Group lambasts PBBM as a Scrooge for not restoring Philhealth subsidy

 

The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) lambasted President Bong Bong Marcos, Jr. as a Scrooge for not restoring the subsidy for Philhealth and funds for social services in the national budget that he signed today.

 

“President Marcos, Jr. is being disingenuous in his veto of a few line items as AKAP remains embedded in the national budget. Further, he is being dishonest in saying that Philhealth benefits will not be affected by lack of subsidy. Philhealth members and beneficiaries are demanding significant improvement of benefits—a 50% increase in coverage as was discussed in the budget deliberations & promised by Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa,” stated Judy Miranda, PM secretary general.

 

PM was among the coalition of labor groups, health workers and medical advocates that held a big protest to ask for the restoration of the Philhealth subsidy in the 2025 national budget. Members of the Nagkakaisang Mamamayan para sa Pangkalusugang Pangkalahatan marched to Mendiola in Manila last December 18 to call on President Marcos, Jr. to veto the budget and reform the Philhealth. Last December 26, members of PM and Sentro also held a rally at the Philhealth office in Cebu City.

 

PM reiterated its demand for the resignation of Herbosa and the Philhealth board for their failure to make good on their promises as well as for their inefficiency that has become an alibi for the zero subsidy.

 

PM earlier joined the Nagkaisa labor coalition in filing as intervenor in the Supreme Court case to oppose the transfer of P90 billion of Philhealth’s excess funds to the National Treasury. Moreover, the group has been demanding public laundromats and whole day childcare centers to ease the burdens of employed and unemployed women. 

Press Release

December 30, 2024

Ahead of expected signing of budget, PBBM asked to restore Philhealth subsidy

Photo from Freeman

With the expected signing of the national budget on December 30, the labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) called on President Bong Bong Marcos, Jr. to restore the subsidy for Philhealth and the budget cut for other social services.

 

“President Marcos, Jr., do you hear the people’s demand? Restoring the Philhealth subsidy and social services budget will be a great welcome gift for the new year. Do not be a Scrooge by affirming the flawed 2025 budget in toto,” stated Judy Miranda, PM secretary general.

 

She noted that the clamor for restoring the Philhealth subsidy and social services budget is widespread as workers in Cebu held a protest yesterday to highlight the demand. Members of PM and the labor group Sentro trooped yesterday afternoon to the Philhealth office at Cebu City to call for the restoration of the budget for social services.

 

Miranda criticized President Marcos, Jr.’s recent pronouncement that no Philhealth benefits will be affected even if there is no subsidy in the 2025 budget. She explained that “President Marcos Jr. is missing the point. The demand of Philhealth members and beneficiaries is the significant improvement of benefits and services. In 2025, we hope to see a 50% increase in Philhealth coverage—as was discussed in the budget deliberations and promised by Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa.”

 

PM was among the coalition of labor groups, health workers and medical advocates that held a protest last Wednesday and asked for the restoration of the Philhealth subsidy in the 2025 national budget. Members of the Nagkakaisang Mamamayan para sa Pangkalusugang Pangkalahatan marched to Mendiola in Manila to call on President Marcos, Jr. to veto the budget and reform the Philhealth.

 

PM is also calling on the President to axe Secretary Herbosa and the Philhealth board for their failure to make good on their promises as well as for their inefficiency that has become an alibi by solon for the zero subsidy.

 

PM earlier joined the Nagkaisa labor coalition in filing as intervenor in the Supreme Court case to oppose the transfer of P90 billion of Philhealth’s excess funds to the National Treasury. The group has also been demanding public laundromats and whole day childcare centers to ease the burdens of employed and unemployed women.

 

Photos of the Cebu rally can be accessed at: https://www.facebook.com/partidomanggagawa/posts/pfbid0iwhgYKFUvWSUtktmQjgP9bqTGigyHRJWHK2nyS3ScFH7Z9tSfYpxapzQevsJ8T37l

Press Release

December 27, 2024

PBBM asked to restore Philhealth subsidy and not be a Scrooge

 

The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) called on President Bong Bong Marcos, Jr. to restore the subsidy for Philhealth and the budget cut for other social services. “President Marcos, Jr., do you hear the people’s demand? Restore the Philhealth subsidy and social services budget as a Christmas gift to workers and the people. Do not be a Scrooge by affirming the flawed 2025 budget,” stated Judy Miranda, PM secretary general.

 

Miranda criticized President Marcos, Jr.’s recent pronouncement that no Philhealth benefits will be affected even if there is no subsidy in the 2025 budget. She explained that “President Marcos Jr. is missing the point. The demand of Philhealth members and beneficiaries is the significant improvement of benefits and services. In 2025, we hope to see a 50% increase in Philhealth coverage—as was discussed in the budget deliberations and promised by Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa.”

 

President Marcos, Jr. has postponed the scheduled signing today of the 2025 national budget. Aside from the zero subsidy for Philhealth, several departments like DSWD, DepEd and DOLE suffered reductions in the bicameral conference committee version of the budget.

 

PM was among the coalition of labor groups, health workers and medical advocates that held a protest last Wednesday and asked for the restoration of the Philhealth subsidy in the 2025 national budget. Members of the Nagkakaisang Mamamayan para sa Pangkalusugang Pangkalahatan assembled at Morayta before marching to Mendiola to call on President Marcos, Jr. to veto the budget and reform the Philhealth.

 

PM is also calling on the President to axe Secretary Herbosa and the Philhealth board for their failure to make good on their promises as well as for their inefficiency that has become an alibi by solon for the zero subsidy.

 

PM earlier joined the Nagkaisa labor coalition in filing as intervenor in the Supreme Court case to oppose the transfer of P90 billion of Philhealth’s excess funds to the National Treasury. The group has also been demanding public laundromats and whole day childcare centers to ease the burdens of employed and unemployed women. 

Press Release

December 20, 2024

 

Labor rights undermined under tuwid na daan

There is systemic continuity in labor rights violations under different administrations and under the ‘tuwid na daan’, these violations have simply gone worse.

 

In a statement, the partylist group Partido Manggagawa (PM) condemned the unabated problem of extrajudicial killings in the country but at the same time it underlined the need to recognize forms of human rights violations that are more systemic and pervading in nature. 

PM joined the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) in celebrating the International Human Rights Day in a march of several hundred rights defenders and advocates from Espana UST to Mendiola. Some of the rallyists were dressed in bloodied shirts and dresses to symbolize the persistence of human rights violations in the country.

 

The group said the country’s compliance to the UN clusters of economic and socio-cultural rights (ESCR) is very dismal as most of its policies dealt with trade and investments rather than with raising the Filipinos’ quality of life.

 

“Labor rights, which include the rights to enjoy freedom and quality standard of living are undermined by economic policies that provide utmost partiality to business and the free market, said PM spokesman Wilson Fortaleza.

 

According to Fortaleza, labor conractualization as one form, is an epidemic that kills the freedom of workers to associate and to get fair share of economic benefits from their bosses such as the living wage provided under the Constitution.

 

He explained further that the harsh picture of inequality in the country, with a handful of families in control of more than half of our GDP, is the logical outcome of this systemic failure to uphold human rights.

 

“Precarious employment is not as controversial as the 700 or 1,700 souls that suffered under Rodrigo Duterte’s hand but it is as lethal as other policies that deny millions of people the meaning of good life,” said Fortaleza.

 

More than half of the country’s  41 million labor force work under precarious working conditions characterized by low paying, irregular, and informal work arrangements.  They also are burdened by high prices and the poor state of social services in the country.

10 December 2015

BPO workers decry MRT rate hike for negating tax exemption

PRESS RELEASE

Inter-Call Center Association of Workers (ICCAW)

January 7, 2015

A BPO workers association added its voice to groups opposing the MRT and LRT fare hikes and avers that the rate increase will negate the expected benefit coming from tax exemption of de minimis benefits.

According to the Inter-Call Center Association of Workers (ICCAW), ordinary workers, BPO employees included, who make up the bulk of regular train riders in the MRT and LRT systems in Metro Manila will bear the brunt of the onerous rate.

“The new tax exemption on de minimis is welcome news to millions of low-waged workers.  But the impending MRT rate hike is definitely a spoiler,” said ICCAW-NCR spokesman Bryan Nadua.

He also lamented the fact that Malacanang has yet to sign the measure although it has already been announced. “The government is fast in imposing burdens on the workers but slow to act on benefits for the employees,” Nadua added.

An additional exemption of up to P10,000 can be availed by workers who enjoy extra economic benefits coming from collective bargaining agreements and productivity schemes.  The de minimis tax exemption has been a demand of labor groups grouped under Nagkaisa in dialogues with Malacanang.

Nadua said the amount of exemption is almost equivalent to the fare hike that will be imposed by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) upon train riders beginning January 4.

A two-way adjusted rate of P28 per day in the MRT is equivalent to more or less P10,000 in one year, ICCAW stated, lamenting that the fare hike is cancelling out the benefits of the new tax exemption.

“Kung ano ang ibibigay ni Kim Henares sa kabilang bulsa, kukunin ni Joseph Abaya sa kabila,” insisted Nadua.

Labor groups like Nagkaisa are opposed to the planned rate increases in MRT and LRT, saying the railway system which is being enjoyed by millions of low-waged workers should remain subsidized by the State.

ICCAW, which was first organized in Cebu City in 2012, is calling for industry-wide standards for wages, benefits, and entitlements that must be well above the minimum mandated by law and commensurate to the profitable dollar-earning nature of the call center industry.

A tale of two subsidies: Amid cuts in MRT/LRT subsidy, travel budget of public officials hiked by 90%

NEWS RELEASE

02 January 2015

The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) has found another reason to oppose the impending fare hike in the metro rail system upon learning that government obligations to subsidize the travel budget of public officials has been increasing by at least P1.5 billion every year since 2011.

Fares in the MRT/LRT systems shall increase by up to 87% beginning Sunday, January 4.

“Clearly, there is a tale of inequality in this issue.  First, the fare hike, as admitted by Sec. Abaya himself, is meant not for service upgrade but mainly for debt payments to an onerous contract with a private concessionaire.  Second, the budget cut is imposed against poor commuters while travel budget for public officials keeps on increasing,” said PM spokesman Wilson Fortaleza.

Fortaleza said that based on available data the MRT and LRT systems carry an estimated load of 500 million rides every year mostly from the working class.  A market survey done by Nielsen in 2009 showed blue collar workers comprising 41% of train riders; 15% white collar; 19% non-working; 16% students; 4% professionals; and 5% proprietors.

According to Fortaleza, while Malacanang has uncaringly decided to remove the P7 to P10-B subsidy to millions of train riders, purportedly to re-channel the freed budget to other social services, it resourcefully kept on increasing the travel budget of public officials by at least P1.5-B every year.

He explained that based on the Summary of Obligations of the National Government, CY 2013-2014 posted at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) website, travelling expenses in 2011 amounted to P7.8-B; P9.3-B in 2012 and P11.8-B in 2013. 

Under the general provisions of the General Appropriations Act, Travelling Expenses is defined as payment of claims for reimbursement of travelling and related expenses incurred in the course of official travel by officials and employees of the government. They may include free air, land and sea travel, fuel subsidy, hotel accommodations, and even parking fees. 

Fortaleza added that based on the proposed National Expenditure Program for 2015, travelling expenses amounts to more or less P15-B, hence an increase of 92% from P7.8-B in 2011 to P15-B in 2015.

“Compared to a daily crushing ride at MRT, the billions of pesos of taxpayers’ money appropriated for travelling expenses provided safe and comfortable travel to our public officials, many of whom do not utilize the mass transport system,” said Fortaleza.

The labor group disclosed further that VIP’s in government shall enjoy a good amount of privileges from the more or less P15-B of travelling expenses allotted for 2015.  They include the following: 

Office                                        Travel Budget 2015                         Daily Equivalent

Office of the President                        308,764,000                                           846,000

Office of the Vice President                  23,900,000                                              65,000

House of Representatives                   624,291,000                                        1,710,000

The Senate                                           280,672,000                                           769,000

The Supreme Court                             285,474,000                                           782,000

Likewise the heads of government agencies enjoy big amounts of travel budgets this year.  Fortaleza cites, for instance, the Office of Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the agency that oversees the operations of the MRT and LRT system enjoying a travel budget of P69.9 million or P192,000 a day.

Meanwhile the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), a small office under the Office of the President, is getting a 38% increase in travel budget amounting to P123,410,000 or P338,000 a day.

Travelling expense, according to PM, is a major part of the government’s maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) and forms part of the many perks and privileges public officials enjoy in the performance of their duties and responsibilities.

“Workers cannot ask for the same privileges unless we ourselves run this government.  It is absolutely just and fair, however, to demand better treatment amid the comfort and affluence of our rulers,” concluded Fortaleza.

The group called on train riders to express their opposition to the fare hike in various forms such as official petitions, social media campaign, and direct actions.

MRT/LRT fare hike adds violence to crumbling mass transport system

NEWS RELEASE

22 December 2014

 

Increasing the fares in the metro railway system more than half from current rates is totally unjust and the most insensitive year-ender policy declaration by the Aquino administration, the labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) said in a statement.

 

“Most of train riders are ordinary workers who pay P15 or P20 for every violent ride in our present railway system. A fare increase will add more to this violence,” said PM spokesman Wilson Fortaleza.

 

Fortaleza explained that a fare increase, particularly in MRT3, would neither mean comfort nor improvement in services as more than 70% of its finances goes to equity rental to MRTC, its original private concessionaire.

 

As per announcement made by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the fare matrix in the three systems shall be adjusted beginning January 4, 2015.  These will include 87% hike (from P15-P28) for MRT 3; 67% (from P15-P24) for LRT 2; and 50% (from P29-P30) for LRT 1.

 

PM together with other groups under the labor coalition Nagkaisa will be planning mass actions to oppose the scheduled fare hikes.

 

Fortaleza said based on a previous study[1], 67.7% of regular train commuters earned monthly income of less than P10,000 or less than the minimum wage; some 15% are without income (probably students); while only 1.4% are with income of P30,000.

 

PM is opposing the impending fare hike based on the following grounds:

 

§  The fare hike is due to the removal of subsidy and not for the comfort of the riding public.

§  It is a huge burden to commuters, most of whom are ordinary workers who receive starvation wages.

§  The increase is for rental payments to an onerous original contract and an incentive to prospective private concessionaires under the public-private partnership or PPP program.

§  That less subsidy means funds for other services is a pale, fallacious argument.

 

The group argued that in  most countries worldwide the railway system, which is the most efficient mass transport system, is heavily subsidized.

 

In its position paper submitted to the DOTC during its previous consultations, PM believes that subsidy is not a bad thing if it is in pursuit of social objective.  The government should even invest more money to save and develop the country’s crumbling mass transport system.

 

“To us, subsidizing at least 500 million rides of workers a year is more productive than subsidizing the comfortable travel of 500 VIPs in government,” said Fortaleza, adding that all taxpayers pay for at least P8-billion a year of travel subsidy for our public officials.

 

The group, which opposes the privatization of the railway system, likewise believe that the fare adjustments were meant as a major  incentive for private players who demand highly competitive pricing to be  in place before they actually enter a PPP project.

Workers Digest 44: International Women's Day issue

Post-Women’s Day Action: Women workers lead caravan to Cavite vs. high prices, endo jobs

Press Release

March 10, 2012

PALEA

Women members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA), Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), Rosario Workers Association (RWA) and United Cavite Workers Association (UCWA) led a caravan today against high prices and contractual work.

The caravan vs. high prices and endo (end of contract) jobs is an extension of the observance of International Women’s Day and an anticipation of the Labor Day commemoration. “The high cost of living and the proliferation of contractual work is a double whammy on workers in general and women in particular,” asserted Arlene Ladimo of PALEA Women’s Committee.

PM is proposing that government end the policy of deregulation of the oil industry to control the runaway prices and renationalize Petron to promote competition among the big players.

The caravan left the PALEA protest camp at the In-Flight Center of Philippine Airlines (PAL) at noon and passed through the densely populated areas of Paranaque, Las Pinas, Bacoor and Noveleta before finishing at the industrial town of Rosario. A highlight of the caravan was the salubungan around 2:00 pm at the main gate of the Cavite Ecozone where Cavite workers organized by the RWA and UCWA met the contingent from Metro Manila.

“The three demands of women workers last Women’s Day and for Labor Day as well are the lowering of prices, an end to endo jobs and additional budget for social services. These measures will lighten the double burden of women workers who not only labor in their places of work but also slave in unpaid domestic work in their houses,” explained Judy Ann Miranda, PM Secretary-general.

Next week PALEA continues with mass actions in time for the 71^st anniversary of PAL on March 15. The union is planning rallies at PAL offices and the Allied Bank building in Ayala where Lucio Tan holds office.

“PNoy believed the spin that PAL is losing money and thus allowed the mass layoff and job outsourcing plan despite the flag carrier’s P3 billion profit in its latest fiscal year. Now it is as clear as day that Lucio Tan instead of becoming poorer has become even richer to the tune of $3.5 billion from last year’s $2.8 billion as per the Forbes list of billionaires. But Lucio Tan wants to catch up with Henry Sy, the richest Filipino and number one promoter of contractualization, by implementing the outsourcing scam at PAL,” insisted Ladino.

Women workers chide bishops for celebrating withdrawal of UN funding on family planning

PRESS RELEASE

2 September 2011

While bishops hail the United Nation’s decision to abandon the country’s family planning plan due to lack of funds, the Department of Health (DOH) notes that Filipinos with HIV has reached more than 7000 and increasing.  Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) believes that for these reasons, the more the State and advocates should make certain the passage of the RH bill and so its budget allocation.

“It is unfortunate that the bishops’ reason for rejoicing is also reason for more difficulties for the poor, especially women with unmet family planning needs and dying due to pregnancy and birth complications, and Filipinos with HIV and AIDs.  It is callous and insensitive to celebrate at the expense of people needing help,” explained PM Secretary-General Judy Ann Chan-Miranda.

PM chides the bishops for admonishing taxpayers regarding budget allocation for RH-related services.  The poor, needing RH services, deserves State support – it is one reason why the State exists in the first place. 

“The tax-exempt Catholic Church has no moral ascendancy to meddle on the State’s social spending.  Will it share its wealth or pay the bills for the healthcare of poor women?” asked Miranda.

Labor party joins other groups in pushing for right to water

PRESS RELEASE
22 March 2011

The labor party Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) links up with other groups under the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) pushing for the recognition and enforcement of the right to water.

A rally led by FDC was held this morning at the Mabuhay Rotonda on the occasion of the 18th World Water Day, urging President Aquino to unequivocally declare the government’s recognition of this right and to take the lead in ensuring that water preservation and water supply provision is built around the human right to water and the principles of environmental sustainability.

PM Secretary General Judy Ann Miranda said that because water is a finite
natural resource, global capitalism was able to alter its social function from being a ‘common good’ into a private commodity being traded into the market.

“Gone were the times when 'free water' is enjoyed by communities. Now it is a private commodity traded similar to how a cola is priced in the market,” explained Miranda.

The labor group said the privatization of the water industry in many parts of the world, including the Philippines, transformed this social good into a cash-rich business that delivers high returns to private corporations while becoming more inaccessible to the poor.

In 1992, the United Nations declared March 22 as the World Water Day in recognition of the importance of securing global water resource. Water right is a human right that cannot be denied to anybody, including the next generations.

Miranda added that chronic poverty made many poor communities virtually “waterless” as private water utilities would only lay their pipes to economically viable areas leaving the unconnected households at the mercy of aguadors who supply them with more costly and unsafe water.

According to FDC, between 1990 to 2006, the percentage of Filipinos with access to improved water sources decreased from 87% to 81%. A total of 432 communities have been listed as waterless, with less than 50% of the households having access to safe potable water supply.

Moreover, watersheds are recklessly being destroyed by corporate activities such as metallic and fossil fuel mining and other industrial activities which largely contribute also to climate change.

Hundreds of poor residents along South Rail and Manila Bay hold rally at HUDCC

Press Release
September 10, 2009
Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino

Some 500 urban poor residents living along the South Rail in Laguna, Batangas and Cavite, and along the coastlines of Manila Bay held a rally at the Makati office of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and a dialogue with housing officials on their demand for decent housing and livelihood opportunities.

Romy Cabugnason, spokesperson of Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP), said that “Thousands of families will be displaced by demolitions along the Calabarzon areas of South Rail and Manila Bay to give way to rehabilitation of the railway and clean up of the bay. But the urban poor are not garbage that should be thrown away to give way to so-called development. There is no real progress unless there is social justice.”

The Calabarzon urban poor assembled at Magallanes in Makati around noon and then marched to the HUDCC office by 1:00 pm. They then held a dialogue at 2:00 pm with HUDCC officials regarding their demands.

The residents along the Manila Bay are asking for in-city relocation, alternative forms of fishing for livelihood, and financial assistance for relocation, livelihood and social services. While the demands of the urban poor along the South Rail line are the release of the funds meant for relocatees, sale to informal settlers of the Philippine National Railroad lands that will not be used in the rehabilitation, and representation in the inter-agency committee on relocation.

Members of Alyansa ng Mamamayan na Apektado ng Road 1 (AMAR-1), Samahang Mamamayan Naninirahan sa Riles ng Calabarzon (SMPRC) and Partido ng Manggagawa joined AMP in the march, rally and dialogue. The protesters came from the towns of Calamba, Los Baños and Bae in Laguna, Sto. Tomas and Tanauan in Batangas, and Bacoor, Kawit, Cavite City, Rosario and Tanza in Cavite.

Demolition of fishing communities along the Cavite coastline of Manila Bay was supposed to start yesterday as per the notices sent to residents promting the urban poor to hold a rally and dialogue with HUDCC officials. Preparation for eviction of residents along the South Rail starting from Calamba are also underway.

Cabugnason explained that “We are merely asking for the social cost of these development plans that should already be factored into the project cost. The urban poor demands amount to only a small portion of these multibillion projects.” The South Rail projects costs more than P 40 billion with an allotment around P 1.8 billion for relocation. The government meanwhile recently allocated P 1.6 billion for the Manila Bay clean up, of which P 250 million is for relocation of informal settlers on open waterways in Metro Manila.