Thousands of workers and activists belonging to the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU or May 1^st Movement), the Gloria Stepdown Movement (GSM), the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance), the People's Movement Against Poverty (PMAP), and the Laban ng Masa (The Masses' Fight) commemorated Labor Day by staging the first big rally after the Supreme Court junking of the calibrated preemptive response policy.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo imposed the CPR policy in September last year amid broad protest actions against her continued stay in office. The CPR policy, among others, brought about the banning of rallies at the foot of the Don Chino Roces Bridge (formerly the Mendiola Bridge) a few meters from the presidential palace, and consequently the violent dispersals of mass actions that attempted to defy the ban.

The ralliers from the KMU reiterated the call for a P125 across-the-board, nationwide increase in the daily minimum wage,which the said labor federation has been campaigning for this since 1999. The daily cost of living has increased nationwide by more than P125 since then but the demand remains unheeded.

Meanwhile, public-sector workers belonging to the Confederation for the Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) expressed their also long-standing demand for a  P3,000 across-the-board, nationwide increase in monthly salaries.

“Our loved ones do have not enough to feed their families,” Anakpawis (Toiling Masses) Rep. Crispin Beltran, who is also KMU chairman emeritus, said in a taped message sent from detention.

“And if our loved ones get sick, we suffer even more,” Beltran added. “We cannot afford to buy medicine because these cost 25 times more, when compared to other countries such as India.”

Speakers from other sectoral groups assailed the violent demolitions of urban poor communities, the skyrocketing prices of prime goods and commodities, charter change, and the curtailment of labor rights and civil liberties. They also reiterated the call for Arroyo's ouster.

The ralliers, numbering around 20,000 had converged at the Liwasang Bonifacio from various assembly points in Manila and held a three-hour program. Another group of workers led by the Alliance of Progressive Labor and the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, numbering around 5,000 also held program at the other end of Liwasang Bonifacio.  Both groups then tried to march to Don Chino Roces Bridge but were stopped by police at the corner of C.M. Recto Avenue and Nicanor Reyes Street, where they were allowed to hold a brief program, one after another, before dispersing peacefully. Bulatlat

© 2006 Bulatlat ■  Alipato Publications

Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.