As GMA Flies to Japan
Workers Rally to Assert P125 Wage Hike
By Ederic P. Eder
CyberDyaryo

"TAMPO AT HINANAKIT" were the "pabaon" of Filipino workers for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as she left for a four-day state visit to Japan yesterday (Sept.12).

Some 2,000 protesters made up mostly of workers and students—the same ones who helped oust Joseph Estrada in January and held vigil in April to protect Malacañang from pro-Erap rebels—marched from Liwasang Bonifacio to Mendiola to press their demand for a P125 across-the-board wage increase.

The workers paraded the "Karwahe ng Kahirapan," which carried a 13-foot mechanical effigy of President Arroyo, dressed in a green robe, with moving eyelids, mouth, head, and hands.

"Gloria’s carriage" was driven by a monster with three heads representing the United States, Japan and the European Union, the three capitalist forces that the protestors accused of exploiting Filipino workers all over the world. The effigy held a whip in its right hand, representing the exploitation of workers; and in her left hand, was a piece of wood symbolizing the regional wage board. This was destroyed by labor leaders to abolish the regional wage boards, at least symbolically.

The workers, who came from the National Capital Region, Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon, lamented that instead of listening to their demands, the President left for Japan to meet with foreign investors.

Hurt feelings
"Gusto natin siyang pabaunan ng isang tampo at hinanakit sapagkat iiwanan niya ang mga mamamayan dito na humihingi ng katarungan at pagkatig sa karapatang pantao sa pamamagitan ng pagtataaas ng sahod ng mga manggagawa (We would like to send her off with our hurt feelings because she is leaving our citizens who are seeking justice and adherence to human rights through an increase in the wages of workers)," Kilusang Mayo Uno chair and party list Representive Crispin Beltran (Bayan Muna) told CyberDyaryo.

He said the President is in Japan to beg for more investments from the Japanese capitalists.

Renato Reyes Jr. of the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said: "Gloria is turning out to be an entertainer for the Japanese investors and creditors. She wants to entertain [them] and tell them that in the Philippines’ cheap labor is still available, kasi ayaw nilang itaas ang sahod (because they don't want to raise wages)."

Party-list Representative Satur Ocampo of Bayan Muna noted that the President is giving more importance to the government’s problem in attracting foreign investors. Arroyo, he said, holds the government’s old mindset that the economy could only be boosted by foreign investments.

"Matagal na yang kaisipang umiiral sa gobyerno na ang pag-asa ng ating ekonomiya para umunlad ay nasa mga dayuhan. Ang iginigiit namin ay nandito sa mga Pilipino yan (The government has long held the belief that foreigners are the hope of the economy. What we are insisting on is that the hope is here, among Filipinos)," Ocampo told CyberDyaryo.

Pulling the economy down
He said the continuing government policy of liberalization in investments, trade and other aspects of economic activities further pulls the Philippine economy down.

Both congressmen said there is no reason for government to be threatened by the reported plan of foreign investors to pull out of the country should the wage hike be approved.

"We don’t share the view that the increase in the minimum wage is a major or primary factor for foreigners to desist from putting investments in the Philippines. If in their assessment the prospects of doing business in the Philippines are good, they would come here, whatever the wage level would be," Ocampo said.

He added that its time the Filipino workers—who through their known efficiency and productivity have enriched a lot of foreign investors—"ask now for the equivalent share in the fruits of their productions."

Positive results soon?
Beltran, on August 21, filed House Bill 2605, which seeks a P125 increase in the minimum wage. Expecting more support for the measure, he said, "Medyo nakakausad na yun. Baka magkaroon ng positibong resulta (Its moving. We may have positive results soon)," he said.

Bayan Muna's Representative Crispin Beltran gives the crowd a clenched fist salute. Photo by Emil Mijares, Jr.

Ocampo said they have to lobby and work with as many of the congressmen as possible.

"A number of them have signified their intention to co-sponsor or support our Bill 2065. But we know that the counter pressure both from the government and big capital is very strong. So we'll have to do our best within Congress and this manifestation today is a major component of Bayan Muna’s campaign to push the 125 across the board increase bill in Congress. We combine the popular pressure from our own reasoning and arguments within Congress," he explained.

KMU warned of bigger protest actions should the Arroyo government fail to act on their demands.

A stern warning
"The nationwide rallies today should serve as a stern warning for the Arryo government to prepare to face waves of protests in the coming months, if her government continues to be abrasive towards workers call for a P125 wage hike," said KMU secretary general and Wage Increase Solidarity convenor Elmer Labog.

The workers’ demand for P125 increase in minimum wage applies to employees of the private sector. Government workers are asking for a P3,000 across the board salary increase. Members of the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) participated in yesterdays’ protest action.

In a press statement, Ferdinand Gaite, Courage national president said the government employees were outraged upon learning that several officials of the GSIS have received millions in retirement benefits.

"These officials have appropriated for themselves the money we entrusted to them and still have the guts to proclaim that what they did was legal! Since when does plunder of worker’s funds become legal? The government employees must queue and wait for several days to avail of salary loans, housing, etc while these officials are feasting on our contributions as if they struck a mine field full of gold."

Sectoral support
The youth and students also supported the worker’s rally. Raymond Palatino, National Union of Students of the Philippines executive vice president, said students felt betrayed by the President’s inaction on the wage issue. The wage hike issue, he said, is their parents’ issue.

VJ Topacio, spokesperson of Solidarity 125, an alliance of youth and student organizations working for wage increase, expressed the solid support and solidarity of the youth with the laborers’ demand for an additional P125 in the minimum wage. He was one of the speakers in the Liwasang Bonifacio gathering before the crowd proceeded to Mendiola.

The religious carried "Inay Maria ng Magnificat", a statue of a three-month-pregnant Blessed Virgin Mary in the "Prusisyon ng Bayan para sa P125" organized by Kairos Philippines (or Christians on the Move for Spiritual and Social Salvation). Kairos led a para-liturgical celebration at noon in front of the Far Esastern University in Morayta. They later joined the workers in Mendiola.

The protesters wanted to move their mass action to Freedom Park closer to the Palace but were prevented by 147 policemen from the Contingency Disaster Management and some firemen. They placed metal fences with barbwire to prevent the protesters from moving forward.

Other organizations of workers, farmers, women, youth and students, teachers, religious, artists, jeepney drivers and operators, urban poor, and migrant workers allied with KMU and Bayan joined the protest action.

According to KMU media liaison officer Mao Hermitanio, protest actions were also held yesterday in Baguio, Cordillera, Bicol, Cebu, Davao, and South Cotabato. (CyberDyaryo)