Labor group slams Balikatan missile drills

Partido Manggagawa criticized the firing and strategic deployment of U.S. Typhon missiles on Philippine soil under the Balikatan military exercises, warning that the drills could heighten regional tensions and pull the country deeper into the rivalry of global powers.

The labor group issued the statement after the U.S. Typhon Mid-Range Capability missile system was fired in the Philippines for the first time during Balikatan 2026, the annual joint military exercise between Filipino and American troops.

“Linawin natin: Ang Balikatan ay preparasyon sa Digmaan. Hindi ito pre-Olympic games o PE sa mga paaralan,” Partido Manggagawa said.

The group said Filipinos do not need preparation for proxy wars.

“What the country urgently needs is a real war against poverty and inequality, price shocks, and unemployment,” it said.

“Ayuda at dagdag sahod, hindi giyera. Kooperasyon, hindi agresyon. Pagkain, hindi armas,” it added.

Balikatan 2026 involves more than 17,000 troops and includes participants from the Philippines, the United States, Australia, Japan, Canada, France, and New Zealand, amid persistent tensions in the South China Sea and near Taiwan.

Partido Manggagawa said the “ongoing US-Israel war of aggression against Iran” has shown the world the consequences of militarism, including death, destruction, economic disruption, and global price shocks.

“It is deplorable to invite more regional conflict. Never at our doorstep,” it said.

The group said wars benefit arms manufacturers and geopolitical interests while ordinary people, including “workers in soldier’s uniform,” bear the burden of inflation, displacement, and destruction.

“It is because war is a wasteful enterprise funded by taxpayers,” it said.

Partido Manggagawa also criticized U.S. military spending, saying American taxpayers are made to pay for Typhon missiles fired from Tacloban to Nueva Ecija, Israel’s war budget, the defense of allied states in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and the maintenance of more than 800 U.S. military bases worldwide.

“In the face of broken federal healthcare, education, and shelter programs, American taxpayers are made to pay for the Typhoon missiles fired from Tacloban to Nueva Ecija, the war budget of Israel, the defense of allied states in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as the maintenance of more than 800 military bases with tens of thousands of US troops worldwide,” it said.

The group warned that Filipinos would also pay a heavy price should the country’s leaders align the Philippines with any camp of competing superpowers.

“The world’s people pay a heavy price for wars and conflicts not of their own making. So will Filipinos, once their leaders chose to align with any camp of contending superpowers,” it said.

Partido Manggagawa reiterated its call for the demilitarization of the West Philippine Sea.

“We reiterate our call for demilitarization of the West Philippine Sea: China at US parehong umatras!” it said.

The group said territorial disputes should not be allowed to develop and escalate into shooting wars.

“Enough of wars! Enough of war drills! Enough of war freak leaders!” it said.

Partido Manggagawa said funds spent on weapons and military exercises would be better used for universal health care, education, public employment, social protection, and comprehensive anti-poverty programs.

“War preparedness contributes nothing to human development,” it said.

The group said the Philippines must uphold an independent foreign policy anchored on peace, diplomacy, regional cooperation, and the welfare of its people.

It said the country should not be subservient to the military and economic agenda of powerful nations.