Friday, May 02, 2008 Workers mark Labor Day with rally By Ian Ocampo Flora
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Calling for jobs and food security, sack-clad members of the militant Manggagawa para sa Kalayaan ng Bayan (Makabayan) and Pambansang Katipunan ng Makabayang Magbubukid (PKMM) held a rally in this capital city to celebrate Labor Day on Thursday.
Speaking for Makabayan Central Luzon, Ludy Hamor pointed out that the current job and food crisis is the effect of policies that allegedly favor the rich and elite rather than the working masses.
Marching in front of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) at Jose Abad Santos Avenue (formerly Gapan Ologapo Road) at 9 a.m. Thursday, the group of about 1,200 protestors from the labor sector staged noise barrage and marched until they reached the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) regional office along McArthur Highway here where they staged a 30-minute program.
PKMM chairperson Jo Cunanan said the "faulty logic" in the labor sector has reduced production to a sorry state and further coupled by the booming local population and shrinking agricultural lands due to land-use conversion.
"It justifies rice importation, which will kill local production, as these heavily-subsidized grains are sold cheaper in our markets," said Cunanan.
Aurora Broquil, spokesperson for the Kilusan Para sa Pambansang Demokrasya-Central Luzon, said the administration's "band-aid problem-solving" approach to these major problems will only foster further discontent among the people.
The protestors proceeded with their activities unhampered. According to the organizers, simultaneous protests were also held in Olongapo, Mariveles, Bataan.
They said similar activities were also held in Cebu, Bacolod, Davao and General Santos.
Meanwhile, in nearby Angeles City the Workers Alliance of Region 3 led a similar march rally and program along Miranda Street beside the San Nicolas Public Market to call for wage increase and immediate solution to the food crisis.
