 

Gayundin, tinanong ng grupo kung bakit walang nababanggit sa kanilang Special Audit report kung paano winaldas ng noo’y Senador na si Noynoy Aquino ang kanyang alokasyong PDAF sa mga taong 2007 hanggang 2009. “Lumalabas na ayaw pakialaman ng CoA ang Pandora’s box ng korapsyon dahil mabubunyag nito ang kaparehong modus operandi ni Aquino at mga kapartido nito sa Liberal sa pagbuburiki nila sa kaban ng bayan,” pahayag ni De Guzman.###