Washington, DC — On the second day of the 2011 Annual Review of Country Practices conducted by the US Trade Representative for the US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), the Secretary-General of the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL), refuted claims of the Philippine government representatives that it has done a lot to resolve the trade union killings.

Josua Mata, testifying early this morning (11:00 AM January 25, EST), stated that “Truth is, two years after the visit of the ILO High Level Mission, none of the trade union killings have received justice. Of the 39 cases filed before the ILO, only 3 are currently on trial, and all of them involve only the hired guns, not the real masterminds who are most likely back home right now sitting in their comfortable corporate offices! In the meantime, according to the ITUC Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights, 6 trade unionists have been killed from 2010 to 2011. All these have happened under the current administration of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino.”

The Government of the Philippines (GPH) delegation to Washington, DC included Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, Labor Undersecretary Rebecca Chato, and Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III.

“Before we say that the new guidelines with PNP and AFP are working, show us the proof that PNP and AFP violations are no longer happening, or at least are actually going down,” testified Mata. He recommended that clear benchmarks be set by the government to say that the reforms made are actually working. The hearing took up the Philippine case filed by the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) in view of the trade union killings.

Mata also supported assertions by PALEA’s President Gerry Rivera on the first day about the rampant use and abuse of contractual labor in the country, which prevents workers’ from actually enjoying their rights, including their right to join unions. He cited two cases, that of Philippine Airlines and of Hanjin Shipping. “Of the 21,000 workers (Hanjin) now employs, all of them are contractual employees who are hired by 16 subcontractors, (and) many of these companies, have interlocking directorates with the same officials of Hanjin,” testified Mata.

APL demanded for an independent investigating body that can really go after the military and the police who are involved in TU violations. “For a long time, DOJ didn’t bother to do anything about it until this GSP review hearing came,” added Mata in reply to panel questions.

The panel, chaired by the USTR, included representatives from the US Department of Labor, Treasury and Agriculture. The GSP is a development tool used by the US to provide duty-free access to certain products of developing countries that are eligible for this program. The GSP law enumerates the factors for eligibility, which includes that a country “has taken or is taking steps to afford to workers in that country internationally recognized worker rights.”

On the occasion of Gat Andres Bonifacio’s 148th birthday, tens of thousands of workers belonging to the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) and its allied organizations marched in key cities around the country to protest against elite rule and their failed neoliberal policies.

“Today we join hands with millions of working people around the world who are rising against elite rule and neoliberal policies – from the Arab uprisings to the occupation movements in the US, Europe and other countries,” Josua Mata, APL Secretary General.

“The marches aim to expose the elitist nature of PNoy’s government and its anti-worker policies, which it had effectively concealed behind its slogan ‘Tuwid na Landas’,” Mata explained. “Clearly, PNoy’s tuwid na landas is leading the working class nowhere,” Mata added.

During the marches, the APL highlighted the need for hard reforms to address the historic inequality in the country. As of 2009, the richest 1% of the population controls 30% of the national income, while the bottom 50% has to do with 20% of the income.

Notwithstanding his campaign promises contained in his ‘Social Contract with the Filipino People’, PNoy’s has been stonewalling the much-needed reforms that would address inequality.

“Rather than providing ‘jobs that empower the people’ to ensure that migration would just be one of the choices of workers, PNoy opted to side with Lucio Tan in engineering the destruction of 2,600 regular jobs in PAL,” Mata said. “Instead of providing socialized housing, informal settlers were violently demolished. In place of taking active role in ensuring the completion of agrarian reform as he promised, PNoy announced a ‘hands off policy’. In lieu of ‘just peace’, he launched an ‘all out justice’ – a cruel euphemism for ‘all out war’,” Mata enumerated.

Even his anti-corruption policy would eventually stall if PNoy continues to block the passage of the Freedom of Information bill.

“PNoy is clearly incapable of rising above the interests of his class – the ruling class,” Mata asserted. “Sadly, this tells us that his reform agenda, narrow and shallow as it is, is doomed to fail,” Mata said.

The APL and its allies in KONTRA – Kowalisyon Kontra Kontraktwalisasyon –declared that the real path to a better life for the working people would not be realized through PNoy’s “tuwid na landas” but in a “New Philippines”, an alternative Philippines where there is real political and economic democracy.

“We all deserve better than what the capitalists, caciques and the elites are dishing out to us,” Mata declared. “We therefore need to renew our vows to commit ourselves to the historic struggle for Kalayaan – the freedom from oppression, want and ignorance – that Gat Andres Bonifacio started for us,” Mata said.

APL and its allies held rallies in Manila, Naga, Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos and Cotabato.

To commemorate the 148th birth anniversary of Gat Andres Bonifacio, workers belonging to Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL), together with its allies under the Koalisyon Laban sa Kontraktwalisasyon (KONTRA), will march to Mendiola on Wednesday to denounce President Noynoy Aquino’s elitist government behind its slogan, ‘tuwid na daan.’

APL and KONTRA said the government proved that it could do things if it chooses to and many were in fact impressed by the government’s determination to exact accountability from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo when it pulled all the stops to prevent her from escaping and arrest her.

“Finally, his government is making good on one of his major campaign promises. But whatever happened to President Aquino’s other promises to his bosses – the masses? Where are the promised reforms that would benefit the masses? More than a year after being elected, all his campaign promises remain unfulfilled. Worse, instead of generating decent and secure jobs, the government is now supporting the destruction of regular jobs.,” said Josua Mata, APL Secretary General.

APL criticized PNoy for siding with the Lucio Tan in the labor problem of Philippine Airlines, saying this only reveals “PNoy’s loyalty to his own class – the oppressive class.”

“The President chose to coddle the tyrant Lucio Tan who is currently bullying its workers to accept the outsourcing of Philippine Airlines, even if it entails clear violations of its collective bargaining agreement. Left unchecked, this will open the floodgates for massive outsourcing and directly threaten the job security of the remaining regular workers around the country,” Mata explained.

In a statement released to the media today, APL also hit the President who they said, had no qualms praising investors such as Hanjin Heavy Industries in Subic where workers are prevented from forming their union. “The company, claiming that its more than 20,000 workers are all contractual employees, should be made liable for having shoddy health and safety safe operations that has resulted to successive deaths among its workers,” Mata added.

Around 10,000 workers will hold protest actions in Manila, Naga, Cebu, Davao, General Santos, Cotabato, Cagayan De Oro and in other parts of the country on November 30.

Expecting around 3,000 workers from the National Capital Region and nearby provinces of Bulacan and Cavite, APL will troop to Mendiola from Blumentritt cor. Espana at 8:00 am.

Multi-sectoral groups inked a pact on Promoting Exclusive Breastfeeding in the Workplace, led by Alliance of Progressive Labor, Informal Workers under the group ALLWIES, Employers Confederation of the Philippines, the Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, government agencies led by the DOLE, and the National Nutrition Council NNC Region 5 under the DOH, and the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) with the support of the International Labor Organization. The event was held at the Villa Caceres Hotel, in Naga City on 28 November 2011, as part of the MDGF 2030 Joint Programme that aims to address food security and malnutrition for children 0-24 months Old in the Philippines.

The current situation on malnutrition in Naga City of 4%, as well as the minimum wage of workers pegged Php247.00 per day, is more than a compelling reason to promote exclusive breastfeeding in the workplace. That is why, various stakeholders, coming from private sectors, government agencies and CSOs signed and sealed their commitment to promote exclusive breastfeeding in the workplace, through the Memorandum of Agreement between and among companies, workers and government agencies. Among the many trailblazing and historic event that took place in Naga City, this MOA signing can be considered as one of the landmark achievement of different sectors on the promotion of breastfeeding in the workplace. It is common knowledge that Naga City has been one of the pioneering models in good governance, having received a number of awards not only on governance but more importantly for health and nutrition.

What else is new in forging partnerships with companies, workers union and the informal sector? Can we really reach out to workplaces here in the city to set up their own lactation stations?

What goal do we want to achieve when we say we are promoting exclusive breastfeeding in the workplace? Ms. Arlene Reario, RTWG Chair for MDGF 2030 in Region 5 said that “Beyond the numbers and statistics, I think there is only one message towards this end: “Promoting exclusive breastfeeding in the workplace, is the key towards giving life and upholding dignity of the women workers.”

Beyond the compliance with RA 10028, employers are encouraged to promote exclusive breastfeeding in the workplace since doing so, will greatly contribute to worker’s productivity since, workers need not incur additional expense that are often borrowed from companies particularly the expenses on bottle feeding or the use of breastmilk substitute. According to Sion Binos, a member of the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL), this is one advocacy issue, “that should be able to encourage cooperation between and among management and workers since it would benefit both of them”.

This is just a start of a deeper and more meaningful cooperation, between and among the different stakeholders are expected also to capacitate themselves not only in setting up lactation station but more importantly in expanding the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding in the workplace.