LGBTQ+ youth event underlines pride in work not just in identity

 

To highlight the participation of LGBTQ+ young workers in Pride Month and underline the call for pride in work not just in identity, Partido Manggagawa (PM), its youth wing PM Kabataan and allied organizations are holding a community event on the this afternoon at the Gawad Kalinga Multipurpose Hall Paradise Heights in Smokey Mountain Tondo.

 

In joining this month’s celebration of Pride, PM demands extending it beyond identity politics, believing that the fight for freedom and equality go beyond state recognition and corporate accolades.   

 

These calls include fair wages in the form of wage hikes and the realization of living wage, freedom of association, regular employment, and better working conditions.

 

“Real Pride means demanding structural change. Pride in work, not just in identity (Pride sa pagawaan, hindi lang sa katauhan),” stated Pavs Pavillon, a LGBTQ+ leader of PM Kabataan.

 

Pavillon added that “Pride, therefore, must go beyond symbols and celebrations of identity. We need to talk about rights on the job — about wages, full employment and decent work for all, dignity, and equal treatment in the workplace.”

 

For decades, wages in all 17 regions in the Philippines stayed below the national poverty threshold, at the same time regular jobs and trade unions are being destroyed by contractualization and other restrictions - including union-busting, intimidation, and killings.

 

Along with these problems we continue to see workplace discrimination every day. For instance, gay workers in one big factory in Calabarzon are forced to cut their hair short, and they’re not allowed to use hairnets as an alternative. Lesbian workers are pushed into heavy lifting tasks just because they “look strong” — with no regard for how menstruation or physical strain might affect them. Even in social activities, LGBTQ+ workers are excluded: there’s funding for company sports fests, dance contests, and more — but anything LGBT-themed is banned.

 

When LGBTQ+ workers are treated as “less than,” it weakens the whole workforce. It justifies low pay, divides workers, and lets management off the hook. Fighting for equality and against discrimination isn’t just for a few — it’s for all of us who want better conditions, fair treatment, and real freedom.

 

Pavillon ended with “This Pride and for the next pride marches, let’s stand and fight together not only for acceptance — but for recognition, equality, and collective action. Because there’s no true liberation if our workplaces and communities are still sites of oppression.”

PRESS RELEASE

Partido Manggagawa Kabataan

 

PRIDE IN WORK, NOT JUST IN IDENTITY

In joining this month’s celebration of Pride, Partido Manggagawa (PM) calls for extending it beyond identity politics, believing that the fight for freedom and equality go beyond state recognition and corporate accolades.   

 

These calls include fair wages in the form of wage hikes and the realization of living wage, freedom of association, regular employment, and better working conditions.

 

PM, its youth wing PM Kabataan and allied organizations are holding a community event on the afternoon of June 29 at the Gawad Kalinga Multipurpose Hall Paradise Heights in Smokey Mountain Tondo in commemoration of Pride Month.

 

“Real Pride means demanding structural change. Pride in work, not just in identity (Pride sa pagawaan, hindi lang sa katauhan),” stated Pavs Pavillon, a LGBTQ+ leader of PM Kabataan.

 

Pavillon added that “Pride, therefore, must go beyond symbols and celebrations of identity. We need to talk about rights on the job — about wages, full employment and decent work for all, dignity, and equal treatment in the workplace.”

 

For decades, wages in all 17 regions in the Philippines stayed below the national poverty threshold, at the same time regular jobs and trade unions are being destroyed by contractualization and other restrictions - including union-busting, intimidation, and killings.

 

Along with these problems we continue to see workplace discrimination every day. For instance, gay workers in one big factory in Calabarzon are forced to cut their hair short, and they’re not allowed to use hairnets as an alternative. Lesbian workers are pushed into heavy lifting tasks just because they “look strong” — with no regard for how menstruation or physical strain might affect them. Even in social activities, LGBTQ+ workers are excluded: there’s funding for company sports fests, dance contests, and more — but anything LGBT-themed is banned.

 

When LGBTQ+ workers are treated as “less than,” it weakens the whole workforce. It justifies low pay, divides workers, and lets management off the hook. Fighting for equality and against discrimination isn’t just for a few — it’s for all of us who want better conditions, fair treatment, and real freedom.

 

Pavillon ended with “This Pride and for the next pride marches, let’s stand and fight together not only for acceptance — but for recognition, equality, and collective action. Because there’s no true liberation if our workplaces and communities are still sites of oppression.”

Women riders naglunsad ng unity ride laban sa diskriminasyon sa lansangan, trabaho at lipunan

 

Sa unang pagkakataon ay nagsagawa ng unity ride ang mga riders na kababaihan laban sa diskriminasyon na laganap pa rin umanong nararanasan ng kababaihan partikular sa lansangan, trabaho at sa buong lipunan.

Itinaon ang kanilang unity ride na may temang “Women Can Ride” sa bisperas ng pagdiriwang ng Pandaigdigang Araw ng Kaibabaihan.

Nagsimula ang unity ride Linggo ng umaga, Marso 7, sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas at nagtapos sa People Power Monument sa Edsa. Pinangunahan ito ng Women’s Collective ng grupong Kapatiran sa Dalawang Gulong o KaGulong.

Ayon kay Jonalyn Batugon, tagapagsalita ng Women’s Collective ng KaGulong, layunin ng kanilang unity ride ang ipahayag ang damdamin ng kababaihang riders sa nararanasan nilang diskriminasyon sa kalsada, sa trabaho, at sa buong lipunan at hilingin sa pamahalaan ang angkop na mga patakaran upang ito ay maibsan.

“Nagmamaneho kami ng motor, o bisekleta. O kaya ay nakaangkas sa aming mga mister o partner para makarating sa trabaho, makapunta sa palengke o saan mang lugar para sa maraming bagay at pangangailangan. Women rider kami, at katulad din ng kalalakihang riders na kalakhan ay manggagawa, nakikipagsapalaran din kami sa mapanganib na lansangan habang nilalabanan ang kahirapan,” pahayag ni Batugon.

Kapansin-pansin na bago pa man magkaroon ng pandemya ay dumarami na ang kababaihang riders at ang paliwanag dito ng KaGulong ay dahil ito sa malubhang krisis sa pampublikong transportasyon, di sapat na sweldo ng manggagawa, mahal na presyo ng mga bilihin, at kakulangan ng trabaho at hanapbuhay sa bansa.

“Mas matipid kaysa sa mamasahe, iwas-balyahan, at iwas-trapik ang pagmomotor. Nakakapag-enjoy pa sa ride kung may pagkakataon. Marami na rin sa amin ay nasa paghahanapbuhay gamit ang motorsiklo,” paliwanag ni Batugon.

Sinabi pa ni Batugon na nararanasan umano nila ang diskriminasyon sa kalsada sa harap ng mga macho at bastos na traffic enforcers, sa kapwa riders, at maging sa mga nakasakay sa apat na gulong. Sa trabaho naman ay marami nang uri ng diskriminasyon ang aming nararanasan tulad ng pahirapan sa hiring at paunahan naman sa tanggalan sa panahon ng krisis katulad ngayon.

“Sa loob ng bahay, ang mga women rider ay gumagampan ng tradisyunal na papel ng babae bilang nanay, yaya, at ngayon ay titser sa mga anak sa offline na pag-aaral,” pagtatapos ni Batugon.

Ang KaGulong ay isang rights-based na samahan ng mga riders kung kayat sa loob ng hanay nito ay nagtayo ito ng Women’s Collective upang harapin ang problema ng diskriminasyon sa kababaihan sa loob at labas ng samahan.

Kapatiran sa Dalawang Gulong
KaGulong
07 March 2021

Anti-job discrimination ordinance in San Juan welcomed

Press Release

September 23, 2015

The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) welcomed the enactment of an ordinance in San Juan outlawing some forms of discrimination in the workplace. Last month San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez signed the ordinance that was unanimously passed by the city council. PM however called for its strict implementation and passage of legislation against other prevalent forms of discrimination.

“Kudos to the local government of San Juan for its pioneering ordinance. Respeto pa more. Skills and attitude do matter. Age and looks don’t,” stated Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary general.

PM is calling for the passage of similar ordinances in other cities and industrial towns. Also the group is lobbying for the enactment of pending bills against age discrimination in the workplace, such as the one authored by Senator Pia Cayetano. “Also discrimination against LGBT workers is another front in the fight for equality in the world of work,” Miranda reminded.

She added that “It is common knowledge that employers and recruitment agencies blatantly and regularly discriminate against workers in terms of sex, age, looks and marital status. An online search results in examples of these discriminatory practices popping up like so many unwanted ads. Enough is enough. Workers demand respect and equality in the workplace.”

Miranda however noted that “The San Juan ordinance stipulates very light fines thus it may not deter incorrigible employers.”

She said that the Labor Code already bans and imposes fines on discrimination against women workers in the terms and conditions of employment such as wages, benefits and promotion on account of sex. Further discrimination against married and pregnant women workers is also expressly outlawed. “Still, like other labor standards, these rights are violated with impunity by employers,” Miranda argued.

She called on women and LGBT workers to be aware of their rights in the workplace, ensure the implementation of these entitlements and fight for the outlawing of other forms of discrimination.

Miranda insisted that “Women workers in the Philippines have won some rights but we still have a lot more to claim. For example, in the Australian state of Victoria, aside from the usual prohibition against discrimination based on sex, marital status, pregnancy, disability and religion, workers are protected in all stages of employment against discrimination with regards to physical features, gender identity, sexual orientation, and even personal association with people who have or assumed to have such personal characteristics. A progressive workplace in the Philippines should be similar.”