In
the Bonifacio Day rally yesterday across the country, workers aired their
grievances as well as holiday wishes. “All we want for Christmas are an end to
endo jobs and political dynasties, P150 wage hike and the enactment of the
Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy (PAP) bill,” demanded Judy Miranda,
secretary general of the militant group Partido Manggagawa (PM).
Amid
intense political infighting between the camps of President Bong Bong Marcos
Jr. and Vice Sara Duterte, PM stated that workers choose no sides and will not
join any “fake people power.” “The House of Labor does not support either the
House of Polvoron or House of Fentanyl, both of which are merely interested in
retaining political power for its own sake. In contrast, the House of Labor
demands social justice and social change,” explained Miranda.
Members
of PM joined the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition mobilization that assembled in front
of Ramon Magsaysay High School in Espana, Manila this morning. The workers then
marched to Mendiola at about 9 AM for a program that lasted until 12 noon.
PM
also held rallies in Cebu City and Bacolod City. In Cebu, PM members marched
around the city and held a program at Metro Gaisano in Colon St. In Bacolod,
farm workers and women’s groups affiliated to PM launched an indoor gathering
and later a march to the public plaza.
The
nationwide commemoration of Bonifacio Day by PM and Nagkaisa raised the call
for ending endo jobs, low wages, political dynasties and teenage pregnancy.
“The dominance of political dynasties is a key factor in the mass poverty and
economic underdevelopment of the country. In the coming 2025 elections, we see
the perverse evolution of fat dynasties into obese ones and the almost total
capture of the partylist system—which was meant for representation by workers
and other marginalized sectors—by power-hungry trapos. I-endo ang dynasties ng
mga trapo hindi ang trabaho!” asserted Miranda.
She
added that “If Bonifacio were alive today, he would lead the Katipunan in a
fight to end political dynasties as a pathway for true independence and real
development.” Miranda pointed to stark contrast between the inaction of the
House of Representatives on the P150 wage hike bill and its fixation on Rodrigo
Duterte’s drug war and Sara Duterte’s confidential funds. “Of course, we want
Digong to be held accountable for the murder of alleged drug users and Inday
Sara for her plunder of people’s money. But we know that Congress is motivated
by factional infighting not good governance. And that is why Congress is deadma
to proposed reforms favorable to workers,” Miranda elaborated.
Other
demands highlighted by PM in the Bonifacio Day commemoration is the passage of
the PAP bill, which was recently passed by the House of Representatives. “We
are calling on the Senate to pass its version of the PAP bill so that the youth
can enjoy the holidays and not be burdened by teenage pregnancy,” Miranda
concluded. ###
Photos
of the Bonifacio Day rally can be accessed at
https://www.facebook.com/partidomanggagawa
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