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MANILA, Philippines – Labor unions and progressive groups from Central Luzon demand for better working conditions in the face of policies on contractualization and low minimum wages on International Labor Day on May 1.
The groups marched along MacArthur Highway, Angeles City (AC) to Astro Park, Clark Maingate and included members of The Workers’ Alliance in Region, the Bayan Muna partylist, Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luzon, Central Luzon Workers for Wage Increase, the Promotion of Church People’s Response–Central Luzon, and other work unions in the region.
BAYAN MUNA’s eighth nominee Florentino “Pol” Viuya, in a speech, emphasized the demonstration’s primary call of having P1,200 as the across-the-board minimum living wage nationwide.
Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales presently have the current minimum wage rate of P520 for agriculture, P540 for retail or service, and P550 for non-agriculture, according to Wage Order No. RBIII-25 that took effect on April 16, 2025.
He also urged the government to repeal the Wage Rationalization Act on the basis of it preventing workers from uniting and organizing due to differing wages per region.
“Ang sistemang ito ay upang paghiwalayin ang mga manggagawa dahil iba-iba ang ibinibigay na sahod sa mga rehiyon, samantalang alam natin na iisa lamang at pare-pareho lamang ang mga gastusin o pangangailangan ng ating mamamayan,” he said.
(This system is meant to divide workers by giving different wages across regions, even though we know that the cost of living and the basic needs of our people are essentially the same.)
NO TO AGENCY HIRING. A member of a labor union in Central Luzon calls for end of unfair labor practices. Demands for agrarian reform, farmers’ safeguards against land-use conversion
Expressing similar sentiments were groups from Central Luzon’s agricultural sector as represented by Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luzon (AGML), Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Asyenda Luisita (AMBALA), and the Anunas United Farmers and Homeowners association.
AMGL coordinator Jan Carlos Alcaraz asserted that alongside the P1,200 wage hike, the government should support local agriculture through agrarian land reform, farmer subsidies, and the administration’s endorsement of local products instead of relying on imported goods.
“Kahilingan namin ngayong darating na eleksyon ay ang matagal nang hiling ng mga magsasaka noon pa man, ay ang tunay na reporma sa lupa, kaya hiling din naming mga magsasaka, namin sa [AMGL] ay maipanalo natin ang 11 senador ng koalisyong Makabayan na siyang tunay na mga kinatawan ng taumbayan,” Alcaraz said.
(Our appeal in the coming elections is the same longstanding demand of farmers: genuine land reform. That’s why we, the farmers of [AMGL], also call on everyone to help elect the 11 senatorial candidates of the Makabayan coalition, who are true representatives of the people.)
He also called for politicians to put a stop to land-use conversion, citing the cases of Sitio Balubad, Brgy. Anunas, wherein 73 hectares of land were claimed by the Clarkhills Properties Corporation in a series of violent demolitions from November 2022 to March 2024.
Ronel Sanggalang and Teresita Bautista, two former Sitio Balubad residents present at the mobilization, said that families who were evicted have yet to be provided proper relocation accommodations at Magalang. According to Sangalang, Angeles City Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. had not yet fully coordinated the land turnover to the evictees.
“Nananawagan ako sa gobyerno naman na ibaba ang presyo, itaas ang sahod at ‘yung pagkademolish namin sana ibalik sa amin sa [Sitio] Balubad, ibalik ‘yung kinuha nila sa amin na wala kaming kaalam-alam po,” Bautista said.
(I am calling on the government to lower prices, raise wages, and regarding the demolition we experienced, I hope we can be returned to [Sitio] Balubad, and that what was taken from us without our knowledge will be given back.)
Leonida “Luning” Trinidad, AMBALA’s chairperson in Cutcut and advocate for the distribution of Hacienda Luisita’s at least 6,000 hectares to Tarlac farmers, also expressed similar sentiments.
“Huwag tayong matakot na ipaglaban ang ating mga karapatan tulad ng pakikipaglaban namin sa lupa doon sa Hacienda Luisita,” Trinidad said.
(Let us not be afraid to fight for our rights, just as we fought for the land in Hacienda Luisita.)
Youth sector in solidarity with labor force
Also present at the demonstration were various youth-led progressive organizations, including Kabataan Partylist’s sixth nominee, Mia Simon, who spoke in solidarity with calls for an across-the-board living wage increase, national industrialization, and the end of unsafe and exploitative labor practices.
When asked about her perspective on the upcoming elections, Simon expressed hope that the fight for labor rights would be carried onto and expanded at the national level.
“Sinabi kanina ni Ka Pol [Viuya] na P30 lang ang sinasahod ng mga manggagawa sa pabrika na nabanggit ko kanina. Pero noong 2022, umaabot sa 2.77 billion ang kinakamal ng kumpanyang kapitalista… sino ang luge? Ang mga manggagawa,” Simon argued.
(Ka Pol [Viuya] said earlier that the workers in the factory I mentioned were only earning P30. But in 2022, the capitalist company raked in as much as 2.77 billion. So who is at a loss? The workers.) – Rappler.com
Lady Mary Felizziety Daguay, known as “Izzy,” is a BA Communication student at Holy Angel University in Angeles City, Pampanga. The outgoing associate editor and incoming news editor of The Angelite, she is an Aries Rufo Fellowship candidate from April-May 2025.
