Defend CSE holds mobilizations in Mendiola and Cebu for passage of Teen Pregnancy Prevention bill

Today the Defend CSE network united in a powerful demonstration in Mendiola and Cebu of solidarity, sending a clear and resolute message to legislators: support Senate Bill 1979 and accelerate the nationwide implementation of CSE. This critical piece of legislation aims to fortify adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) initiatives that are under threat by misinformation campaigns.

 

“We believe that CSE is not a threat, but a right,” said Judy Ann Miranda, a leading figure in Defend CSE and secretary general of the labor group Partido Manggagawa. She added that “This is not just about passing laws, it’s about ensuring every young person has the right to accurate, responsible, and empowering education.”

  

Defend CSE, a broad network of civil society organizations (CSOs), advocates, and stakeholders in child rights, youth development, women’s rights, health, and education, stands united in its unwavering commitment to defend Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in the Philippines.

 

“We must continue to safeguard the work of educators, policymakers, and those championing CSE in the Department of Education,” stated Miranda. She pointed out that “Fear-mongering and misinformation must not be allowed to erase the progress we’ve made in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights for young people.”

 

In celebration of Valentine’s month, Defend CSE expresses its heartfelt gratitude to the countless advocates, legislators, families, educators, and other stakeholders who have stood strong in the fight to protect young people’s rights to accurate and empowering education. Despite the continued efforts of opposition groups to undermine CSE through fear-mongering and disinformation, Defend CSE reaffirms that these divisive tactics have no place in a dialogue built on love and care for the well-being of children and youth.

 

CSE is a vital tool for protecting young people from real risks such as gender-based violence, exploitation, unintended pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections. It empowers youth with the knowledge, skills, and support needed to make informed decisions about their bodies, relationships, and future. By equipping young people with comprehensive, developmentally-appropriate, and culturally-sensitive education, CSE ensures they can build safe, healthy, and respectful lives.

 

The Defend CSE movement calls for continued advocacy and action to protect CSE against all forms of distortion and opposition. As they rally for the passage and effective implementation of Senate Bill 1979, they pledge to fight for the rights of young people and ensure CSE remains a key element of the country’s education system.

 

Defend CSE remains committed to working alongside policymakers to ensure that sexual and reproductive health education continues to be a pillar of youth empowerment, human rights, and public health in the Philippines.

 

Photos of the Mendiola and Cebu rallies today can be accessed at FB: Partido Manggagawa

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About Defend CSE

Defend CSE is a collective network of civil society organizations, advocates, and stakeholders dedicated to defending the rights of young people to access comprehensive sexuality education (CSE). The movement is committed to advocating for youth empowerment, sexual and reproductive health, and education policies that prioritize the well-being of future generations.

 

Press Release

February 5, 2025

Defend CSE

Nagkaisa calls on workers to up the pressure on pending wage hike bills in Congress

 

The Nagkaisa Labor Coalition on Wednesday urged workers to keep up the pressure on both the Labor Committee and their respective district representatives, demanding swift action on the long-pending P150 wage hike bill before Congress adjourns sine die next week in preparation for the 2025 national and local elections.

 

The group issued the call as it welcomes the commitment made by House Speaker Martin Romualdez in a meeting with labor leaders to act on the pending wage hike bills.

 

Affirmatively the labor committee has calendared a public hearing on Thursday, January 30, to wrap up its deliberations on the wage hike proposals.

 

Nagkaisa said the P150 wage hike bill has been stalled in the Labor Committee since March 2024, while wage orders from regional boards remain insufficient against the ever-increasing cost of living.

 

The coalition stressed the urgency of the situation, urging Congress and Malacañang not to delay further action. “We cannot afford to wait any longer. With every passing day, the value of our wages continues to diminish as inflation continues to rise,” the statement said.

 

With less than a week left in the 19th Congress’ session before the long election break, labor groups remain hopeful that the wage hike bill may still beat the red light.

PRESS RELEASE

Nagkaisa Labor Coalition

29 January 2025

 

PAP at CSE ay para sa proteksyon ng mga batang babae

 

Walang mali at kulang sa panukalang PAP bill. Ang mali ay ang luma at tradisyunal na kaisipan na ang sex education ay nakakasira ng kaisipan ng kabataan.

 

Ang sinisira ng problema at teenage pregnancy ay ang buhay at kinabukasan ng mga batang ina. Para maiwasan ito, responsibilidad ng estado at maging ng mga pamilya na buksan ang isipan ng mga kabataan sa wasto at tamang gawin sa kanilang sekswalidad, hindi ang maghasik ng pangamba na ang sex education ay isang karumaldumal na bagay.

 

Ang Teenage Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Bill ay isang mahalagang hakbang upang tugunan ang patuloy at kritikal na isyu ng maagang pagbubuntis at ang kaugnay nitong karahasang nakabatay sa kasarian. Nararapat lamang na linawin ang ilang maling paniniwala ukol sa panukalang batas na ito:

 

1.           Hindi tinuturuan o hinihikayat ng TPP Bill ang kabataan na gumawa ng sekswal na gawain, lalong lalo na ang masturbation. Ang Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) ay hindi tungkol sa panghihikayat sa kabataan na  makipagtalik, kundi pagbibigay ito ng tamang kaalaman ukol sa kanilang katawan, tamang pagpapasya, at ligtas na pakikipagtalik.

 

2.           Ang CSE ay hindi hango sa European standards. Ito ay naayon sa mga values, kultura, at konteksto ng lipunang Pilipino upang masiguro na ang mga kabataan ay makakakuha ng wastong impormasyon base sa kanilang edad at kultura.

 

3.           Ang sex education ay hindi naghihikayat ng promiscuity o kalaswaan. Sa halip, tinutulungan nito ang kabataan na magkaroon ng sapat na kaalaman upang gumawa ng tamang desisyon at maprotektahan ang kanilang sarili mula sa karahasang sekswal at mapang-abusong relasyon.

 

4.           Hindi inaalis ng TPP Bill ang tungkulin ng mga magulang sa paggabay sa kanilang mga anak. Kinikilala sa TPP Bill ang karapatan ng mga magulang na gabayan ang kanilang anak sa usaping sexual health at reproductive health.

 

Isa rin sa pangunahing layunin ng TPP Bill ay suportahan ang mga batang ina at ama. Kabilang dito ang pagbibigay ng akses sa home-based schooling, tamang impormasyon sa paggamit ng contraceptives/akses sa contraceptives, at counseling. Sa pamamagitan nito, matutulungan silang harapin ang diskriminasyong nararanasan sa paaralan, sa media, at sa ating healthcare system. Binibigyan nito ng pagkakataong makabangon muli ang mga kabataang biktima ng rape, ng pang-aabuso.

 

Higit sa lahat, ang maagang pagbubuntis sa Pilipinas ay hindi lamang usaping personal o pampamilya—ito ay isang suliraning panlipunan na dulot ng kahirapan, karahasang nakabatay sa kasarian, at kakulangan sa tamang edukasyon at mga serbisyo. Kinikilala ng TPP Bill ang halaga ng pagkakaroon ng tamang impormasyon at serbisyo ukol sekswalidad at kasarian ng kabataan. Ito ay isang karapatan na nararapat na natatamasa ng kabataan upang proteksyunan sila laban sa sexual abuse at mapang-abusong relasyon.

 

Kaya’t nananawagan kami sa Senado at kay President Marcos na ipasa ang TPP Bill at agarang tugunan ang isyu ng maagang pagbubuntis at karahasang nakabatay sa kasarian. Puntuhin ang mga probisyon sa bill na hindi malinaw — maging patas sa mga bata, mga babae, at kabataan na nangangailangan ng bill na ito para sa kanilang kinabukasan.

 

At bilang isang lipunan, kasama na ng ating gobyerno, responsibilidad natin pangalagaan ang ating kabataan anuman ang kanilang edad at kasarian.

 

Ang Partido Manggagawa, kasama ang mga kasapi naming nanay at kabataang babae, ay tutungo sa Senado sa January 28 para sa panawagang ito.

 

Ipapahayag ang aming paninindigan sa kawastuhan ng Teen Pregnancy Bill at pagsuporta sa aming Kampeon na si Senator Risa Hontiveros. 

Livestream of Defend CSE Movement today: https://www.facebook.com/CRNPhilippines/videos/1159546235887049/

Press Statement

January 24, 2025

Workers rally to protest zero subsidy for Philhealth and call for board resignation

 

In a protest at a Philhealth branch office today, workers decried the zero subsidy for Philhealth in the national budget that was signed by President Bong Bong Marcos, Jr. last December 30. Dozens of members of the Nagkaisa labor coalition picketed the Philhealth branch at Mother Ignacia, Quezon City and called for the resignation of the board of the public health insurance body.

 

“In the 2025 national budget, there is zero subsidy for Philhealth but full subsidy for trapos in the form of AKAP, AICS, TUPAD and confidential funds,” stated Judy Miranda, Partido Manggagawa (PM) secretary general, which was among the groups that participated in the protest.

 

PM called on workers and the poor to continue to press for the restoration of the Philhealth subsidy because this may be repeated next year if the Marcos Jr. administration does not see any outrage from citizens. “Senior citizens, poor mothers and indigent Filipinos who are supposed to be covered by Philhealth as per the Universal Health Care Act stand to lose their benefits due to the zero subsidy,” Miranda explained.

 

PM slammed both the executive and the legislative for not allocating any subsidy for Philhealth. “It is the confidential funds of Vice President Sara Duterte and all other officials that must be taken out, not support for health insurance of workers and the people. Zero subsidy for Philhealth, NO! Zero budget for confidential funds, YES!,” asserted Miranda.

 

However, the group added this is also partly the fault of Secretary Herbosa. PM called for the resignation of Herbosa for his failure to make good on commitments to improve Philhealth benefits for its members, many of whom are workers. “Sectary Herbosa should step down since he cannot do his job and make good on his promises. He committed to increasing by 50% across-the-board hike in Philhealth benefits which has not materialized. Philhealth has excess funds since it is scrimping on benefits. Herbosa, Alis dyan!,” Miranda asked.

 

PM’s demand for Herbosa’s resignation is part of the group’s advocacy for quality public services. 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 protest today can be accessed at https://www.facebook.com/partidomanggagawa/posts/pfbid02yrYgp8jD5bUoRBMDCX5HKcVUAM1d1Kva6BJcpve2o7mhh2vnwd81dtP2nGgiJEPml

Press Release

January 15, 2024

MEDIA ADVISORY: Workers action today at Philhealth

MEDIA ADVISORY

15 Jan 2025

Nagkaisa Labor Coalition

 

REQUEST FOR COVERAGE 

ON THE ZERO SUBSIDY OF PHILHEALTH

 

When: Jan 15, 2025 (Today)

Time: 10AM 

Where: PhilHealth Mother Ignacia

—————————

NAGKAISA! Labor Coalition in the Parliaments of the Streets with Health Care Professionals and Advocates to call:

 

Budget 2025 Nakamamatay!

 

Makatao at Makamamamayang Budget!

Hindi pang-trapo at pang-eleksyong pakinabang!

 

Phil Health Natin Huwag Nakawin!

 

—————————

For inquiries you may contact

Ms. Ruby @ +63 917 638 0247

Mr. Eddie @ +63 917 808 9144

 

1% dagdag sa SSS premium suspendihin o sagutin ng pamahalaan

Nanawagan ang Partido Manggagawa (PM) sa pamunuan ng Social Security System (SSS) at sa Palasyo ng Malacañang na suspendihin ang pagpapatupad sa 1% na pagtaas sa premium contribution sa harap ng kabiguan ng pamahalaan na tugunan ang kahilingan ng manggagawa para sa P150 na dagdag sahod, gayundin sa resulta ng surbey na nagsasabing 63% ng mga Pilipino ang nakakaramdam ng higit pang paghihirap sa kasulukuyan.

 

“Premyo sa produktibidad, hindi dagdag premium sa SSS ang dapat ipataw sa manggagawa”, sigaw ng mga kasapi ng PM sa ginanap na piket ngayong umaga sa tanggapan ng SSS kasama ng Nagkaisa Labor Coalition.

 

Sa halip na dagdag kita ay pawang kaltas sa sahod umano ang napapala ng manggagawa.

 

Ayon kay Renato Magtubo, Pangulo ng PM, kabawasan sa take-home pay ang 1% dagdag premium sa SSS habang papataas ang implasyon at ang wage orders naman na iniutos ng mga regional wage board ay di pa nangalahating maibalik ang nawalang halaga ng sahod sa nakalipas na taon.

 

Inilahad din ni Magtubo na may halos P90 bilyon, ayon sa COA, na hindi nakokolektang kontribusyon ang SSS sa libu-libong pasaway na employers na di hamak na mas malaki sa inaasahang koleksyon na P51B mula dito sa dagdag premium.

 

“Suspensyon o kaya ay sagutin ng gobyerno ang kontribusyon ng manggagawa sa SSS,” deklarasyon ni Magtubo.

 

Nagpoprotesta ang mga grupo dahil habang ang layunin anila ng SSS ay pahabain ang lifespan ng pondo nito sa pamamagitan ng dadag sa premium, ang nababawasan naman ay ang hindi tumataas na sweldo ng manggagawa habang ang mga benepisyo, katulad ng sa Philhealth, ay nananatiling minimal. 

PRESS RELEASE

14 January 2025

Cement company in Mindanao slammed as “misbehaving employer”

 

The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) slammed the giant cement company, Holcim Philippines, for being a “misbehaving employer” as it took a hardline position in the collective bargaining negotiations then locked out its employees after reaching a deadlock. “Pasaway ang Holcim! The company is a Scrooge for depriving its workers of jobs as we welcome the new year,” asserted Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary-general.

 

She added that “We ask that the profitable company negotiate in good faith with the two unions and share the fruits of production with its workers. Corporations should make new year’s resolutions to share it bounty with workers who create the wealth through production.”

 

Holcim Philippines in Lugait, Misamis Oriental is owned by the French multinational LafargeHolcim. It locked out 142 employees starting on January 6 this year. The company currently deadlocked in its negotiations with the Holcim Lugait Supervisory Union and the Holcim Philippines Workers Union, representing supervisory and rank-and-file workers respectively but both affiliated with the Federation of Democratic Labor Organization (FDLO).

 

Miranda explained that “Holcim took a take-it-or-leave-it position in bargaining talks with both unions. This is a sign of bad faith bargaining which is illegal according to the Labor Code. Employers and unions are mandated to negotiate in good faith and adjust their demands and offers to reach a compromise. After its hardline bargaining position, Holcim then locked out its employees thus depriving them of livelihood and income.”

 

PM expressed it support for the two Holcim FDLO unions and pledged to seek support from the international labor movement for the fight of the embattled workers. 

Press Release

January 14, 2025

MEDIA ADVISORY: Workers actions today at SSS and tom at Philhealth

MEDIA ADVISORY

14 Jan 2025

Nagkaisa Labor Coalition

 

SERIES OF ACTIONS!

 

REQUEST FOR COVERAGE 

ON THE ZERO SUBSIDY OF PHILHEALTH AND SSS CONTRIBUTION HIKE

 

When: Jan 14, 2025 (Today)

Time: 10AM

Where: SSS Main Office

 

When: Jan 15, 2025 (Tomorrow)

Time: 10AM 

Where: PhilHealth Mother Ignacia

—————————

NAGKAISA! Labor Coalition in the Parliaments of the Streets with Health Care Professionals and Advocates to call:

 

Budget 2025 Nakamamatay!

 

Makatao at Makamamamayang Budget!

Hindi pang-trapo at pang-eleksyong pakinabang!

 

Phil Health Natin Huwag Nakawin!

 

Sahod na nakabubuhay,

Hindi Dagdag Bayarin sa SSS!

—————————

For inquiries you may contact

Ms. Ruby @ +63 917 638 0247

Mr. Eddie @ +63 917 808 9144

 

Government or employers asked to shoulder hike in SSS employee share

Amid the criticism over the scheduled 1% hike in Social Security System (SSS) contributions starting this year, the labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) called on either the government or employers to shoulder the increase in employee share for the current year.

 

“The increase in employee share for SSS contributions will result in lower take-home pay at a time when workers face extreme economic difficulties due to the cost-of-living crisis. In contrast, the government and capitalists have the capacity to pay. The least they could do is to lighten the burden for workers in the new year,” stated Rene Magtubo, PM national chair and a Marikina City councilor.

 

Several groups and individuals have called for the suspension of the scheduled SSS contribution adjustment in view of the economic burden on workers and pending reforms in SSS, such as the failure to collect unpaid remittances from employers.

 

It was reported yesterday that the Commission on Audit (COA) cited SSS for its inability to gather some PhP 89 billion in collectibles from almost half a million employers. The COA called this “weak performance by the SSS in collecting premiums.”

 

Magtubo said that “These employers who deduct social security contributions but do not remit them to the SSS are misbehaving and criminal, or pasaway. Simply, it is wage theft. It is time that SSS wage a war on pasaway employers.”

 

He added that “Capitalists are more than solvent as they have increased their share in the fruits of production in the last 15 years of robust economic growth. Real wages have been stagnant in that period of 50% labor productivity rise. This implies an expansion of capital share, or profit in other words.”

 

Magtubo concluded that “Alternatively, the government can also subsidize the employee share in the meantime. A large share of government revenues come from workers’ withholding taxes anyway. Formal workers disproportionately bear the burden of taxation in the country. Workers’ payroll taxes are automatically deducted while corporate taxes are dependent on the declaration of capitalists. This is a double standard.”

January 6, 2025

2024 in Review: Philippine workers caught between economic difficulties and political intramurals [EXPANDED VERSION]

Last year, workers in Philippines faced severe challenges in their wages, benefits and working conditions as they were caught in the vise of economic difficulties brought about by the cost-of-living crisis and escalating intramurals between the two leading political dynasties[1] in the country.

 

Demands for wage adjustment

 

While the average inflation of 3.2% in 2024 was almost half compared to 2023, it continued to erode the purchasing power of wages. Relatively higher food prices also disproportionately hurt minimum wage earners and informal workers with 4.3% inflation for the bottom 30% of the income households. Thus, the demand for another round of minimum wage increases in 2024 was a recurring theme for organized labor. The campaign for a wage hike was two-pronged with wage bills for a PhP 150 (USD 2.58) increase filed in parliament and at the regional wage boards[2].

 

The Senate[3] approved a P100 (USD 1.72) increase in the minimum wage in February 2024. This advance was a result of organized labor successfully leveraging the rift between the upper and lower houses of parliament over the latest move to amend the Constitution. The Senate stood pat against charter change and instead enacted the salary increase. However, the reverse was the case in the House of Representatives[4]. Despite conducting hearings on pending wage hike bills, the House Labor Committee sat on the proposal and basically killed it. In contrast with this inaction on the workers’ demand for a wage adjustment, the House of Representatives was fast and furious with parliamentary hearings on the drug war and extra-judicial killings during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration and the investigation on the controversial budget of the Office of Vice President Sara Duterte and the Department of Education during her tenure.

 

The year ended with no legislated wage hike but with wage orders for several regions. Notwithstanding the wage orders, minimum wages in all the regions—including those which increased—remained below the official poverty line. Even though the threshold was assailed for being too low—as the controversy over the official daily food budget revealed. With the wage boards perpetuating a system of poverty wages, calls for the abolition of the regionalized wage mechanism became popular.

 

Fight over public health insurance

 

On another front, organized labor and civil society allies fought a defensive war to keep the funds of Philhealth—the public health insurance system—devoted to improving benefits services to members and providing services for indigents as mandated by the Universal Health Care law. PhP 60 billion (USD 1.03 billion) of Philhealth’s funds were transferred by President Bong Bong Marcos Jr. to fund unprogrammed items in the national budget before the Supreme Court in October stopped the last tranche of PhP 29.9 billion (USD 0.51 billion). The Nagkaisa (United) labor coalition was an intervenor in the Supreme Court case to oppose the transfer of PhP 90 billion (USD 1.55 billion) of Philhealth funds to the National Treasury.

 

Another battle erupted in December when the Congressional bicameral conference committee removed the subsidy for Philhealth along with cuts in other social services. The labor coalition Nagkaisa led protests in key cities, including a major rally in the capital, to call for the restoration of the Philhealth subsidy and social services budget. But President Marcos Jr. did not heed the popular clamor as he signed the national budget by year end with the much-assailed budget insertions for political patronage funds kept intact. Among these was PhP 26 billion (USD 0.45 billion) in unprogrammed budget items which has been criticized as funding for electoral patronage and tagged as the brainchild of House Speaker and presidential cousin Martin Romualdez. This means that formal and informal workers will now have to beg politicians for assistance for medical and other emergencies instead of getting health insurance as a right. As if on cue, the election commission allowed the distribution of patronage projects even during the midterm elections this year—breaking with the long-established rule of prohibiting the disbursement of public money during the campaign period since such is easily exploited as a means for vote buying.

 

Prospects for the year

 

The start of the year greets workers with a higher social security contribution of 5% to be deducted from their wages. This will result in lower take-home pay for private sector laborers. To keep the social security system afloat while easing the burden on workers, the government should subsidize the employee share. This is a tough ask as the Marcos Jr. administration would rather have workers and the poor solicit patronage from politicians. This promises to be another plank of organized labor’s demand for quality public services and universal social protection.

 

Even as demands for higher pay, lower prices, more jobs and decent work remain very popular issues during the election period, prospects are bleak that the polls will result in positive outcomes for workers given that political dynasties—which are evolving from fat to obese[5]—dominate the landscape. Workers have no allies either in the two main political dynasties—the Marcoses and the Dutertes—which will be fighting for supremacy in the coming May 2025 polls.

 

Continuing recent trends, many labor-based groups have been eased out of the party list system[6] as it has been swamped by electoral vehicles for politicians who cannot compete in district polls. The party list system has warped into just another pathway for members of obese dynasties to enter the House of Representatives through the backdoor.

 

Nonetheless, groups such as Partido Manggagawa (PM) are engaging with local candidates for the establishment of public laundromats and whole day childcare centers to ease the care burdens of employed and unemployed women. Along with such low-hanging fruits, PM also is campaigning for the passage of the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy bill in response to the crisis level of teenage mothers. Against the tide of sleek TV and FB ads of national candidates, PM is conducting information dissemination in working-class communities during the elections for what it calls “Apat na Dapat” (Four Demands): wage hike, regular jobs, social services and national sovereignty.

  

Workers will have to endure worse economic difficulties as political infighting heightens in 2025 and the remaining years of the Marcos Jr. administration. Nonetheless, this situation also motivates organized labor to engage with public outrage over wanton government corruption and dynastic political dominance. A big multi-sectoral rally this month promises to jumpstart a robust movement for good governance, in which workers’ demands should be embedded and integral.

 

By Judy Ann Miranda, Secretary General of Partido Manggagawa and a labor feminist.

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[1] Political dynasties refer to influential families dominating elected positions of power

[2] Appointed bodies with the mandate to decide on minimum wage increases

[3] Upper house of parliament

[4] Lower house of parliament

[5] Social scientists have used the terms thin and fat as a typology for political dynasties

[6] Party list was an innovation in the Constitution to facilitate the election of underrepresented groups, like labor, to the House of Representatives

2024 in Review: Workers caught between economic difficulties and political intramurals

In 2024, workers faced severe challenges in their wages, benefits and working conditions as they were caught in the vise of economic difficulties brought about by the cost-of-living crisis and escalating intramurals between the two leading political dynasties in the country.

 

While the average inflation of 3.2% in 2024 was almost half compared to 2023, it continued to erode the purchasing power of wages. Relatively higher price increases in food and utilities also disproportionately hit the bottom rungs of the income deciles, meaning the formal and informal workers. Thus, the demand for another round of minimum wage increases in 2024 was a recurring theme for organized labor. The campaign for a wage hike was two-pronged with wage bills for a P150 increase filed at Congress and at the wage boards.

 

The Senate approved a P100 increase in the minimum wage in February 2024. This advance was a result of organized labor successfully leveraging the rift between the upper and lower house of Congress over the latest move to amend the Constitution. The Senate stood pat against charter change and instead pushed for the wage bill’s passage. However, the reverse was the case in the House of Representatives. Despite conducting hearings on the P150 wage hike bill, the House Labor Committee sat on the proposal and basically killed it. In contrast with this inaction on the workers’ demand for a wage hike, the House was fast and furious with the quadcomm hearings on the drug war and extra-judicial killings during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration and the investigation on the controversial budget of the Office of Vice President Sara Duterte and the Department of Education during her tenure.

 

The year ended with no legislated wage hike but with wage orders for several regions. Notwithstanding the wage orders, minimum wages in all the regions—including those which increased, like Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Cebu and Central Luzon—remained below the official poverty line. Even though the threshold was assailed for being too low—as the controversy over the P64 daily food budget revealed. With the wage boards perpetuating a system of poverty wages, calls for the abolition of provincial rates became popular.

 

On another front, organized labor and civil society allies fought a defensive war to keep Philhealth funds devoted to improving benefits services to members and providing services for indigents as mandated by the Universal Health Care Act. P60 billion of Philhealth’s funds were transferred by President Bong Bong Marcos Jr. to fund unprogrammed items in the national budget before the Supreme Court stopped in October the last tranche of P29.9 billion.

 

Another battle erupted in December when the Congressional bicameral conference committee removed the subsidy for Philhealth along with cuts in other social services. The labor coalition Nagkaisa led protests in Metro Manila and Cebu—including a big rally in Mendiola—to call for the restoration of the Philhealth subsidy and social services budget. But President Marcos Jr. did not heed the popular clamor as he signed the national budget by year end with the much-assailed budget insertions for ayuda kept intact. Among these was the P26 billion unprogrammed budget for AKAP which has been criticized as funding for electoral patronage. As if on cue, the COMELEC allowed the distribution of ayuda even during the midterm elections this year—breaking with long-established rule of prohibiting the use of public money for vote buying. This means that formal and informal workers will now have to beg trapos for assistance for medical and other emergencies instead of getting health insurance as a right.

 

Even as demands for higher pay, lower prices, more jobs and decent work remain very popular issues during the election period, prospects are bleak that the polls will result in positive outcomes for workers given that political dynasties—which are evolving from fat to obese—dominate the landscape. Workers have no allies either in the two main political dynasties—the House of Polvoron and the House of Fentanyl—which will be fighting for supremacy in May 2025.

 

Workers will have to endure worse economic difficulties as political infighting heightens in 2025 and the remaining years of the Marcos, Jr. administration. Nonetheless, this situation also motivates organized labor to engage with public outrage over wanton government corruption and dynastic political dominance. A big multi-sectoral rally this month promises to jumpstart a robust movement for good governance, in which workers’ demands should be embedded and integral. 

Press Statement

January 4, 2025