Massive Labor Day rallies to fortify Oust GMA movement

"Not only does Labor Day cause sleepless nights for Malacañang, it will become a nightmare for the Arroyo government," according to the militant labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU). Even Presidential Chief of Staff Mike Defensor admitted that they're really spending sleepless nights at Malacanang because of anticipation of people's marches towards Mendiola and massive celebration of Labor Day nationwide.

But KMU Chairperson Elmer Labog said, "Malacanang officials are creating their own nightmares and drowning themselves with unending stories of so-called destabilization plots. But the truth, Arroyo is too afraid of the surging people's actions acting to against the leadership she usurped in 2004."

"The nationwide rallies today will all the more fortify the people's movement to oust Arroyo. Basic sectors composed of workers, farmers, urban poor people as well as the middle forces will pursue with independent and joint actions to remove Arroyo from Malacanang. After this, we are geared for a nationwide transport strike against excessive oil prices and other economic issues," stressed Labog.

Despite threats, thousands of workers are expected to join the International Workers' Day celebrations in Metro Manila and major cities and provinces nationwide.

"Ilampunglibong manggagawa sa Kamaynilaan at daang libo pa sa buong Pilipinas ang lalabas sa lansangan at magpoprotesta sa kabila ng mga tinahing kuwento ng Oplan Manggagawa, Oplan Hackle, Final Talk 2 ng mga tinatawag na destabilizers ng gobyerno at ng diumano'y planong pambobomba ng Abu Sayyaf sa araw na ito ," he added.

For the labor leader, the fact that the workers flood to the streets on Monday only means that the government's so-called destabilization plots concocted by "cheap scriptwriters" failed to cower the workers and the toiling masses.

Arroyo further isolated from the people

"The Arroyo government's perpetual disregard to the legitimate appeals of the workers continue to isolate it even more from the people. "Kahit na ang simbahan ay nananawagan para sa pagbibigay ng kagyat na dagdag na sahod sa mga manggagawa," said KMU Spokesperson Presto Suyat.

The labor center is not pleased with the government's May 1 offering for workers. "Instead of giving out a good Labor Day package that will address the workers' most urgent economic demands, Malacanang and the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) opted to conduct job fairs and call center employment promotion. We need more than just these trivial job fair activities," he said.

Workers have long been asking for a P125 wage hike since 1998. Independent research group IBON Foundation has estimated that almost 83% or 8 out of 10 families are poor. The government's refusal to grant actual wage hikes furthers Arroyo's severance from the Filipino masses.

Aside from the P125 wage hike demand, the fight against violent demolitions, excessive prices of petroleum products, high prices of goods, utilities and the administration's Charter Change will be among the issues of the protest program at Liwasang Bonifacio. Workers have been calling for the release of KMU Chairman Emeritus and Anakpawis Rep. Crispin "Ka Bel" Beltran who is still illegally detained after he was charged with rebellion. KMU is also calling for a stop to the suppression of civil liberties, political killings of activists, labor leaders and unionists alike.

The labor leader insisted that workers and their families were not only subjected with wages not in consonance with the needed average daily cost of living amounting to P690 for a family of six, but with guns and bullets as well in picket lines and by the government assassins.

Workers march to Mendiola

Labog likewise express the possibility that after the program at Liwasang Bonifacio, the group will march to Mendiola, "Magmamartsa kami sa pinakamalapit sa Malakanyang dahil hindi nakikinig ang gubyernong Arroyo sa aming lehitimong karaingan. Doon , lalong dadagundong ang boses naming mga manggagawa kasama ang iba pang mamamayan."

After the program, Labog conveyed that the KMU and other BAYAN organizations will go to the different communities in Metro Manila to invite the people for yet bigger mobilizations in the month of May and June bigger than the Labor Day rallies.

Like in previous years, KMU hosts foreign labor leaders attending the local rallies and KMU's annual International Solidarity Affair (ISA). Labor leaders and advocates from United States , Canada , Denmark , Belgium , Australia , New Zealand , Hong Kong , South Korea , Taiwan , Nepal , Bangladesh and Philippines will attend the International Labor Solidarity Mission (ILSM).

The ILSM is a fact-finding mission that aims to investigate the on-going spate of killings of workers and trade union supporters in the Philippines . It will be composed of local and foreign participants. The presence of foreign participants in the fact-finding mission will help generate public pressure on the part of Philippine government to act on the cases of killings and to put a stop to the Human Rights Violations (HRVs) committed against labor advocates.

From May 2-5, ILSM teams will probe several areas in Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, Negros and Southern Mindanao region that are considered hot spots of politically-related killings and human rights violations that victimize labor leaders and advocates.