Workers mark Ka Bel death anniv with protests for P125 wage hike

Marking Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran’s fourth death anniversary a few days after the Labor department announced a P30 Cost of Living Allowance for workers in Metro Manila, workers led by the Kilusang Mayo Uno held protests today at the Plaza Miranda and the Bantayog ng mga Bayani to call for a P125 across-the-board wage hike.

In the morning, KMU and the city government of Manila held a simple wreath-laying ceremony in front of the labor leader’s marker in Plaza Miranda, which was followed by speeches and performances.

In the afternoon, KMU held a picket in front of the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, asserting that Ka Bel is a workers’ and people’s hero. The labor center expressed support for the petition, filed by labor NGO Crispin B. Beltran Resource Center, for the inclusion of the labor leader’s name in the list of names of heroes enshrined on the Bantayog.

“Amidst the intensifying hunger and poverty in the country, it is most fitting to commemorate Ka Bel’s life and struggle by carrying on the fight for a P125 wage hike, which is one of his main advocacy among many others, to provide relief to workers and the poor," said Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU chairperson.

“If he were alive today, Ka Bel would have joined us here today fighting for the P125 Wage Hike Bill’s passage. He would also continue to call for the junking of contractualization, an end to trade-union repression, and genuine national independence and democracy for the country,” he said.

Beltran served as KMU chairperson from 1987 to 2003. As a congressman – first of Bayan Muna Partylist in 2001 and then of Anakpawis Partylist since 2004 – Beltran filed the P125 Wage Hike Bill.

“Ka Bel called for the junking of the country’s regional wage boards, which have been unable to give workers a significant wage hike. He knew that it’s only through legislation that workers could have a fighting chance of attaining a significant wage hike,” Labog said.

“He also knew that workers and the poor need to take action to achieve even minimal relief within the present system dominated by big foreign and local capitalists and landlords. He called on workers and the poor to join mobilizations and organizations calling for reforms and fighting for genuine social change,” he added.