AN URBAN poor group is set to hold a mass demonstration in Cagayan de Oro City to protest the unabated price increases of basic commodities which they have blamed on the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion or Train law.
The Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) in Northern Mindanao will conduct “recorrida” around the city next week and continue the signature drive against Train law and Martial law in Mindanao.
A recorrida is a public address system set up on a vehicle.
The group targets to gather around 10,000 signatures across the region.
Kadamay-Northern Mindanao secretary general Francisco Pagayaman said the high inflation rate in August was a result of the Train law, which has affected the people especially those living below the poverty line.
He said the low minimum wage of workers aggravated the suffering of the people because they could no longer cope with the skyrocketing prices of commodities and services.
"Ang inflation rate resulta sa Train law ug samot na nga wala na moigo ang minimum wage sa mga workers kay ang cost of living dako na kaayo sa gitakda nga suhulan busa angayan nga wagtangon na ang Train Law (The inflation rate is the result of Train law. And the problem is the high cost of living no longer matches the daily wage of the workers so this law must be junked),"Pagayaman said.
"Nagpasamot pa sa kalisod sa katawhan ang rice crisis (The rice crisis even worsened the plight of the people across the country),"he added.
Pagayaman said the progressive groups are pushing for a P750 across-the-board minimum wage of workers.
Protesters will gather during the anniversary of Martial law of former president Ferdinand Marcos on September 21 to unify their calls to end the present military rule in Mindanao, scrap the government's tax reform law and raise the workers' daily wage.
But, Pagayaman said sectoral groups will have their own mass actions beginning next week before the protest rally on September 21.
"Sa atong mga forum, atong gipasabot ang katawhan sa hisgutanan sa inflation rate, epekto sa Train law ug Martial Law (In our forum, we educate the people about the inflation rate as a result of the Train law, and the effects of Martial law)," Pagayaman said.