With only a year into its implementation, thousands of workers bear the brunt of sin tax

Press Release
12 January 2014

Contact person:
Gie Relova
0915-2862555

 
With only a year into its implementation
Thousands of workers bear the brunt of sin tax

SLIGHTLY over a year since Republic Act No. 10351, otherwise known as the “Sin Tax Reform Law of 2012”, was signed into law, workers in a major tobacco company are complaining that they are already suffering heavily on the first year alone of its implementation.
   
The legislation’s intent was to restructure the excise tax collections of the government on alcohol and tobacco products. Presently at the second year of its gradual increment, low-priced cigarette brands are now charged a P17 excise tax from P12 last year. Meanwhile, high-priced brands bear a P27 excise tax from P25 last year. By 2017, a P30 unitary tax shall be imposed on all machine-prepared tobacco products and will increase 4 percent annually after that.

The workers’ union of Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation (PMFTC) claims that they are the ones bearing the full weight of what they called a “fundamentally unjust law”, because according to them “is a pass-on imposition and it jeopardizes jobs, livelihoods and ultimately, the entire local tobacco industry”.

“The Aquino administration is in seventh heaven for accomplishing beyond their tax revenue targets and the capitalists are also elated for their sustained takings despite of the excise tax increase, as the ordinary wage-earners are diligently bearing the cross are the ones neglected to the extent being sacrificed in the altar of profit,” said Rodelito Atienza, president of the PMFTC labor union.

Tensions grew between the company and its labor union in the last week of 2013 after plant management delayed the release of its production plan for 2014. This made workers worry that the management was planning to shut down operations after it informed the union a week earlier that the company’s market share has plunged significantly.

The management of the tobacco giant initially wanted a five-month shutdown of its operations from January up to May 2014 after the company failed to hit its expected sales in the last quarter of 2013. The union refused by citing provisions in their collective bargaining agreement, pushing the company to adjust their plans. But still, the workers claim the management’s final offer was still a “heavy price to pay for simply being diligent and productive”.

“When the company implemented a stock build up scheme, forcing us to go beyond the 8-hour a day work load for several months, we cooperated, toiled hard and yet, in the end, we are the ones suffering the brunt for the company’s dismal production schemes and far-out projections. We are the last to benefit and yet the first to sacrifice,” a flustered Atienza conveyed.

The union says that it will continue urging the company to soften the impacts to their already stressed budget since of the company has commenced the lessening of work days till the month of May.

Meanwhile, the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), the militant group which singlehandedly campaigned against the sin tax legislation in 2012 said that, “Despite of the distressing events at the PMFTC, we proudly claim that we have been vindicated. We were right all along when we said that the passing of sin tax law is collusion between the government and sin industry to squeeze more revenues at the expense of the ordinary wage-earner, tobacco farmer and takatak vendor”.

Their leader, Gie Relova likewise expressed alarm saying that, “Within only a year, the government’s tax scheme has already managed to terrorize the workers in the industry’s largest market share holder for five painful months. How much more will the government make the workers endure in the succeeding years of its implementation”. He also warned that, “An economic apocalypse will most likely occur even before it reaches the unitary rate in 2017”.

“We are indeed saddened by the turn of events, but it has only emboldened us to continue marching forward until the Aquino government’s anti-worker tax imposition is repealed, he added.

Relova also called out to fellow workers in the tobacco and alcohol industry to lock arms with the PMFTC labor union “before it is too late” and claimed that, “For as long as the unjust law is imposed, we shall struggle for we have nothing to lose but our chains”.

The PMFTC labor union has been an affiliate of BMP since its founding in 1993.###

Solidarity Statement for Cambodian Garment Workers!

Solidarity Statement for Cambodian Garment Workers!

In solidarity with the garment workers in Cambodia, Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) - Solidarity of Filipino Workers - condemns in the highest possible terms the state terrorism and violence unleashed by the government against the workers in Cambodia.

For almost three decades the Cambodian Government in cahoots with capitalist in the garment industries used violence and suppression to cut down the struggle for better wages and the right to self organization through constant assassination and arrest of workers.

The struggle of the garment workers in Cambodia is not only about the struggle for wage hike, it is about freedom and social change!Let the actions of the garment workers inspire other workers to stand and fight against neo - liberal agenda and state impunity that undermines the right of workers for peaceful and concerted efforts towards development, the right to collective bargain and the right to freedom of association.

In spite of constant threat of imprisonment and violence, the garment workers stood firm and hold their ground. We salute the workers specially women and the people of Cambodia who resisted and continue to resist the state oppression.

Time and again, the only language that the capitalist knew in handling labour concerns has always been violence not only in Cambodia also around the world. Never again should the workers be afraid of suppression. Never again to any form of violence against the workers

We are calling all workers to unite with the garment workers in Cambodia.

Let us not let capitalist greed destroy the right of the workers. Let the struggle of Cambodian garment workers be the start for a higher form of struggle and resistance.

Let us launch solidarity actions to support the workers in Cambodia. Let us call for the boycott of all products coming from the capitalist industries who are staging this violence against the workers! Let us show the people of Cambodia that they are not alone! No to State Violence! Stop the arrest and Killings of Workers.

Workers Unite!


Leody de Guzman
National President
Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino(BMP)

Labor group wants SSS increase suspended indefinitely

Press Release
03 January 2014

Contact person:
Gie Relova
0915-2862555
 

Calls for an investigation and transparency of investments
Labor group wants SSS increase suspended indefinitely

A militant labor group demanded that the .6% employee premium increase of the Social Security System (SSS) which took effect on the first day of the year be suspended indefinitely. The group claimed that the increases are totally unjustified and grossly detrimental to the interests of the members of the state pension fund.

Two days before the end of the year, the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) warned the public that the Aquino government shall punish his “bosses” with more wage deductions such as the SSS and PhilhHealth contribution increases and a wide array of price hikes of basic commodities in welcoming the New Year.

The BMP argued that the government’s justification to the unpopular premium increase is devoid of any logic. “How can it go bankrupt when presently, the SSS has more than 30 million members and is increasing rapidly furthermore, it has invested billions of pesos of its members’ funds in highly profitable industries such as real estate, mining, telecommunication, banking and power,” said labor leader Gie Relova.

Officials of the SSS claim that the state pension fund has accumulated an estimated 1.1 trillion pesos in unfunded liability since 1980 and has been increasing at an 8% rate annually will be totally extinguished by 2041. To address this, President Aquino approved the employee contribution increase by .6% in September after he discussed this in his 2013 State of the nation Address last July 22.

Relova reasoned that, “Assuming that the numbers of SSS members shall increase at its constant rate and they all rightfully avail of their benefits, what is wrong with that, those funds are ours to begin with. We must remember that compulsory deductions of the employed sector outweigh voluntary payments in a 5:1 ratio or even more therefore securing its perpetuity. Logic points to the mismanagement of the social security funds and a members’ premium increase is therefore not the solution to such predicament”.

“The depletion of the SSS funds by 2041 is simply a scare tactic by the Aquino government since the premium-paying members of today shall be pensioners by then,” Relova added.

The militants called for an independent investigation composed of genuine labor leaders and respectable personalities to look into the financial management of the state pension fund and wanted additional transparency and members’ participation in the fund’s investment portfolio and its proceeds.

The labor group cited anti-people SSS investments in mining magnate, Philex Mining which has caused water systems contamination at its mining sites in Benguet last year. The group also expressed doubt in the fund’s continued exposure in a volatile Philippine Stock Exchange.

“Only after an investigation and transparency measures in place and improved services can the government justify the contribution increase. Until they do so, wave upon wave of protest actions shall be launched against the parasitic and unmistakably anti-worker policy of the Aquino government,” Relova warned. ###
 

Pagkilos ng BMP bago magtapos ang taon 2013

Naglunsad ng pagkilos ang mga kasapi ng Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), Disyembre 30, 2013, sa Plaza Miranda sa Quiapo, Maynila. Narito ang ilang mga litrato:

PR - Noynoy, “pinutulan ng mga manggagawa”!

PRESS RELEASE

16 December 2013

Contact person:

Gie Relova

0915-2862555

Noynoy, “pinutulan ng mga manggagawa”!

Sa gitna ng dose-dosenang problema mula sa kamakailan lamang inaprubahang “makasaysayang pagtaas” ng singil sa kuryente ng Meralco at ang malawakang epekto nito sa mga pangunahing bilihin hanggang sa banta ng pagtataas ng pasahe sa public utility jeeps, LRT at MRT hanggang sa karagdagang kaltasin para sa SSS at PhilHealth contribution ngayong Enero 2014, simbolikong nagbigay ang Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) ng “notice of disconnection” kay Pangulong Noynoy Aquino sa ngalan ng 39 na milyong manggagawang kumakatawan sa buong lakas paggawa ng bansa sa tahanan nito sa Quezon City.  

Binatikos ng mga manggagawa ang tila koordinado at tuloy-tuloy na atake ng mga korporasyon sa mga vital industries sa pamamagitan ng pakikipagsabwatan nito sa administrasyong Aquino laban sa mga manggagawa. Ayon sa kanila ang Malakanyang ang pangunahing responsable sa tatluhang-atake,” Matagal nang naglulunsad ng hindi-deklaradong giyera ang gobyernong Aquino laban sa mga manggagawang Pilipino. Ang mga pag-atakeng ito na naglalaman ng pagtataas ng presyo ng mga batayang pangangailangan, dagdag na kaltas sa dati nang tabas-tabas at kakaramput naming sahod at ang kawalan ng sapat na subsidyo sa panglipunang serbisyo ay mga sistematikong ipinapataw sa amin”,paliwanag ni Rodelito Atienza, Pangulo ng National Capital Region at Rizal Chapter ng BMP.    

Nakatakdang magpulong ang bicameral conference committee upang ipinalisa ang pagtatapyas ng subsidyo sa dalawapu’t-anim (26) na state colleges and universities bago maisabatas ang 2014 General Appropriations Act, pito dito ay kasama sa mga winasak ng bagyong Yolanda.

“Hindi na kayang sikmurain pa ng mga manggagawa ang isang pangulo na sadyang pinarurusahan ang mamamayan sa pamamagitan pagpapalala pa ng kalunos-lunos na naming kalagayan. Kahit nga ang mga ekonomista ng pangulo ay aminadong walang signipikanteng pagtataas ng umento sa sahod buhat ng siya ay maluklok noong 2010, mabilis na nauubos ang regular na trabaho habang ang kakulangan ng trabaho ay patuloy na tumataas nitong huling tatlong taon,” ayon kay Atienza. 

“Salamat sa garapal na pangangayupapa ni Aquino sa interes ng mga malalaking korporasyon ng mga elitistang iilan, ang masa ang magdurusa sa hagupit ng bigong patakarang deregulasyon sa mga vital industries,” dagdag pa niya. 

Sinabi ni Atienza na, “Nakakadismaya si Aquino ngayong 2013 ngunit mas lalala pa ang peste na naghihintay sa atin sa 2014. Kumbinsido kami na siya talaga ang Chief Executive officer ng buong sugapa-sa-tubo, mapang-aliping sistemang pulitikal at dahil dito ay dapat lang na “putulan” na siya ng tiwala ng manggagawang Pilipino.  

Ang mga dagdag na pahirap sa kabuhayan na sinasabing delubyong ipapataw ng administrasyong Aquino ay binubuo ng pagtataas ng presyo ng bilihin resulta ng pagtaas ng presyo ng petrolyo, LPG at kuryente, pagtaas ng pasahe sa jeep, LRT, MRT, ang dagdag na kaltas sa SSS, PhilHealth at ang ikalawang yugto ng dagdag na buwis sa alak at sigarilyo sa ilalim ng Sin Tax Reform Law.

Marami ang nangangamba na ang presyo ng langis at LPG ay tataas isa o dalawang beses pa bago matapos ang taon dahil kadalasan itong nangyayari sa panahon ng taglamig.

Sinalungat din ng BMP ang pahayag ni Deputy Spokesperson Abigail Valte noong Biyernes na ang ngitngit ng publiko laban sa pagtaas ng presyo ng kuryente ay hindi nakapatungkol kay Aquino. “Paano niya ito maitatanggi, gayung sa mismong bahay ni Noynoy nagaganap ang mga protesta, sumasalamin ito sa galit ng bayan sa kanya at mga polisiya niya? Hindi kataka-takang napuputulan ang pangulo ng tiwala dahil sa pagkakaroon ng mga nananaginip-ng-gising na mga tagapagsalita,” patutsada ni Atienza.

Sa protesta sa Times St., binigyan ng mga manggagawa si Aquino ng isang “disconnection notice”, kahalintulad ng sinasapit ng daang-libong kustomer ng Meralco sa tuwing hindi makabayad ng napakamahal na kuryente.  

Kasama sa litanya ng mga manggagawa ang kabiguan ng administrasyon na pigilan ang malawakang pagtataas ng mga presyo, pagtalikod sa tungkuling ipatupad ang mga probisyong Living wage at Security of tenure ng Konstitusyon, patuloy na pagpapatupad ng deregulasyon, pagabandona sa panglipunang serbisyo kapalit ng praybitisasyon, palpak na pamamahala sa relief at rehabilitation sa mga lugar na sinalanta ng Yolanda, ang kapit-tukong pagdepensa sa pork barrel system at ang pamamayagpag ng trapong politika.

Idineklara ni Atienza sa ginanap na protesta na, “Lahat ng isyung hindi tinugunan at mga lantarang paglabag ay sapat upang putulin ang tiwala at simpatya namin sa isang elitista at walang-silbing laki-sa-layaw na Presidente”.

Iminungkahi ng BMP na magpatupad ng kagyat na pang-ekonomikong remedyo upang maibsan ang epekto ng parating na delubyo sa mamamayan gaya ng pagbasura sa VAT sa langis at kuryente, paggamit ng pondo ng Malampaya, moratorium sa pagbabayad ng utang at ituon na lamang sa edukasyon, kalusugan at pabahay at ang pagpapaliban ng dagdag singil ng SSS at PhilHealth.  

“Lahat ng ito ay mga pang-tapal na solusyon lamang, ang pagbasura sa EPIRA Law at Oil Deregulation Law, pagsasabatas ng Living wage at ang pagbasura sa kontraktuwalisasyon bilang mga mayor na pagbabago sa polisiya ang tunay na magbibigay ng pang-ekonomikong hustisya” paglilinaw nito. 

Ang mga repormang nabanggit lamang, ayon sa BMP ang maaring muling “magkabit” sa mga manggagawa kay Aquino. ###

Relief operation ng BMP sa mga nasalanta ng Yolanda sa Leyte

Disyembre 7, 2014 - Naglakbay ang ilang kasapi ng BMP mula sa Caritas, Manila patungong St. Vincent Ferrer Parish sa Tanauan, Leyte mula Disyembre 1, 2013 ng umaga hanggang Disyembre 6, 2013 ng madaling araw nang makabalik silang muli ng Maynila. Ang nasabing pagkilos na ito ay bunsod ng naganap na bagyong Yolanda, na ikinasawi ng libu-libong tao, noong Nobyembre 8, 2013.

Ulat at mga litrato ni Greg Bituin Jr.

Sabwatang Meralco at ERC, kinundena ng militante, Karabana ng Protesta, Inilunsad

JOINT PRESS RELEASE

09 December 2013

Contact person:

Gie Relova

0915-2862555

Sabwatang Meralco at ERC, kinundena ng militante

Karabana ng protesta, inilunsad

NANGALSADA ulit ang militanteng Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) at Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng Maralitang Lungsod (KPML) para igiit na ang napipintong pagtaas ng singgil sa kuryente ng P4.15/kWh ng kumpanyang Meralco ay isang ‘di makatwirang pabigat lamang sa mga kababayan nating hindi pa nakakabawi sa mga trahedya’t kalamidad na tumama sa bansa ngayong taon. 

“Habang walang signipikanteng dagdag umento at talamak pa rin ang kontrakwal na trabaho, dati nang kalunos-lunos ang kalagayan ng mga manggagawa at kapag natupad pa ang panibagong pabigat ng Meralco, ultimong ang kaprasong pang-Noche Buena ng aming pamilya ay kukunin pa nila para lang pagbigyan ang kanilang walang katapusang kasibaan sa tubo. Ang patuloy na paglala ng kalagayan ay magtutulak sa mga obrero sa desperasyon at sa huli’y sa rebelyon,” sabi ni Gie Relova, lider ng BMP 

Naglunsad ng isang karabana ng protesta ang mga nasabing grupo kung saan ay isa-isa nilang niralihan ang mga sangay ng Meralco sa mga lungsod ng Kaloocan, Quezon at Maynila. Dumulo ang protesta sa tanggapan ng Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) sa lungsod ng Pasig, kung saan naganap ang deliberasyon ng Komisyon sa petisyon ng Meralco sa dagdag singil. 

Nagsalitan ang mga tagapagsalita ng BMP at KPML sa pagkundena sa Meralco at ERC. Giit nila, magkakutsaba ang pribadong kumpanya at ahensya ng gobyerno sa dagdag pahirap na P4.15/kWh.

“Kahit minsan, mula nang isinilang ang ERC ay hindi pa ito nagsilbi sa interes ng nakararaming naghihirap. Isang tuod ang ahensyang ito na ang tanging silbi ay makapanlinlang at palabasin na may ginagawa ang gubyerno para isulong ang kapakanan ng mamamayan,” dagdag ni Relova.

Ang ERC ay inanak ng pagsasabatas ng Electricity Power Industry Reform Act noong 1999 para garantiyahan ang malinaw at makatwirang presyo ng kuryente sa isang malaya at patas na kumpetisyon at may pananagutan sa publiko. Bahagi rin ng mandato nito ang pagtatatag ng isang malakas at independyenteng kapulungan na magsasaayos at magsisistemisa para sa proteksyon ng mga gumagamit ng kuryente. 

“Ang Malakanyang at Kagawaran ng Enerhiya ay hindi rin ligtas sa kritisismo. Umaasta lamang sila na ginagawa nila ang lahat para sa mamamayan ngunit ang katotohana’y puro apila lang sa management ng Meralco ang kanilang nagawa. Kung talagang sinsero ang gobyernong ito na protektahan ang interes ng nakararami, dapat suspendihin muna nito ang VAT sa kuryente hanggang sa mag-normal ulit ang operasyon ng Malampaya para mabawasan man lang ang impak sa mamamayan ng panibagong dagdag singgil,” panukala ni Relova. 

Samantala, hiniling sa gobyerno ni Anthony Barnedo, tagapagsalita ng KPML, ang buong kalagayan at lubos na paggamit ng pondong Malampaya matapos ideklara ng Korte Suprema na ang pondo’y eksklusibo para sa elektripikasyon.

“Kailangang ipatupad ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema hanggang sa huling letra nito. Ang kinita ng gobyerno sa Malampaya ang dapat gamitin para sa rehabilitasyon ng mga planta at kawad ng kuryente na nasira ng bagyong Yolanda at hindi dapat magmula sa bulsa ng mga tumatangkilik sa Meralco,” sabi ni Barnedo.###