Women workers on war and crisis

 

On International Women’s Day, Partido Manggagawa (PM) said that imperialist wars and global tensions are making life even harder for working women. Conflicts abroad are pushing up the prices of oil and fuel, which in turn raise the cost of transportation, electricity, and food in the Philippines. For many families already living on tight budgets, this means an even heavier daily struggle to make ends meet, which disproportionately falls on women who bear the burden of domestic and care work.

 

“Kapag may digmaan, hindi lang ito nararamdaman sa battlefield. Nararamdaman ito ng mga ordinaryong babae sa palengke, sa pamasahe, at sa pagba-budget ng maliit na kita ng pamilya,” said Judy Ann Miranda, secretary-general of the labor group. “Habang tumataas ang presyo ng langis at mga bilihin, ang mga manggagawang babae at mga nanay ang unang napipilitang magtipid at magsakripisyo para maitawid ang pamilya sa araw-araw.”

 

Miranda also pointed to the uncertain situation of many overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East, a large number of whom are women working as domestic workers and caregivers. “Maraming Pinay ang napilitang mangibang-bansa para alagaan ang mga pamilya ng iba. Iniwan nila ang sarili nilang mga anak para lang may maipadala sa Pilipinas. Ngayon, dahil sa tensyon at gyera sa rehiyon, sila na naman ang nanganganib mawalan ng trabaho o mapilitang lumikas,” she said.

 

The Cebu chapter of PM is holding a women’s day rally today while the Bacolod chapter is conducting an indoor gathering of women workers in urban and rural areas of Negros Island, including sugarcane farms. The main demands are wage hike, regular jobs, secure livelihood and social protection for workers of all genders, along with calls against US-Israel war and abuse of women.

 

Yesterday, women leaders of the PM in Metro Manila were gathered in an indoor forum to commemorate International Women’s Day and also plan for month-long activities to advance women’s advocacies such as community laundromats and whole-day long day care centers.

 

The group also criticized the sexist remark made by Cong. Suntay during a House hearing referencing actress Anne Curtis, which was later defended by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio. According to Judy Ann Miranda, these kinds of remarks reflect a deeper problem in society. “Hindi aksidente ang ganitong pagtingin sa kababaihan. Sa isang lipunang hindi pantay ang kapangyarihan at yaman, madalas ginagawang biro o bagay ang babae para manatiling mababa ang tingin sa kanila,” Miranda said. “Kapag minamaliit ang kababaihan, mas madaling balewalain ang kanilang mababang sahod, ang mabigat na trabaho sa bahay, at ang sakripisyo ng mga migranteng manggagawa. Kaya ang laban para sa respeto sa kababaihan ay kaugnay ng laban ng mga manggagawa para sa dignidad, disenteng kabuhayan, at tunay na pagkakapantay-pantay.”

Photos at FB: Partido Manggagawa

Press Release

Partido Manggagawa

March 8, 2026

Women’s Month celebration ruined by Duterte’s dirty hands

Aside from the killings of trade unionists and activists, the country’s celebration of Women’s Month is ruined by Duterte’s dirty hands, the labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) said in a statement.

“Definitely, that dirty act comes from a sexist mind,” declared PM Secretary General Judy Miranda.

Miranda insists that President Rodrigo Duterte’s act constituted sexual harassment of their kasambahay as the video clearly showed he was in the act of touching her. He was unsuccessful only because she stepped back just in time to avoid the contact.

PM likewise condemns Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque’s defense of the president saying it was just a joke, and that she’s been with the family since young and is used to these sorts of jokes from him.

“Time and again, we have deplored the President for his sexism extending to misogyny for degrading women in the way he speaks and acts. This is another similar incident that we cannot just disregard the way Roque wants everyone to do,” explained Miranda.

The fact that the video was uploaded without regard to the sexual harassment act, with such an act done right on the face of her wife, and so with the spokesperson justifying the harassment, are totally unacceptable in a society that claims to respect and guarantee women’s rights.

The group said it’s a double whammy against women, especially among working women represented by the president’s kasambahay, who are facing so much difficulties during this pandemic because of government neglect and incompetence. 

March 30, 2021