“P200 wage hike + P20 subsidized rice”—labor group

The group Partido Manggagawa called on the government to complement the roll out of the P20 subsidized rice with certification of the P200 wage hike if it is serious in responding to worsening hunger and poverty in the country.  “Offering cheap rice is not enough, as Malacanang seems to think. P200 wage hike plus P20 subsidized rice are initial steps to alleviate the conditions of poor and hungry Filipinos. We ask President Bong Bong Marcos to certify as urgent the pending P200 salary increase bill in Congress,” stated Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary general.

Labor unions and workers groups are all set for nationwide rallies tomorrow to push their demand for a legislated wage hike.

·        Manila: Groups comprising National Wage Coalition will assemble along various points in España then march at 7:00 am to Mendiola for a joint program. PM and allied groups will assemble at Petron Blumentritt at 6:30 am

·       Cebu: Various labor groups will converge at Fuente Osmeña, Cebu City at 9:00 am for a joint program

·        Bacolod: Sugar farm workers and allied groups will hold an indoor assembly in the morning. In the afternoon, they will assemble at Rizal Elementary School then march to Bacolod Plaza afternoon

·        Iloilo: The coalition United Labor will hold a program at 1:00 pm in front of UP Visayas then march to the Provincial Capitol for a joint program

·        Iligan: Unions will hold a rally in the morning at the plaza with the city’s tripartite industrial peace council

Miranda insisted that “Filipino workers are amplifying their demands for higher wages, regular employment, and accessible public services amid worsening economic conditions. Recent surveys reveal the deepening crisis: over one in four Filipino families experience involuntary hunger, the highest rate since the pandemic, while more than half consider themselves poor, the worst in 21 years.”

She added that “Reality on the ground contradicts the government’s rosy economic claims of low inflation and unemployment. The reality is stark: minimum wages remain below the poverty threshold, endo is rampant, and public services like PhilHealth are being gutted to fund political patronage.”

Many of the Labor Day events tomorrow will be joint activities of different workers groups. “While political dynasties like the Marcoses and Dutertes battle for power and loot public coffers, workers face hunger and exploitation. Enough of elite theatrics—Labor Day must unite workers across factions, regions, and generations behind a shared platform. On Labor Day, labor groups will be rallying together despite electoral divides, prioritizing workers’ demands over partisan loyalties,” Miranda ended.

April 30, 2025

Ibandila ang dagdag sahod at agenda ng manggagawa sa darating na Labor Day

 

Papatindi ang pagdarahop na dinaranas ng masang Pilipino sa harap ng maka-mayaman at maka-dayuhang patakaran ng gobyerno at sa gitna ng away ng naghaharing uri para sa poder pampulitika. Sinasalamin ito ng naglabasang mga survey nitong nakaraang mga araw na naglalantad sa lagay ng buhay ng masa. Lagpas isa sa bawat apat na pamilyang Pilipino ay walang makain—pinakamataas mula sa rurok na inabot noong pandemya. Lagpas kalahati naman ng mga pamilya ang itinuturing ang kanilang sarili na naghihirap—pinakamataas sa nakalipas na 21 taon.

 

Pinabubulaanan nito ang magagarang datos ng gobyerno. Kesyo napakaliit na ng inflation rate. Diumano napakababa na ang bilang ng walang trabaho. Hirap at gutom ang masa dahil ang minimum wage—sa kabila ng taunang pagtaas—ay mas mababa pa sa official poverty threshold. Hirap at gutom ang masa dahil endo ang pangkaraniwang trabaho. Hirap at gutom ang masa dahil ang serbisyo publiko gaya ng Philhealth ay kinakatkong para pondohan ang ayuda na pinamumudmod ng mga trapo.

 

Para makaahon sa gutom at hirap, kailangan ng pagbabago. Unahin ang manggagawa kaysa kapitalista. Itaas ang sahod at gawing regular ang trabaho. Pondohan ang serbisyo publiko bilang karapatan. Igalang ang karapatan ng manggagawa na mag-unyon at makipagnegosasyon sa kompanya para pagandahin ang kondisyon sa paggawa.

 

Wala tayong maasahan sa wage board na paborito ng mga kapitalista dahil laging barat ang provincial rate na binibigay. Sa halip, dapat isabatas ng umento sa sweldo. Sa Senado ay matagal nang pasado ang P100 dagdag sahod. Sa House of Representatives ay pumasa naman ang P200 umento. Basbas na lang ni Pangulong BBM ang kailangan para maging batas ang panukala.

 

Sa Labor Day, sa Araw ng Manggagawa, igiit natin ang agenda ng obrero: dagdag-sahod, regular na trabaho, serbisyo publiko at murang presyo. Unang hakbang ang mga ito para sa pag-alwan ng buhay ng masa. Panimulang mga hakbang ito tungo sa pagbabago ng maling sistemang umiiral.

 

Sa nakaraang dalawang taon ay saksi tayo sa away ng dalawang higanteng dynasty—ang mga Marcos at Duterte—para sa kapangyarihan na kurakutin ang kabang yaman ng bansa. Sa nakalipas na mga buwan ay saksi tayo sa paligsahan sa eleksyon ng mga trapo na puro porma at walang plataporma.

 

Tama na ang budots at budol ng mga dynasty at trapo. Oras na para tugunan ang hinaing at hiling ng mga manggagawa at mahihirap. Samantalahin natin ang Labor Day para imarka ang independyenteng boses at agenda ng uring manggagawa.

 

Sa NCR, habulin nating mabuo ang pagsasama-sama ng labor groups sa kabila ng kani-kaniyang kandidatong pinatatakbo. Ang plataporma ng manggagawa bilang sagot sa hirap at gutom ay sapat na rason para magkaisa ang magkakaibang grupo. Sa mga rehiyon, kumporme sa sitwasyon kung mabubuo ang kahalintulad na pagsasama. Saanmang lugar, tiyakin ang unipikasyon ng ating hanay sa batayan ng mga kahilingan ng mga manggagawa para sa masiglang paglahok sa mobilisasyon. Siguraduhing makadalo ang bagong mga lider at pwersa na naugnayan sa kampanyang elektoral upang masimulan ang kanilang pampulitikang pagkamulat. Bigyan ng pansin ang pagdalo ng mga kabataan at bigyan sila ng papel sa pagkilos. Maging daluyan ng pampulitikang konsolidasyon ng ating hanay ang pagkilos sa Labor Day bukod sa pampulitikang ahitasyon sa malawak na masa.

 

P200 dagdag sahod, sagot sa gutom at hirap!

Murang presyo, Regular na trabaho, Serbisyo publiko, ipaglaban!

Agenda ng manggagawa, ipanalo!

 

Partido Manggagawa

Workers Demand Wage Hike and Push Labor Agenda for Labor Day

 

 Amid economic hardship, workers demand higher wages, job security, and public services on Labor Day as political elites vie for power

 

·       Manila: Groups comprising National Wage Coalition will assemble along various points in España then march at 7:00 am to Mendiola for a joint program. PM and allied groups will assemble at Petron Blumentritt at 6:30 am

·       Cebu: Various labor groups will converge at Fuente Osmeña, Cebu City at 9:00 am

for a joint program

·       Bacolod: Sugar farm workers will lead the rally in the city

·       Iloilo: The coalition United Labor will assemble in the morning in front of UP Visayas then march to the Provincial Capitol for a joint program

·       Iligan: Unions will hold a rally in the morning at the plaza with the city’s tripartite industrial peace council

 

As the nation approaches Labor Day, Filipino workers are amplifying their demands for higher wages, regular employment, and accessible public services amid worsening economic conditions. Recent surveys reveal the deepening crisis: over one in four Filipino families experience involuntary hunger—the highest rate since the pandemic—while more than half consider themselves poor, the worst in 21 years. 

 

These findings contradict the government’s rosy economic claims of low inflation and unemployment. The reality is stark: minimum wages remain below the poverty threshold, contractualization (endo) is rampant, and public services like PhilHealth are being gutted to fund political patronage. 

 

Workers’ Demands

 

Workers demand a legislated wage increase and reject the regional wage board system that keeps provincial rates pitifully low. The Senate has approved a ₱100 hike, while the House passed ₱200. President BBM must immediately endorse a legislated salary increase.

·       Nationwide wage hike, not provincial rates

·       Regular jobs, not precarious endo contracts

·       Fully funded public services as a right, not subject to patronage

·       Respect for labor rights, including unionization and collective bargaining

 

Labor Day must spotlight the independent voice of the working class, whose agenda—higher pay, job security, affordable prices, and public services—are initial steps towards a lasting solution to mass suffering. 

 

Political Hypocrisy vs. Workers’ Unity

 

While political dynasties like the Marcoses and Dutertes battle for power and loot public coffers, workers face hunger and exploitation.

 

Enough of elite theatrics—Labor Day must unite workers across factions, regions, and generations behind a shared platform. 

 

On Labor Day, labor groups will be rallying together despite electoral divides, prioritizing workers’ demands over partisan loyalties. 

 

PM urges workers in key cities nationwide to join the Labor Day mobilizations to press for a P200 wage hike, regular jobs, quality public services, and affordable prices for basic goods and services.

April 28, 2025

Workers Demand Wage Hike and Push Labor Agenda for Labor Day

 

Amid economic hardship, workers demand higher wages, job security, and public services on Labor Day as political elites vie for power

 

·       Manila: Groups comprising National Wage Coalition will assemble along various points in España then march at 7:00 am to Mendiola for a joint program. PM and allied groups will assemble at Petron Blumentritt at 6:30 am

·       Cebu: Various labor groups will converge at Fuente Osmeña, Cebu City at 9:00 am for a joint program

·       Iloilo: The coalition United Labor will assemble in the morning in front of UP Visayas then march to the Provincial Capitol for a joint program

·       Iligan: Unions will hold a rally in the morning at the plaza with the city’s tripartite industrial peace council

 

As the nation approaches Labor Day, Filipino workers are amplifying their demands for higher wages, regular employment, and accessible public services amid worsening economic conditions. Recent surveys reveal the deepening crisis: over one in four Filipino families experience involuntary hunger—the highest rate since the pandemic—while more than half consider themselves poor, the worst in 21 years. 

 

These findings contradict the government’s rosy economic claims of low inflation and unemployment. The reality is stark: minimum wages remain below the poverty threshold, contractualization (endo) is rampant, and public services like PhilHealth are being gutted to fund political patronage. 

 

Workers’ Demands

 

Workers demand a legislated wage increase and reject the regional wage board system that keeps provincial rates pitifully low. The Senate has approved a ₱100 hike, while the House passed ₱200. President BBM must immediately endorse a legislated salary increase.

·       Nationwide wage hike, not provincial rates

·       Regular jobs, not precarious endo contracts

·       Fully funded public services as a right, not subject to patronage

·       Respect for labor rights, including unionization and collective bargaining

 

Labor Day must spotlight the independent voice of the working class, whose agenda—higher pay, job security, affordable prices, and public services—are initial steps towards a lasting solution to mass suffering. 

 

Political Hypocrisy vs. Workers’ Unity

 

While political dynasties like the Marcoses and Dutertes battle for power and loot public coffers, workers face hunger and exploitation.

 

Enough of elite theatrics—Labor Day must unite workers across factions, regions, and generations behind a shared platform. 

 

On Labor Day, labor groups will be rallying together despite electoral divides, prioritizing workers’ demands over partisan loyalties. 

 

PM urges workers in key cities nationwide to join the Labor Day mobilizations to press for P200 wage hike, regular jobs, quality public services, and affordable prices for basic goods and services.

Partido Manggagawa

April 27, 2025

Down with war! Down with exploitation!

Group slams DOLE intervention to stop strike at power plant

The group Partido Manggagawa slammed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for imposing an assumption of jurisdiction (AJ) order that stopped the union at the KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation) Cebu coal power plant from staging a work stoppage. The union has been deadlocked in its collective bargaining (CB) negotiations with the company.

 

“The DOLE’s AJ is favorable to the company as it prevents workers from exercising leverage to achieve its reasonable demands. Moreso, DOLE violated its own DO 40-H-13 in imposing an AJ without the following the required procedure. Both KEPCO and DOLE are pasaway (misbehaving) labor relations actors!,” stated Dennis Derige, union organizer of SENTRO and spokesperson for the PM chapter in Cebu.

 

The KEPCO union is an affiliate of SENTRO and its members voted overwhelmingly for a strike, as required by law. DOLE’s AJ was handed down on the eve of the planned strike . “Since the union could not legally go on strike, KEPCO remains hardline in its bargaining position as it felt relieved of the pressure of an impending work stoppage,” Derige added.

 

The deadlocked CB provisions included wage increase, medical allowance, signing bonus, union security, grievance procedures, agency fees and the formation of a just transition committee composed of the union and management.

 

Derige explained that “None of the union’s economic and political demands are controversial or excessive. In fact, the union has shown flexibility by reducing its initial demands. But KEPCO—despite being stable and profitable—has been intransigent and just disrespects the union.”

 

He added that DOLE DO 40-H-13 requires that an AJ can only be ordered if either both parties requested for an AJ or the DOLE first called for a conference of the two parties prior to the issuance of the AJ. Derige said that neither of these two conditions were satisfied.

 

According to latest information posted on the National Conciliation and Mediation Board’s website, the DOLE has already issued three AJ’s as of February this year. In comparison seven AJs were imposed for the whole year of 2024. The Philippine government has been the subject of complaints to the International Labour Organization for its indiscriminate use of AJs that results in the effective prohibition of the right to strike, aside from the killings of trade unionists and other forms of repression of the freedom to unionize.

April 4, 2025