Disclose All or Resign All! Genuine Cleansing of the Bureaucracy not a Telenovela of Elite Infighting

PRESS STATEMENT

Mayo 23, 2012

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)

Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM)

Sanlakas

Disclose All or Resign All!

Genuine Cleansing of the Bureaucracy not a Telenovela of Elite Infighting 

We have said it before and we will say it again. Give the Filipino people a chance for real reforms and meaningful cleansing of the rotting bureaucracy.

The impeachment of Corona is not enough. The process is a spectator sport for the Filipino masses who are neither senator judges nor members of the prosecution and defense panels. More so, it is atelenovela of elite infighting being used by the Aquino regime to consolidate its control of the state and to advance its economic interests.

In impeachment proceedings, the masses are being induced to take sides between two oppressors. They are made to choose the lesser evil among rival camps of the ruling elite, which is nothing more than a choice between hell and purgatory.  By so doing, it fosters the illusion of democracy, of people’s participation in the affairs of the State.

But while the impeachment process is patently limited in its scope and objective and is being utilized by factions of the elite to pursue their self-serving economic and political agendas, it would inevitably open more meaningful questions. Its narrowness and limitation would provide exact arguments for the necessity of genuine and widespread reforms, and for other means of political activity that ensure public participation in the cleansing of the bureaucracy.

Hence, upon the opening of impeachment proceedings against Corona, we issued the “Disclose All” slogan, the demand for the full disclosure of all financial records and transactions by all government officials.

The beleaguered chief justice – who is more an astute politician than an honorable judge – knows this Achilles heel of the impeachment process. Hence, Corona is now piercing the veil of Noynoy’s anti-corruption pretense in order to save his skin as he challenges Senator Drilon and the 188 signatories of the impeachment case to “disclose all”. Truly, crooks know when to speak the truth to hide a lie.

We are neither “pro-Corona” nor “pro-Noynoy”. Both politicians are personifications of the social evil of a corrupt bureaucracy under an elite democracy. If government officials want to dispel public mistrust, they should let the sun shine into dark places. The broad masses of the people, not just the workers and the poor demand the public scrutiny of their private wealth.

If they could not “disclose all”, then they should all resign. And if the demand for “full disclosure” is continuously not met, the cry for “Resign All” would transform from an appeal for delicadeza into a call of action for their ouster. #

Metro Workers picket the NCR Wage Board

PRESS RELEASE

May 21, 2012 

Metro Workers picket the NCR Wage Board:

Workers’ Cost of Living not Employers’ Capacity to Pay! – BMP NCRR

In reaction to the latest order by the NCR wage board, the militant socialist center Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) National Capital Region Rizal chapter (BMP-NCRR) picketed the offices of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in in Malate, Manila today.  

Last Friday, the NCR wage board ordered a two-tier P30 cost of living allowance (COLA) and the integration of P22 previous COLA into the basic pay. Romy Castillo, BMP spokesperson said, “The order is an insult. The P30 COLA is not even enough to buy a kilo of rice.  More so, it also falls short of the P90 to P125 across-the-board wage relief demand by organized labor.”

Castillo added, “Workers, however, have little to expect from the regional wage boards. Its checkered track record shows that it is patently not a mechanism for economic relief.  Their wage increase orders are a pittance. The exemptions they give to employers make their directives a paltry. Barya na nga! Ipinagkait pa ng mga eksempsyon! Two-gives pa!”

BMP-NCRR Secretary General, Gie Relova explained, “The NCR wage board fulfilled its mandate in accordance to Republic Act 6727, or the 1989 Wage Rationalization Act: to peg wages to the level of starvation pay”.

The BMP is demanding the reform of the country's wage fixing mechanisms and the abolition of the wage boards. The labor group is calling for the scrapping of RA 6727 since “it gives more weight and consideration to “employers’ capacity to pay” rather than the “cost of living” for the workers and their families.

“Workers are not asked for their "capacity to buy" when we buy our families' needs. Why then, in fixing wages, must the government ask the employers in the tripartite wage boards if they have the "capacity to pay" the living wage?”, Relova asked. The BMP estimates the daily cost of living for a family of six to be at P990.

Relova elucidated, “Are workers asking too much if they want to be paid at cost? Prices of commodities are generally the sum of "cost of production" and profit. For the price of labor power (wages), workers want to be paid according to the necessary costs for workers and their families to survive decently.” 

At the protest, the workers brought “thirty (30) rotten eggs” to highlight their disgust to the latest wage order of P30 COLA for Metro Manila worker.“Tatlumpong bugok na itlog para sa bugok sa wage board”, Relova concluded. #

Ang mga Manggagawa ng Gelmart - ni Tina Foronda

Ang mga Manggagawa ng Gelmart

ni Tina Foronda

Manggagawa sa ilalim ng pakikibaka!

Gumagawa para kumita!

Gumagawa para may makain!

Gumagawa para sa Pamilya!

Taong 1986, ang Pagawaan ng Gelmart Industries Philippines ay may humigit kumulang pa sa Sampung Libong Manggagawa na ang 90% ay kababaihan at 10% lamang ang kalalakihan. Ang pagawaang ito’y matatagpuan sa South Service Road, Parañaque City. Isang pagawaan ng mga panloob na kasuotan.

Ang mga kagamitan nito ay nagmumula pa sa ibang bansa at ang nabuong produkto nito ay pang-export din, sa iba’t ibang bansa pa ito dinadala. 

Maraming manggagawa ang ibinuhos na ang buong buhay, panahon at lakas ng kanyang paggawa sa loob ng pabrika.

Naging mistulang alipin ng buong sistema ng kapitalista, dahil sa kakarampot na sweldo, na hindi makasapat na ipangbuhay sa pamilya at lalong hindi makatugon sa pang-araw-araw na pangunahing pangangailangan.

Ang mga manggagawa ng Gelmart ay may isang samahan o UNYON, ang LAKAS MANGGAGAWA sa GELMART (LMG). Noong 1994 ay si Victor Briz ang nahalal na Pangulo ng nasabing Unyon, at masasabing isang solidong samahan kahit may mga ilan lang na kumakalaban minsan. 

Ang Unyon ng Gelmart ay aktibo sa mga pagkilos mula sa Lokal at Sentrong Pampulitika ng Manggagawa, ang Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP). Maipagmamalaki din na isa sila sa pinakaaktibo sa pagkilos lalo na sa mga rally. May mga pagkakataon na rin na naglunsad ng pagkilos ang mga manggagawa sa loob at labas ng pagawaan at ilang beses na ring humantong sa mataas na antas ng pakikipaglaban, (ang mag-strike). 

Unti-unti ng tinatamaan ng matinding krisis ang kompanya dulot na rin ng Globalisasyon at nahirapang makipag-kompetisyon, dahil sa pang-export ang mga produkto nito, at dahil sa Dolyar ang pinanggagalingan ng gastusin nito ay lumala pa dahil sa pagbagsak ng halaga ng dolyar sa piso.

Dahil sa pagbabawas ng mga orders ng mga costumer nila sa ibang bansa, unti-unti na ring isinasara ang ibang Departamento sa loob ng pagawaan. Dinadala nila ang ibang manggagawa sa lugar na kung saan merong gagawin.

Inilipat na sa ibang gawain at departamento ang ilan, kung saan kailangan pa, at ang iba naman ay napilitan nang mag-resign dahil sa hindi makayanang magpalipat-lipat ng trabaho. Hanggang sa umabot na lang ng humigit kumulang sa dalawang libo ang natirang manggagawa noong taong 2005. Tumindi ang hagupit ng delubyo sa pagtuntong ng taong 2006 sa halos dalawang libo pang manggagawa.

Pansamantalang pinwersa na pinagbabakasyon ang karamihan at halos isang porsyento alng ang naiwan sa loob ng planta para magpatuloy sa mga natitira pang hindi natapos na produkto.

Umabot ng anim na buwan ang pansamantalang pagbabakasyon na hanggang sa tuluyan nang nagdeklara ang management na magsasara na ito dahil hindi na raw makayanan na maisalba pa ang kumpanya sa pagkalugi at di na kayang makipag-kompitensya sa ibang malalaking kompanya. 

Nawalan na ng munting kabuhayan at pinagkakakitaan ang mga manggagawa sa Gelmart. Ang iba ay nawalan na ng pag-asa, ngunit ang iba naman ay may mga lakas pa ng loob na makipagsapalaran sa ibang mga pagawaan. Wala mang kasiguraduhan na mapermanente ulit sa trabaho dahil sa hindi na pagreregular ang mga kompanya sa mga manggagawa. Ang dahilan ay bahala na, ang mahalaga ay may pansamantalang pagkukuhanan ng pamatid gutom man lang.

Nahaharap pa rin sa pakikipaglaban ang mga manggagawa dahil sa biglaang pagsasara ng pabrika na hanggang sa ngayon ay hindi pa nababayaran ang mga manggagawa sa matagal na pagseserbisyo at benepisyo ng bawat isa.

Nagkaisa ang mga manggagawa sa pangunguna ng pangulo ng Unyon at ng mga opisyales na magpiket sa labas ng pagawaan upang matiyak na hindi mailabas ang mga kagamitan. 

Bawat gate ay tinayuan ng mga kubol at binabantayan ng dalawampu’t apat na oras kada araw ang mga gate. Nagpapalitan ang mga manggagawa sa pagbabantay. 

Nasa kaso na ang mga usapin. 

Sa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Parañaque kasaluku-yang nililitis ang kaso. Humaharap ang mga abogado ng Gelmart Management at opisyales ng Unyon, kasama ang ibang miyembro at kaharap din ang abogado ng manggagawa mula sa Sanidad Law Office.

Base sa mga paglilitis, sa mapagbebentahan ng mga ari-arian ng kompanya magmumula ang kabayaran ng mga manggagawa.

Mahigit anim na taon na ang itinatagal ng kaso. Hindi maayos ang isinagawang pag-imbentaryo ng mga makina o kagamitan sa loob ng planta. Sobrang napakababa ng halaga nito at kinailangang ipaulit pa, kung kaya’t napapatagal ang pagbibenta ng lahat ng mga ari-arian.

Sa kasalukuyan ay patuloy parin namang nakikipag-usap ang bahagi ng Gelmart Management, kahit sa labas ng paglilitis at nakikipagtulungan din naman na matapos na ang kaso at makapagbayaran na.

Ang hinihiling lang naman ng manggagawa ay ang sapat na kabayaran.

Ang pamunuan ng unyon ay hindi sumusuko sa pakikipaglaban dahil na rin sa suportang ibinibigay ng kanyang mga miyembro. Lalo’t higit sa Pangulo ng Unyon na si Victor Briz ay matatag at hindi nagpapabaya sa kalagayan. 

Tunay na ang manggagawa ang yaman ng bansa. 

Ipamulat natin sa uring manggagawa na habang ang kapitalista ang naghaharing uri, mananatiling alipin ang manggagawa…. 

PR - Workers “die-in” at EDSA then march to Energy Department

PRESS RELEASE

March 14, 2012

In protest against oil price hikes:

Workers “die-in” at EDSA

then march to Energy Department

Some 200 workers from the militant Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) rallied today in front of the Department of Energy office in Taguig. The protest is part of the groups’ campaign against spiraling oil prices and their demand for the end of oil deregulation and for state control of oil prices.

The socialist labor center also condemned the Department of Energy (DOE) for acting as “envoy of the oil oligarchs”. BMP spokesperson Romy Castillo said, “The department displays uncanny energy and enthusiasm when it warns the public against higher local oil prices every time the price of oil spikes in the world market. Their announcements not only condition the minds of the public to accept an oil price hike”.

He added, “More so, it promotes the fallacy that local oil prices automatically correspond to world market prices. Oil companies in the country have a buffer supply for two months. They also overprice their commodities.”

The labor leader pointed out that the price of crude oil in the world market decreased by 17.25%, from $145 per barrel at the height of the 2008 oil crisis to its present level of $120 (Dubai benchmark). During the same period, there was also a decrease in local oil prices but not in proportion to its drop in the global market. Local gasoline and diesel prices decreased by 1.61% and 4.12% respectively, from P59.46/liter to P58.50 (for gasoline) and from P52.44 to P50.28 (for diesel).

If local oil prices truly follow the global market, as asserted by the Energy Department, the BMP concluded, “Local oil prices should have dropped higher than the global decrease of 17.25%. Because the peso-dollar exchange rate is at P42.40:$1, as compared to P44.28:$1 in 2008”.

The labor group also chided the Independent Review Committee set-up by the energy department to review the financial statements of the oil firms. Castillo averred, “The IRC is a toothless tiger, being a recommendatory body. There is also an internal arrangement between the IRC and the department on the non-disclosure to the public of the oil firms’ book of accounts. The IRC was formed to conjure the illusion of transparency as the people’s clamor against overpriced oil prices intensify”.

Before the protest in Taguig, the workers staged a “die-in” at EDSA Guadalupe to highlight the urgency of their demands for government control of oil prices, the removal of VAT on oil, the buy-back of Petron and Energy Development Corporation and the scrapping of the oil deregulation law. The activity stopped traffic for a few minutes as protesters lay down along the country’s busiest thoroughfare. #

Militants seek justice for their comrades in Malaysia

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)

Press Release

March 13, 2012

Militants seek justice for their comrades in Malaysia

Delegations coming from the militant Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) staged a picket rally in front of the Malaysian Embassy to denounce of what they call current trade union repression confronting the Maybank employees in Malaysia.

“We are deeply alarmed and indignant of what is happening now in Malaysia, we want to put an end to this highly condemnable acts of the Maybank Management condoned by its government that is supposed to protect for the benefit of the workers”, Romy Castillo, BMP Deputy Secretary General retorted in his speech during the rally.

Simultaneous with the picket, the group presented a letter addressed to the Prime Minister and was submitted through the Ambassador of the Malaysian Embassy. The letter articulated the issues and demands of the Maybank workers that the group believed should be given immediate attention and resolution.

For his part, Mr. Teody Navea, National Vice President of BMP further articulated that “the Malaysian Government should uphold and respect the rights of the Maybank Workers. Their inability to act on this cases would mean a defiance of the call of the global community to seek justice for the Maybank workers.”

The group vowed to sustain their campaign for support to the Maybank Workers. They are set to release a petition to the Malaysian government to gain support from various sectors in the country. This early, a substantial number of organizations already signified their intention to support the campaign.

The group also firmed up their plans to monitor and continue to engaged in various forms to effect a successful pressure in the international community. (30)

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". #