BMP to Duterte: Fire Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez now

Duterte: Fire Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez now



During the election campaign, President Rodrigo Duterte won the hearts of many workers when he promised to immediately end “contractualization,” or the practice of not giving workers the wages and benefits they should receive under the law by hiring them as “contractual” rather than regular workers.



Then, during his inaugural speech, President Duterte said that his government will be guided in part by former US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s statement that, “The test of government is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide for those who have little.”




Today, one person in the President’s Cabinet has gone out of his way to prevent the President from fulfilling his campaign promise and from passing the test that Roosevelt set.

Since he assumed office, Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez has consistently opposed measures to end contractualization that we at the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, along with other labor groups in the country, have been demanding.



Recently, Lopez even championed the so-called “win-win” but in fact win-lose solution that purportedly seeks a middle-ground between capitalists and workers but in fact again ultimately harms the interests of workers since it will continue to force them to live a life of precarity and near-destitution while allowing the rich to earn more profits and live a life of luxury on the back of contractual workers.



Yesterday, he again spoke out to defend contractualization by saying that ending it would make the country less attractive to foreign investors by removing their “flexibility”—as if “flexibility” for investors has not come and will not come at the expense of the well-being of Filipino workers.


At every step of the way, then, Lopez and his department has represented not the interests of Filipino workers but of capitalists—Filipino and foreign. He fails the test that Roosevelt set because he wants to “add more to the abundance of those who have much” rather than “provide for those who have little.”


In so doing, he is challenging and defying President Duterte himself since the President has said that he wants to “provide for those who have little” and he has promised to end contractualization.

This, then, is an important moment for the President—another early test forcing him to choose whose side he will take and whose interests he will protect.



If the President really cares about Filipino workers, if he really wants to to “provide for those who have little,” then he should match his rhetoric with action and do what needs to be done: he should immediately fire those in his Cabinet who favor contractualization.

More than this, he should immediately take steps needed to end labor flexibilization once and for all by: 1) certifying as urgent – and mobilizing all his party mates to pass – a bill to amend Articles 106 to 109 of the Labor Code in order to prohibit the contracting and subcontracting of “usually necessary or desirable” work in the normal operations of a business, which should be performed by regular employees, in line with Article 280 of said law; 2) revising the BMBE law so as to remove the exemptions to labor standards compliance of small and micro establishments, which comprise more than 90% of the employers’ sector; 3) repealing DOLE’s DO 18-A and issuing a new order which reviews all existing subcontracting arrangements and cancels those that encroach upon the duties and functions, which should done by regular employees; 4) actually prosecuting employers that practice contractualization, starting with the Sys, the Ayalas, the Gokongweis and others.

Otherwise, if he allows the pro-contractualization Lopez to stay in his Cabinet and if he does not carry out all these steps immediately, it will become harder and harder for us not to confirm what many of us have long suspected but wanted the President to refute:

That he did not really mean what he said when he said he would end contractualization, that he does not really care for all Filipinos but just for his fellow elites, and that he will not really bring about real change—just like all his predecessors.

Workers group challenges Duterte to fire pro-contractualization Trade Secretary

Workers group challenges Duterte to fire pro-contractualization Trade Secretary

Socialist workers’ group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) today called on President Rodrigo Duterte to fire his Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez.

Lopez has been defying and contradicting the President’s own campaign promise to end the practice of contractualization so the President must remove him from office if he is still serious about fulfilling his promise, BMP said.

The group was reacting to Lopez’s most recent statement saying contractualization will only scare away foreign investors.

“Since he assumed office, trade Secretary Ramon Lopez has consistently opposed measures to end contractualization,” the group noted in its statement.

“At every step of the way, Lopez has represented and defended not the interests of Filipino workers but of capitalists—Filipino and foreign. He fails the test that the President set because he wants to “add more to the abundance of those who have much” rather than “provide for those who have little,” the group added, quoting the President’s inaugural speech.

Expressing frustration at the lack of progress in eliminating contractualization, the group said the President needs to do more to demonstrate his commitment to workers by firing Lopez.

“This is an important moment for the President—another early test by forcing him to choose whose side he will take and whose interests he will protect.

If the President really cares about Filipino workers, if he really wants to “provide for those who have little,” as he said in his inaugural speech, then he should match his rhetoric with action and do what needs to be done: he should immediate fire those in his Cabinet who favor contractualization.”

In addition, the group called on the President to take concrete steps needed to end labor flexibilization. This include: 1) certifying as urgent – and mobilizing all his party mates to pass – a bill to amend Articles 106 to 109 of the Labor Code in order to prohibit the contracting and subcontracting of “usually necessary or desirable” work in the normal operations of a business, which should be performed by regular employees, in line with Article 280 of said law; 2) revising the BMBE law so as to remove the exemptions to labor standards compliance of small and micro establishments, which comprise more than 90% of the employers’ sector; 3) repealing DOLE’s DO 18-A and issuing a new order which reviews all existing subcontracting arrangements and cancels those that encroach upon the duties and functions which should done by regular employees.

Finally, the group challenged the President to actually prosecute employers that practice contractualization, starting with the country’s richest families such as Sys, the Ayalas, the Gokongweis and others.

Duterte’s foreign policy remains subservient, not independent

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino

PRESS RELEASE

Duterte’s foreign policy remains subservient, not independent

President Duterte's recent pronouncements regarding the country's relationship with the United States, China, and Russia does not signal an "independent foreign policy."

While the President’s criticism of our unequal relationship with the US is, of course welcome, the President himself has made it clear that he has threatened to break our subservient and mendicant relationship with the US only because the US officials have criticized the President's brutal "war on drugs."

This in itself does not constitute "independence."

Independence does not mean having the freedom to, in the President’s words, "happily slaughter" thousands of drug pushers or dependents. Independence does not mean renouncing our duties and obligations to humanity as responsible members of the international community.

Secondly, despite his repeated threats and bluster, the President has not actually abrogated the Mutual Defense Treaty, the Visiting Forces Agreement, the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, and other onerous deals that constitute the basis of our unequal and mendicant relationship with the US.

Despite his provocative words, he and his alter egos have repeatedly backtracked on his announcements that the Philippines will no longer conduct military exercises or cut our ties with the US altogether.

Clearly, if the President were serious about breaking with the US, he would have set the ball rolling for the repeal of the treaties mentioned earlier and stuck to his word regarding the military exercises.

But the fact that the President has not done so only lends credence to our fears that, first, he is only instrumentalizing legitimate concerns about our unequal relationship with the US in order to obscure and delegitimize criticisms of his violent, anti-poor, and ineffective “war on drugs”; and that, second, he is merely trying to extract even more concessions from the US while appearing to be critical of the US--just like what the former dictator Marcos did in the past.

Finally, we do not believe that the President favors an independent foreign policy because he only seeks to replace the “alliance” with the US with an alliance with other rising powers, namely China and Russia. Indeed, in line with this, he has even announced that the government would not press the Philippines' claim to the disputed Scarborough Shoal.

Instead of signaling an 'independent foreign policy,' this actually signals the beginning of yet another era of subservience--only this time, to a different or to a more varied set of masters.

For not only is China's commitment to human rights and international law questionable at best, China has also adamantly opposed just and peaceful solutions to the disputes in the region.

In this context, Duterte's refusal to even discuss the country's claim to the Scarborough Shoal is tantamount to sending China the message that it can just use its might and throw its weight around to bully everyone else into submission.

This will not only undermine efforts to arrive at a just and peaceful settlement to the dispute, such as proposals for equitably sharing the resources of the disputed area among the region's peoples, it could also effectively lock in the Philippines to a subordinate position vis-a-vis China.

Instead of breaking with the past and inaugurating a new era in our relations with other countries, then, Duterte seems to be paving the way for more of the same: Rather than independence, we see subservience; rather than sovereignty, we discern surrender.

In order to achieve real independence, we demand, among others, the immediate abrogation of the MDT, the VFA and he EDCA. We demand peaceful but just solutions to the disputes in the region. And we demand equal relations with all countries based on the spirit of genuine international brotherhood, economic cooperation, and mutual benefit.

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino

Contact persons:

Leody de Guzman, BMP President @ 0920-5200672

Atty. Luke Espiritu, BMP Spokesperson @ 0933-0417125

Duterte’s foreign policy remains subservient, not independent

Duterte’s foreign policy remains subservient, not independent

President Duterte’s recent pronouncements regarding the country’s relationship with the United States, China, and Russia do not signal an “independent foreign policy.”

While the President’s criticism of our subservient and mendicant relationship with the US is of course welcome, the President himself has made it clear that his criticisms were only a response to US officials’ concerns about the President’s brutal “war on drugs.”

This in itself does not constitute “independence.”

Independence does not mean having the freedom to, in the President’s words, “happily slaughter” thousands of drug pushers or dependents. Independence does not mean renouncing our duties and obligations to humanity as responsible members of the international community.

Secondly, despite his repeated threats and bluster, the President has not actually abrogated the Mutual Defense Treaty, the Visiting Forces Agreement, the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, and other onerous deals that constitute the basis of our unequal and mendicant relationship with the US. 

Despite his provocative words, he and his alter egos have repeatedly backtracked on his announcements that the Philippines will no longer conduct military exercises or cut our ties with the US altogether.

Clearly, if the President were serious about breaking with the US, he would have set the ball rolling for the repeal of the treaties mentioned earlier and stuck to his word regarding the military exercises.

But the fact that the President has not done so only lends credence to our fears that, first, he is only instrumentalizing legitimate concerns about our unequal relationship with the US in order to obscure and delegitimize criticisms of his violent, anti-poor, and ineffective “war on drugs”; and that, second, he is merely trying to extract even more concessions from the US while appearing to be critical of imperialism.

Finally, we do not believe that the President actually favors an independent foreign policy because he only seeks to replace the “alliance” with the US with an alliance with other rising powers, namely China and Russia. Indeed, in line with this, he has even announced that the government would not press the Philippines’ claim to the disputed Scarborough Shoal.

Instead of signalling an ‘independent foreign policy,’ this actually signals the beginning of yet another era of subservience–only this time, to a different or to a more varied set of masters.

For not only is China’s commitment to human rights and international law questionable at best, China has also adamantly opposed just and peaceful solutions to the disputes in the region.

In this context, Duterte’s refusal to even discuss the country’s claim to the Scarborough Shoal is tantamount to sending China the message that it can just use its might and throw its weight around to bully everyone else into submission.

This will not only undermine efforts to arrive at a just and peaceful settlement to the dispute, such as proposals for equitably sharing the resources of the disputed area among the region’s peoples, it could also effectively lock in the Philippines to a subordinate position vis-a-vis China.

Instead of breaking with the past and inaugurating a new era in our relations with other countries, then, Duterte seems to be paving the way for more of the same: Rather than independence, we see subservience; rather than sovereignty, we discern surrender.

In order to achieve real independence, we demand, among others, the immediate abrogation of the MDT, the VFA and he EDCA. We demand peaceful but just solutions to the disputes in the region. And we demand equal relations with all countries based on the spirit of genuine international brotherhood,  cooperation, and mutual benefit.

Security of Tenure, Workers’ Rights and Welfare are non-negotiable

PRESS STATEMENT

July 1, 2016

Leody de Guzman (09205200672)

National President, Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)

Security of Tenure, Workers’ Rights and Welfare are non-negotiable:

No to a mere cap to ‘endo’

Yes to “Change is Coming”

In reaction to an earlier pronouncement by incoming Labor Secretary for limiting the employment of contractual labor to twenty percent (20%), the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) would like to remind Silvestro Bello III that the workers’ rights and welfare are non-negotiable. 

We likewise oppose the blackmail line of “contractual employment or hunger by joblessness” that are issued by employers’ groups on the issue of contractualization. 

Our position is based on the following premises:

1) Placing a cap on contractual labor is not in the Labor Code, which clearly states that “usually and necessary labor” in the operations of a business should be performed by a regular employee (Article 280). It defines usually and necessary as the type of work performed for at least a year, whether continuous or broken. 

2) Bello’s proposal is likewise contrary and violative to the Constitution. While seemingly enabling the Constitutional right to security of tenure to a sizeable majority (80%) of the workforce, it institutionalizes its denial to two out of ten workers (20%). Where is the so-called “equal protection of law” in this patently anti-labor scheme?

3) The proposed cap on contractual labor is contrary to the “change is coming” mandate of the incoming Duterte administration. We want change. We want a labor market where workers’ rights and welfare are not threatened by contractualization. We expect it from a government that would side with the labor against capital, with the oppressed against the oppressors. Fence-sitting would not lead to change, it is business-as-usual for the unjust status quo. Bello must be reminded that the Duterte presidency rode on the crest of the people’s clamor for change by launching an all-out tirade against social ills, especially the lackluster and bungling elitist administration of Noynoy Aquino.

4) Putting an end to contractualization is not just a legal question on the Constitutional right to job security but a life-and-death issue for workers are forced to become cheap and docile due to the threat of unemployment, and in order for capital to gain higher profit margins. It is nothing but shameless and callous profiteering

Meanwhile, we condemn employers’ groups that justify contractualization by saying that it contributes to job generation. Your condescending excuses mock the dignity of labor. You are not in the business of providing us jobs to feed our families. Accumulation and competition are your masters. In their service, you have installed this regime of precarious and contractual work, that imposed starvation wages on hardworking Filipinos.

Mr. Sergio Ortiz of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) has correctly observed that combatting contractualization would be hard due to the high levels of unemployment. Of course, cut-throat competition among workers to sell their labor-power persists as long as the unemployed masses lines up at the factory gates. But it is precisely the reason why the Philippine state – abiding by its Constitutional mandate to provide full protection to labor – should uphold the interests of the workers lest they fall prey to the blackmail line of “low wages or hunger” by exploitative employers. 

Hence, we appeal to the incoming Duterte administration to be true to its mandate by implementing the harshness of the law on abusive capitalists in the same way that it now threatens the crime lords of the illegal drug trade. For an Executive Order against contractualization! Prohibit the contracting out of “usually necessary and desirable work”! Amend Articles 106 to 109 of the Labor Code! #

Seguridad sa Trabaho, Karapatan at Kagalingan ng Manggagawa ay Hindi Naaareglo:

Hindi sa simpleng panakip lang sa ‘endo’

OO sa “Pagdating ng Pagbabago” 

Bilang tugon sa maagang pahayag ng papasok na Kalihim ng Paggawa sa paglilimita ng pagtatrabaho ng kontraktwal na paggawa sa dalawampung bahagdan (20%), nais ipaalala ng Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) kay Silvestre Bello III na hindi naaareglo ang karapatan at kagalingan ng manggagawa.

Gayundin naman, tinututulan namin ang linyang panggigipit na “trabahong kontraktwal o kagutuman sa kawalan ng trabaho” na ipinahayag ng mga pangkat ng kapitalista hinggil sa isyu ng kontratwalisasyon.

Ang aming tindig ay batay sa sumusunod na mga kadahilanan:

1) Ang paglalagay ng panakip sa kontraktwal na paggawa ay wala sa Kodigo ng Paggawa, kung saan malinaw na nakasulat ang “karaniwan at kinakailangang paggawa” sa pagpapatakbo ng isang negosyo ay dapat gampanan ng isang regular na empleyado (Artikulo 280). Ipinaliliwanag nito ang karaniwan at kinakailangan bilang tipo ng paggawang ginagampanan sa loob man lang ng isang taon, ito man ay tuluyan o patlang-patlang.

2) Gayunman, ang panukala ni Bello ay salungat at labag sa Saligang Batas. Habang nakikitang nagagampanan ang Konstitusyonal na karapatan sa seguridad sa trabaho sa malawak na mayorya (80 bahagdan) ng pwersa ng mga nagtatrabaho, itinatatag nito ang pagkakaila sa dalawa sa sampung manggagawa (20%). Nasaan ang tinatawag na “pantay na karapatan sa batas” sa ganitong malinaw na pakanang laban sa paggawa?

3) Ang panukalang panakip sa kontraktwal na paggawa ay salungat sa mandatong “parating na ang pagbabado ng parating na administrasyong Duterte. Nais namin ay pagbabago. Nais namin ang isang merkado ng paggawa kung saan ang karapatan at kagalingan ng manggagawa ay hindi pinagbabantaan ng kontraktwalisasyon. Ang inaasahan namin sa isang pamahalaan ay ang pagpanig nito sa paggawa laban sa puhunan, sa panig ng inaapi laban sa mga mang-aapi. Ang pangingitlog sa bangko ay hindi tutungo sa pagbabago, ito’y karaniwang-pagnenegosyo-lang para sa mga di-makatarungang naghaharing kairalan. Dapat paalalahanan si Bello na ang panguluhang Duterte ay nakatungtong sa gulugod ng panawagang pagbabago ng sambayanan sa pamamagitan ng paglulunsad ng panlahatang panunuligsa laban sa mga sakit ng lipunan, lalo na ang  walang kinang at padaskul-daskol na elitistang administrasyon ng Noynoy Aquino.

4) Ang pagwawakas sa kontraktwalisasyon ay hindi lamang isang legal na usapin ng Konstitusyonal na karapatan sa seguridad sa trabaho subalit isang usaping buhay-at-kamatayan para sa mga manggagawang natutulak na maging mura at masunurin dahil sa banta ng kawalan ng trabaho, at upang makakuha ng mas mataas na tubo ang puhunan. Wala ito kundi kawalanghiyaan at kawalang-habag na pagkakamal ng tubo.

Samantala, kinukundena namin ang mga grupo ng kapitalistang binibigyang matuwid ang kontraktwalisasyon sa pamamagitan ng pagsasabing nakapag-aambag ito sa pagkakaroon ng trabaho. Ang pagpapakumbabang pagdadahilan ninyo ay mapangutya sa dignidad ng paggawa. Wala kayo sa katwirang bigyan kami ng trabaho upang mapakain ang aming pamilya. Ang pangangamkam at kumpetisyon ang inyong mga amo. Sa pagsisilbi sa kanila, inilagay ninyo ang rehimeng ito ng trabahong mabuway at kontraktwal, na iginigiit ang sahod na nakagugutom sa mga matitiyagang Pilipino.

Wastong naobserbahan ni Ginoong Sergio Ortiz ng Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) na ang pagbaka sa kontraktwalisasyon ay mahirap dahil sa taas ng antas ng kawalan ng trabaho. Siyempre, ang mga mapanakal na kumpetisyon sa mismong mga manggagawa upang ibenta ang kanilang lakas-paggawa ay nagpapatuloy habang parami ng parami ang mga walang trabahong manggagawa sa tarangkahan ng mga pabrika. Ngunit ito ang tiyak na rason kung bakit ang estado ng Pilipinas – na sumusunod sa mandatong Konstitusyonal nito na bigyan ng buong proteksyon ang paggawa – ay nararapat panindigan ang interes ng mga manggagawa kung hindi’y mabibiktima sila ng palyadong linyang “mababang sahod o gutom” ng mga mapagsamantalang kapitalista.

Kaya, nananawagan kami sa parating na administrasyong Duterte na maging totoo sa mandato nitong ipatupad ng malupit ang batas hinggil sa mga abusadong kapitalista sa parehong paraan na sa ngayon ay pinagbabantaan ng mga panginoon ng krimen ng mga ilegal na kalakalan ng droga. Para sa isang Batas Ehekutibo laban sa kontraktwalisasyon! Ipagbawal ang pangongontrata ng “paggawang karaniwang kinakailangan at kalugod-lugod”! Amyendahan ang mga Artikulong 106-109 ng Kodigo ng Paggawa! #

Police brutality in Kidapawan condemned, Declare El Nino areas in a state of calamity

Press Statement

01 April 2016

Police brutality in Kidapawan condemned, 

Declare El Nino areas in a state of calamity

SANLAKAS condemns in the strongest terms the barbaric acts inflicted by the police forces as a response to the legitimate and just demands of the Mindanaoan farmers. We hold the Aquino government accountable for unleashing his dogs of war against the hapless peasants.

We demand that entire police unit/s involved in the dispersal relieved, investigated and charged at the soonest possible time.

We also hold accountable the city officials of Kidapawan and the provincial government under Governor Lala Mendoza as well as the national agencies that should have been on top of the situation knowing that the impacts of the El Nino would affect hundreds of thousands if not millions ofpeople.

Firing at unarmed protestors is not only appalling and but also shows how inutile and insensitive our government is to the conditions our farmers who are suffering from water scarcity on a daily basis. While the government is fully aware that the El Nino phenomenon has intensely struck hundreds of thousands of acres of farmlands in Mindanao it did not only prepare for it but it also failed in relieving the farmers of the widespread hunger the climate crisis has caused on thousands of peasant and agricultural workers’ families.

As we share the grief of the victims of police brutality and extend our solidarity with the farmers in Mindanao, SANLAKAS demands from the Aquino government to provide economic relief and declare all EL Nino affected provinces including those in Visayas and Luzon in a state of calamity in order to freeze prices of the most basic commodities and so that the local government may access emergency funds.

We also demand that the climate adaptation efforts of the government expedited in order for the food and water supply crisis checked.

Contact details: 

Atty. Aaron Pedrosa 0927-5924830 

Sanlakas, Secretary General and nominee

Ako'y Manggagawa: Butil ng Buhangin - Dalawang Tula ni Amado V. Hernandez

AKO'Y MANGGAGAWA: BUTIL NG BUHANGIN - DALAWANG TULA NI AMADO V. HERNANDEZ

ni Gregorio V. Bituin Jr.

Dalawang tula ni Ka Amado V. Hernandez, pambansang alagad ng sining sa panitikan, ang inumpisahan niya sa taludtod na ito: "Ako'y manggagawa: butil ng buhangin". Ito'y matatagpuan sa kanyang tulang Bayani na kinatha noong Mayo 1, 1928, at ang Isang Tula sa manggagawa, na nalathala sa pahayagang Pawis noong Hunyo 5, 1946. Dahil sinimulan sa taludtod na iyon, ang kabuuan ng dalawang tula ay lalabindalawahing pantig. 

Ang tulang Bayani, na binubuo ng sampung saknong at bawat saknong ay may anim na taludtod, ay nasa aklat na Isang Dipang Langit, mp. 22-24. Ang tula naman niyang Isang Tula sa Manggagawa, na may walong saknong, ay nasa aklat na Tudla at Tudling, mp. 304-305. Ang unang dalawang saknong ay binubuo ng limang taludtod, habang ang ikatlo hanggang ikawalong saknong ay tig-aanim na taludtod.

Ayon sa talababa ng tulang Bayani: Ang tulang Bayani ay nagwagi sa 30 kalaban sa timpalak-panitik sa Malolos, Bulacan, sa pagdiriwang sa Unang Araw ng Mayo noong 1928. Inampalan: Lope K. Santos, Julian Cruz Balmaceda at Iñigo Ed. Regalado. Ayon kay Senador Recto, ito ang "pinakamahusay na tulang Tagalog sa paksang paggawa."

Ang dalawang tula, bagamat pareho ang unang taludtod ay halos nagkaroon ng bahagyang pagkakaiba sa mga pananalita, bagamat iisa ang nilalaman, ang tungkol sa buhay at kahalagahan ng manggagawa sa ating daigdig. Katunayan, napakaganda ng huling taludtod ng kanyang tulang Bayani: "Taong walang saysay ang di Manggagawa!"

Halina't tunghayan natin ang dalawang tulang ito at namnamin ang masarap na lasa nitong tila pukyutan sa tamis dahil inaalay sa mayorya sa lipunan, ang manggagawa.

BAYANI 

ni Amado V. Hernandez

Ako'y manggagawa: butil ng buhangin

sa daa'y panambak, sa templo'y gamit din;

buhay ko'y sa Diyos utang nga marahil,

ngunit ang palad ko'y utang din sa akin.

Alam ko ang batas: "Tao, manggagaling

sa sariling pawis ang iyong kakanin."

Hubad ang daigdig nang ako'y sumilang

at pikit ang mata ng sangkatauhan:

dahilan sa aki'y kaharia't bayan

ang nangapatayo sa bundok at ilang,

aking pinasikat sa gabi ang araw

at tinanlawan ko ang diwa't ang buhay.

Ako ang nagbangon ng Gresya at Roma,

ako ang nagbagsak sa palalong Troya;

ang mga kamay ko'y martilyo't sandata –

pambuo't panggiba ng anumang pita!

Kung may kayamanan ngayong nakikita,

paggawa ko'y siyang pinuhunan muna!

Ako'y isang haring walang trono't putong,

panginoong laging namamanginoon,

daming pinagpalang binigyan ng milyon

ay ako't ako ring itong pataygutom;

sila ay sa aking balikat tumuntong,

naging Mamo't Nabod ang dati kong ampon!

Sambundok na ginto ang aking dinungkal,

kahi't na kaputol, di binahagihan!

ang aking inani'y sambukiring palay,

nguni't wala akong isaing man lamang!

ang buhay ng iba'y binibigyang-buhay

habang nasa bingit ako ng libingan!

Ang luha ko't dugo'y ibinubong pawa

sa lupang sarili, nguni't nang lumaya,

ako'y wala kahi't sandakot na lupa!

Kung may tao't bayang nangaging dakila,

karaniwang hagda'y akong Manggagawa,

nasa putik ako't sila'y sa dambana!

Kung kaya sumulong ang ating daigdig,

sa gulong ng aking mga pagsasakit;

nilagyan ang tao ng pakpak at bagwis,

madaling nag-akyat-manaog sa langit;

saliksik ang bundok, ang bangin at yungib,

ang kailaliman ng dagat, saliksik!

Ang mga gusali, daan at sasakyan,

ay niyaring lahat ng bakal kong kamay;

sa tuklas kong lakas – langis, uling, bakal,

naghimala itong industria't kalakal;

nguni't lumawak din naman ang pagitan

ng buhay at ari... nasupil ang buhay!

Ang mundo'y malupit: ngayo't ako'y ako,

nakamihasnan nang dustain ng mundo

gayon pa ma'y habang ang tao ay tao,

gawa ang urian kung ano't kung sino;

batong walang ganda'y sangkap ng palasyo,

sanggol sa sabsaba'y naging isang Kristo.

Tuwi na'y wal'in man ako ng halaga,

iyan ay pakanang mapagsamantala;

ang ginto, saan man, ay gintong talaga,

ang bango, takpan man, ay di nagbabawa;

itakwil man ako ng mga nanggaga,

walang magagawang hadlang sa istorya!

Kung di nga sa aki'y alin kayang bagay

ang magkakasigla at magkakabuhay?

Puhunan? Likha ko lamang ang Puhunan!

Bayan? At hindi ba ako rin ang Bayan?

Walang mangyayari pag ako ang ayaw,

mangyayaring lahat, ibigin ko lamang!

Sa wakas, dapat nang ngayo'y mabandila

ang karapatan kong laong iniluha,

ang aking katwiran ay bigyan ng laya

at kung ayaw ninyo'y ako ang bahala

sa aking panata sa pagkadakila...

Taong walang saysay ang di Manggagawa!

Mayo 1, 1928

ISANG TULA SA MANGGAGAWA

ni Amado V. Hernandez

I

Ako'y manggagawa: butil ng buhangin

Sa dagat ng buhay ay masuliranin,

Nguni't ang palad ko'y utang din sa akin!

Sa sariling pawis pinapanggaling

Ang dinadamit ko't aking kinakain.

II

Hubad ang daigdig nang ako'y sumilang

At pikit ang mata ng sangkatauhan,

Dahilan sa aki'y kahariharian

Ang nangapatayo sa bundok at ilang,

Pinapagningning ko ang dating karimlan.

III

At ang kabihasnan ng buong daigdig

Ay bunga ng aking mga pagsasakit

Ang Kapwa ko tao'y binigyan ng bagwis

Upang makalipad hanggang himpapawid!

Utang din sa aking paggawa kung bakit,

Ang pusod ng dagat ay nasasaliksik!

IV

Ang mga gusali, dagat at sasakyan

Ay nalikhang lahat ng bakal kong kamay,

Ang ginto at pilak, ang uling at bakal,

Ay dahil sa akin kung kaya't nabungkal,

Ako'y manggagawa ng maraming bagay

Pangalawang Diyos sa lupang ibabaw.

V

Gayon ma'y malimit dustain ako,

Ang munti'y talagang dustain sa mundo

Subali't ang bakal, hamak ma'y alam kong

Nagagawang baril, gulok, punglo, maso...

Ang buhangi'y sangkap sa isang palasyo't

Ang bato ang siyang haligi ng templo!

VI

Madalas man akong pawalang halaga

Ang uri ko'y hindi mababawasan pa:

Ang ginto saan ma'y napagkikilala,

Ang bango takpan ma'y hindi nagbabawa!

Ako ay bayaning bisig ang sandata,

Ang pawis ko'y lakas, buhay at pag-asa!

VII

Anak pawis akong dukha at maliit,

Ang tahana'y dampa na pawid ang atip,

Nguni't ang dambanang pinakamarikit

Ay utang sa aking matipunong bisig

At ang boong yaman sa silong ng langit

Ay mula sa aking kasipaga't pawis!

VIII

Pagmalasin ninyo! Tila isang anghel

Ng pagkakaisang sa langit nanggaling,

Larawan ng Bayang maganda't mahinhin

Na wala nang gapos ng pagkaalipin,

Liwayway ng layang darating, darating,

At mamamanaag paglipas ng dilim!

Pawis, Hunyo 5, 1946

Ang dalawang tulang ito'y patunay ng maalab na pagmamahal ni Ka Amado V. Hernandez sa mga manggagawang kanyang pinaglingkuran. Bilang isang batikan at iginagalang na lider-manggagawa, matatandaang si Ka Amado ay naging haligi ng Congress of Labor Organizations (CLO), na isang samahan ng manggagawang nagtataguyod ng pagbabagong panlipunan. Noong Mayo 5, 1947, pinangunahan niya ang pinakamalaking welgang bayan noon. Nang maging pangulo siya ng CLO ay pinangunahan niya ang paglulunsad ng malaking pagkilos ng manggagawa noong Mayo 1, 1948.

Mabuhay ang alaala ni Ka Amado V. Hernandez at ang kanyang mga tula para sa kilusang paggawa!