GMA honors workers, as militants protest

President Gloria Arroyo saluted the Filipino workers on the occasion of Labor Day in her speech during the turnover ceremony for the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Friday.

Militants, however, were not in a celebratory mood, with around 4,500 of them holding protest rallies against labor and other policies of the Arroyo administration in various parts of Metro Manila. The rallies were generally peaceful, according to police.

“We honor the Filipino worker today,” President Arroyo said. “A grateful government pledges its unwavering support to the great Filipino worker and the bright future that our workers are building for our country.”

The President kicked off her speech by pointing out that “Labor Day this year is a timely occasion for the nation to celebrate the resiliency of our economy that has so far protected us from the worst of the global recession and allowed us to continue to grow.

“The skills and talents of our workers at home and abroad are confounding the gloomy forecasts of pessimists, as they continue to seek out ever more jobs, remit more funds to our shores and sustain the hopes of our country and the dreams of their families,” the President said.

She particularly cited military men as part of the working class who, according to her, continuously demonstrate their devotion to duty and the Constitution.

“Our military men and women are good, upstanding and loyal patriots, fighting to protect our country everyday,” she said. “We honor the great Filipino soldier for being ready to make the supreme sacrifice in war, as well as exemplifying the spirit of sacrifice that uplifts people in times of need and succor.”

Mrs. Arroyo instructed the new Armed Forces chief of staff, Victor Ibrado, to carry out programs that benefit the soldiers and the military’s civilian employees. Ibrado replaced Alexander Yano, who will be posted as the Philippine ambassador to Brunei.

Jobs fair at SM

The Arroyo administration marked Labor Day by holding a jobs fair for the country’s unemployed workers and those looking for better job opportunities here and abroad.

The jobs fair organized by the Labor department and dubbed “Jobapalooza 2009” was belittled by militants from the left-leaning Kilusang Mayo Uno (May First Movement), saying it would do little to address supposedly massive layoffs and rising unemployment.

It is “meaningless unless genuine agrarian reform and national industrialization are implemented” to ensure sufficient job opportunities, the group said in a statement.

The Labor department said that it expects Jobapalooza to create around 250,000 jobs for retrenched workers and fresh graduates, mainly in call centers.

But Batch 2009, according to the National Union of Students of the Philippines, are already not assured of jobs because of the global economic meltdown.

Besides, the group’s president Alvin Peters said, the government’s efforts to create more jobs are already preempted by “increased contractualization” (mostly six-month job duration) of the currently employed.

Independent think tank IBON Foundation explained why the new graduates are in a “state of uncertainty.”

It said that the number of jobs produced by the government that is short of the number of job hunters and the increasing number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) was a manifestation of lack of job opportunities in the country.

According to data from IBON’s website, even if government programs generated 800,000 jobs this year, they still would not be able to accommodate the more than 900,000 new entrants to the labor force on top of about 11,600 permanently retrenched and temporarily retrenched workers, plus the 12,000 displaced OFWs since October last year.

A total of 1,677 local employers and recruitment agencies joined the jobs fair held at the SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said that 830 employers offered a total of 45,776 local jobs while 847 recruitment firms posted 173,204 job vacancies abroad.

The jobs fair “marked the collective action and mutual collaboration of social partners in helping the workers find jobs” in order to alleviate the impact of the global financial crisis on the workers and their families, the Labor department said in a statement.

It presented not only employment opportunities to the thousands who went there but also provided livelihood assistance programs to those who would like to establish their own businesses.

Anti-labor policies

Protesting against what they called as anti-labor policies of the government, the militants, particularly the 300 from Global Call to Action Against Poverty, surprised the police when they popped up on Mendiola Bridge near Malacañang at about 4 a.m. of Friday.

After being dispersed peacefully by the police, they marched toward the Manila Police District headquarters on United Nations Avenue in Ermita, Manila, to show their support for whistleblower Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada Jr., who is detained there on perjury charges.

Hundreds of Civil Disturbance Management police massed outside the headquarters to prevent unruly protesters along nearby Taft Avenue.

The police also secured the US Embassy on Roxas Boulevard in Manila where they had expected protest rallies to be conducted by other militants.

The Philippine National Police said that it would be on full alert until Tuesday, when the President returns from Egypt and Syria. Mrs. Arroyo will leave Manila early Saturday to meet with the leaders of the two countries and advance the cause of OFWs there.

The visits are also aimed at securing jobs for OFWs and promoting the Philippines to Arab businessmen as an investment destination.
— Ruben D. Manahan 4th, Angelo S. Samonte And Bernice Camille V. Bauzon With Eric Canlas, Mark Andrew S. Francisco And Thea Ayla P. Banag, Manila Times