RCTU-Bicol (NDFP): Workers, Take Up Arms And Overthrow The US-Duterte Regime!

Revolutionary Council Of Trade Unions-Bicol | NDF-Bicol | National Democratic Front Of The Philippines

July 26, 2021

Under Duterte’s five-year tenure, the Philippines has emerged as one of the most dangerous countries for workers. His full implementation of neoliberalism in the country is mainly aimed at violating the basic rights of workers so as not to forcefully squeeze their labor force and accumulate excessive profits for foreign and local capitalists.

Under Duterte, contractualization became more widespread, wages were lowered and exploitative working conditions were intensified. With the pandemic hit, their situation worsened with increasing unemployment while depriving them of significant aid in the face of soaring commodity prices.

In Bicol, nearly 800,000 Bicolano workers have lost or lost their jobs (underemployed) as a result of the pandemic. Prior to this, Bicol remained in the regions with the lowest wages and high levels of underemployment as the contractual system, wholesale and other deteriorating forms of labor flexibilization proliferated. The regime’s flagship neoliberal program Build, Build, Build also did not create significant jobs and instead evicted hundreds of workers from their land and residences. Because of this situation, Bicolano workers are one of the most affected by neoliberal policies such as the TRAIN Law. Bicol has also become a pilot region of other anti-people policies such as the jeepney phaseout. Too bad,

Fascist attacks on organized labor also intensified. The fascist policies of Oplan Kapanatagan, National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict and Anti-Terror Law were tossed to dismantle the collective and militant strength of workers and unions. Many workers and union leaders have been forcibly arrested, illegally arrested and killed in armed dispersal strikes, militarization of enclaves or work zones, red-tagging and terrorist policies on unions and associations. One of the featured experiences in the region was the arrest of transport-leader Ramon Rescovilla, secretary-general of CONDOR-PISTON.

Undoubtedly, the ruling class under Duterte has amassed more and more wealth for the workers and fellow toiling masses in poverty and oppression. In 2019, the combined wealth of 40 oligarchs swelled to P4 trillion. Much of the funds owed for the pandemic were also earmarked to ensure the long -term profit -taking of large businessmen and corporations.

But the five -year deterioration of the condition of the workers under Duterte has resulted in a further revival of the labor movement. Various strikes and strikes have taken place under the regime to demand job security and safety at work and to fight the dissolution of unions, violation of the minimum wage and other unfair labor arrangements.

The deteriorating labor conditions under the US-Duterte regime are a very clear basis for Bicolano workers to advance the militant labor movement in the region. The NDF-Bicol calls on the Bicolano workers to unite with the workers of the whole country to lead the mass movement that will overthrow the fascist, imperialist puppet and pro-capitalist US-Duterte regime.

To accomplish this, the Bicolano workers are challenged to forge their class and political consciousness. In the region, where the cities, suburbs and countryside are located, it is very favorable for the Bicolano workers to unite and support the democratic struggle of other sectors, more than the peasant masses. They are expected by their fellow working people, the peasant masses as their strongest ally in the anti-feudal and anti-fascist struggles.

Above all, they will fully recognize their proletarian strength by joining the Communist Party of the Philippines, the true party of the proletariat and participating in the armed revolution as Red commanders and fighters of the New People’s Army.

Source : https://cpp.ph/statements/manggagawang-bikolano-tumangan-ng-armas-at-ibagsak-ang-rehimeng-us-duterte/