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| Photo from DMW |
Middle East Conflict Fuels Oil Price Hikes, Endangers Migrants
Oil companies are raising
prices by over P5 per liter tomorrow due to escalating conflict in the Middle
East, Partido Manggagawa (PM) calls for an immediate halt to the bombings by
the United States and Israel in Iran, and a ceasefire in Gaza, in defense of
the safety and welfare of Filipino migrant workers and the broader public.
“The world needs a war against
poverty not a war of aggression by Bibi and Donald. This war is not just a
distant conflict—it’s a crisis that reaches our dinner tables. As war rages on,
fuel prices spike, remittances decline, and working families suffer the
consequences,” said Lawrence Cusipag, one of PM’s spokespersons.
Over 200 Overseas Filipino
Workers (OFWs) have requested return from Iran and Israel following the
Department of Foreign Affairs' decision to raise the situation to Alert Level
3. Yet as they return, they face an economy plagued by low wages and rising
prices.
The latest Israeli airstrikes
on Iran have intensified regional instability and come on top of Israel’s
continuing attacks on Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. The United States
has provided unwavering military and financial support to Israel, even vetoing
multiple UN ceasefire resolutions.
PM emphasizes that the roots
of the conflict lie in long-standing imperialist interests—particularly control
over oil and other natural resources in the region. History shows this same
pattern in the US invasion of Iraq and the demonization of Iran's nuclear
program.
“The real fight is not
between nations, but against poverty. War benefits only the powerful; it is the
workers and the poor who pay the price,” argued Cusipag.
PM demands the following:
Guarantee decent jobs and
reintegration support for returning OFWs
Stop US and Israeli
airstrikes on Iran
Implement an immediate
ceasefire in Gaza and provide humanitarian aid to Palestinians
Advance peace, not war
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