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US flag burning will begin tomorrow at Welcome Rotonda
Militants asked cops to be fair, reasonable on October 18
Militant labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) today scored the Philippine National Police for deploying 10,000 policemen around Metro Manila streets to secure US President George W. Bush from the anger of thousands of people who will join the broad rallies against the US leader and his number one ally in Asia-Pacific, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on October 18.
The labor group will burn a giant United States flag measuring 12 feet by 18 feet in Welcome Rotonda tomorrow for their early welcome for Bush.
“We ask cops to be fair and reasonable during protests. They should be open to negotiations. They are doing everything to suppress all forms of protests from government critics, but they are not giving the same brutal treatment to pro-Gloria organizations. They even escort these groups when they conduct their own demonstrations. The police force must sympathize with our cause. After all, they are also victims of the rotten social system that they are protecting.”
KMU Secretary General Joel Maglunsod asked PNP Chief Hermogenes Ebdane to command his troops to refrain from hurting protesters who will join the rallies on Saturday. “We will protest to express our broad discontent over the US-backed oppressive leadership of Mrs. Arroyo. We expect the PNP to observe maximum tolerance during the demonstrations. We will peacefully assert to hold protest programs at Commonwealth and Mendiola. Any violent dispersal or untoward incident against protesters will only amplify the repressive nature of the Arroyo administration.”
The labor leader said that KMU chapters and affiliate labor unions in Baguio City, Ilocos region, Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, Bicol, Cebu, Samar, Leyte, Negros provinces, Panay Island, Davao, CARAGA and Agusan provinces will launch parallel actions on October 18. “We encourage independent and moderate labor unions to hold similar activities against Bush’s arrival and Arroyo’s puppetry to US. We must underscore our opposition to US-dictated globalization policies that have brought severe damages to the livelihood and welfare of Filipino workers.
“The workers protests against Bush will symbolize the extensive outrage of the Filipino working class against foreign-owned big businesses that operate on exploitative management measures. Bush represents the selfish interests of profit-greedy foreign big businesses.”
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Labor groups ready to welcome Bush with showdown of protests
Militant labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) today said they are all set for the largest street showdown on October 18 as thousands of workers and other progressive sectors gather for the nationally-coordinated protests against US President George W. Bush.
Members of KMU burned a huge US flag at Welcome Rotonda to symbolize their indignation against anti-worker policies imposed by the Macapagal-Arroyo government out of its patronage to foreign dictates. “Malacanang and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) only serve as protectors of big business and foreign employers.”
Corruption at DOLE to protect business of foreign businesses scored
To even more highlight their sentiments, workers from various labor unions also protested in front of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) to illustrate the government’s gross neglect of labor issues.
“Workers and their families suffer the harshest living conditions due to the wage freeze policy and repressive anti-union measures enforced by capitalist-bosses. But instead of protecting workers against exploitation, the Arroyo government condones these gross acts by disregarding loads of labor cases filed against erring employers and managements at the NLRC.
Labog said that labor cases are settled at a snail’s pace. Decisions on labor cases issued by NLRC arbiters often end up favorable to employers. Corrupt labor arbiters usually forge unscrupulous deals with managements to their own interest and advantage. Corruption is a common occurrence at DOLE. While workers put up with very low wages and lacking benefits, labor officials and executives are enjoying loads of perks. Serving the interests of employers is a profitable job even for government officials.”
The KMU leader recalled that even Labor Secretary Patricia Sto.Tomas was involved in a fraudulent situation when Nestle Philippines, whose workers are on strike since January 2002, sponsored her internal transport expenses from Italy to Geneva while she was attending the International Labor Organizations’ (ILO) Conference last year.
Labog also challenged the NLRC Commissioner Rey Seneres to explain the sluggish performance of his agency in resolving labor cases. “Labor officials must undergo lifestyle check to identify who among our labor executives are living lavishly beyond their means.
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Despite heavy security and warnings of blockade and violent dispersals by the police
Militants all set for nationwide protests vs. ‘George and Gloria show’
Militant labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) today said that while the Macapagal-Arroyo administration and Malacanang offers an extravagant welcome for United States President George W. Bush, he will continue to be the center of protests launched by American citizens and people around the world because of his war mongering attitude and poor performance as leader of the United States.
“The government-produced variety show dubbed as ‘Barrio Fiesta’ in Malacanang and Batasan tomorrow will be stormed with protests from all patriotic sectors. No less than the Filipino people’s most hated couple, Gloria and George, will be featured in the show. We will assert our way to Congress and Mendiola near Malacanang Palace to bring our protest closer to them.”
KMU said that global anti-war advocates will hold anti-war protests on October 25 in US, Europe and other countries to amplify the continuing resistance against Bush’s war crimes. “The broad people’s protests against Bush and his unjust war validate his stature as an international terrorist. Bush is even regarded as the modern-day Hitler with his aggressive foreign relations policies.”
KMU Chairman Elmer Labog that it is a great insult to Filipinos that the Arroyo government is giving favored treatment to the world’s most hated person. “Filipino workers are greatly offended with the Arroyo-Bush exploitative tandem. While Malacanang is giving Bush a VIP treatment, the American people make fun of him because of his ridiculous and dim-witted judgments on important issues. He is the favorite subject of satirical websites and lampoon magazines in the US. He even earned the “Georgie Poo” title because of his funny statements or ‘Bushisms.”
Labog said that Bush deserves all the condemnation he’s getting. “He deceived the American people and the whole world when he insisted on bombing Iraq on account of inaccurate reports of the presence of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). His war against terror massacred thousands of Afghan and Iraqi civilians. The US government’s take over of Iraq persists to inflict casualties on US troops. The unjust, illegal and deceptive war he started caused too much damage.”
Labog said that during his visit to several Asian countries, Bush will attempt to forge bilateral free-trade agreements with Asian governments on the US-imposed globalization and economic policies. “What US failed to achieve with the collapse of the World Trade Organization (WTO) conference last month in Mexico, will be realized during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Thailand.”
The labor leader said they will continue with the protests even with the No Permit, No Rally policy and heavy security measures undertaken by the Philippine National Police. “We ask the police force to refrain from hurting protesters. We are armed only with our placards and principles. They must not use force against us.
The KMU-led contingent will converge at Ever Gotesco Mall in Commonwealth and will join the people’s caravan to Batasan tomorrow morning. In the afternoon, workers will lead a 5,000-strong contingent to Welcome Rotonda and Mendiola. BAYAN, ANAKPAWIS and KMU-led rallies nationwide are expecting to mobilize more than 50,000 people in major urban centers and provinces.