‘HINDI KAMI MULTO’: Workers press wage hike ahead of Labor Day

Partido Manggagawa on Wednesday said workers are effectively subsidizing the government and businesses through taxes, consumption, remittances, and labor, as the group renewed calls for higher wages and broader economic relief on the eve of Labor Day.

“Manggagawa ang totoong nagbibigay ng subsidy sa gobyerno at negosyo subalit pinakahuli sa benepisyo at serbisyo,” Partido Manggagawa said, countering what it described as the prevailing narrative that the government provides subsidies to the poor.

“May iba’t-ibang klase ng limitado at patronage na ayuda, pero galing din naman sa manggagawa ang pondo sa mga ito. Kahit ang yaman ng mga korporasyon, after taxes, ay sa labor din galing. Lahat ay galing sa manggagawa, pero ghosting ang tugon ni BBM sa amin ngayong Labor Day,” said Mario Andon, spokesperson of the Iloilo chapter of Partido Manggagawa.

Andon said millions of workers pay regressive taxes such as excise taxes and value-added tax multiple times as consumers of manufactured goods and services.

He said workers who are metered customers of Meralco and other distribution utilities also subsidize the power bills of poorer consumers.

Andon added that income earners pay personal income taxes once their earnings exceed the exemption level.

He also cited overseas Filipino workers who remit USD billions for their families to spend in the Philippines.

Labor groups are demanding a PHP 200 wage hike and the enactment of a national minimum wage bill.

Partido Manggagawa said Malacañang and business groups continue to support wage restraint despite what the group described as a PHP 155 erosion of the minimum wage in the National Capital Region.

Partido Manggagawa will join other labor groups under United Labor on Thursday for a unified Labor Day march in Iloilo City.

The march will start at 3 p.m. from the flyover in front of UP Visayas and proceed to the Iloilo provincial capitol, where a program will be held until 5 p.m.

Partido Manggagawa members will also join nationwide protests, particularly in Manila, Cebu, and Bacolod.

The group said its Labor Day campaign carries the call WELGA, which stands for “Wage Hike Now Tungo National Living Wage, E-VAT Tanggalin Income Tax Repasuhin, Lagyan ng Buwis ang Sobrang Yaman at Kita, Gawing Abot Kaya ang Presyo, and Arestuhin Lahat ng Kurakot.”

Partido Manggagawa also raised an anti-war call, saying the U.S.-Israel tandem should be held accountable for what it called a war of aggression on Iran and its impact on the global economy.

On corruption, Andon said the fight for good governance will remain part of labor’s advocacy, along with urgent economic concerns such as wages and jobs.

“Ikulong ang lahat ng korap, Duterte camp man yan o Marcos. Pababain si Sara, pero pababain din ang presyo ng mga bilihin,” Andon said.