Workers vow to struggle for needed change in state of nation

At the height of the country’s poverty and suffering from the spate of price hikes, Arroyo responded by showcasing the height of her hypocrisy and deception.

We will not let Arroyo get away with another production of lies and promises. We vow to oppose the latest package of pro-liberalization and globalization solutions she has just bragged about in the SONA.

The workers have suffered more than enough under this regime that serves only the greed of the big capitalists. We will bring the full force of the workers, linked with other sectors of society, to the fore of the struggle for genuine progress and democracy. 

No amount of fake applauses, statistics, and promises will remedy the true state of the nation this regime has wrecked greatly. Only the people’s collective will and action can bring the needed change to the state of the nation.

Sufficient wages

Accgdto National Statistical Coordination Board (minimum wage already includes COLA)

Family living wage in NCR: P894, minimum wage is 42.7% of this

Family living wage in region 8 (lowest): P573, minimum wage is 41.5%

Family living wage in ARMM (highest): P1,260, minimum wage is 18.5%

Real wage in NCR based on year 2000: P243

Real wage in region 8: P152

Real wage in ARMM: P118

Accdgto NSO Familiy Income and Expenditure Survey

Maximum income of 80% of Filipinos: P284/day

Maximum income of poorest 10%: P90/day

Maximum income to be considered under government’s poverty threshold: P41.25/day

Abundant jobs

Accdgto National Statistics Office

Actual job generation, year 04-05: 700 thousand

Actual job generation, 05-06: 648 thousand

Actual job generation, 06-07: 599 thousand

Arroyo’s boasted target for every year: 1.6 million

Jobs lost in 2007: 488 thousand

Unemployment rise, April 07- April 08: 222 thousand

Underemployment rise, April 07- April 08: 248 thousand

Gov’t minimum requirement to be considered employed: one hour per week of work

Accgto DOLE Bureau of Labor and Employment

‘Self employed’ workers for 2007: 10.6 million, 31.5% of employed

No. of employed workers in informal sector, 2004: 13.5 million

No. of employed workers in informal sector, 2005: 14.5 million

No. of employed workers in informal sector, 2006: 14.7 million

Protected rights

Accdgto DOLE Bureau of Working Conditions

Firms with cases of labor rights violations: at least 4,000

Documented reports of Center for Trade Union and Human Rights, a non-gov’t, non-profit institution

Cases of trade union and human rights violation, Jan-June 08: 107 cases, affecting 21,033 individuals

Cases of trade union and human rights violation, Jan-Dec 07: 161, affecting 16,446 individuals

Victims of threat, harassment, or intimidation, Jan-June 08: 347

Victims of threat, harassment, or intimidation, Jan-Dec 07: 1,236

Present no. of workers:  33,536,000

No. of workers organized in unions: 2,426,000, or 7.23