Posts

Philippine labor federations receive prestigious US human rights award

/in /by

Victims of red-tagging, extra-judicial killings and other forms human and labor rights violations, Philippine labor federations are this year’s recipients of the George Meany-Lane Kirkland Human Rights Awards in Washington D.C., United States of America (USA).

The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), BPO Industry Employee Network (BIEN), Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, Public Services Labor Independent Confederation, and Federation of Free Workers received the prestigious award in a ceremony in the US capital last December 7.

Given annually by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the award is in recognition of the recipients’ trade union and human rights work in the Philippines, ranked among the world’s deadliest countries for worker organizers.

The AFL-CIO said the federations are honored “For their courage and persistence in the face of escalating threats to their own lives.”

“This award is in recognition of the Philippines labor movement’s resilience, persistence and courage in the face of extreme violence and repression,” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said at the ceremony.

The national American national trade union center noted that more than 70 union members have been killed since 2016, and many more are victims of red-tagging, illegal firing of union activists and anti-terrorism laws directed at stifling freedom to form unions and bargain.

Earlier this year, a 3rd high-level mission of the International Labor Organization (ILO) visited the Philippines that reported on grave labor violations in the Philippines.

In his acceptance message, ACT secretary general Raymond Basilio said their award is dedicated to all Filipino educators to serve as an additional inspiration to further their for the entire education sector and Philippine society.

“The struggles for just wages and benefits as well as humane conditions of work continue,” he added.

Representatives of the Philippine Labor Movement and George Meany Human Rights Award Winners Meet with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the White House. (Supplied photo.)

Before the awarding ceremony, the delegates met with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the White House who reiterated“the Biden administration’s commitment to support the efforts of workers abroad to form unions.”

The US official also condemned “all forms of harassment, intimidation, and violence against workers and advocates for exercising their fundamental rights.”

‘Walk the talk’

Meanwhile, the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines-United States (ICHRP-USA ) celebrated the conferment of the award to Filipino labor federations.

“The receipt of the award is an outcome of the unity and political will of the Philippine labor movement around the most pressing issues of workers and a product of the growing international solidarity between Philippine labor and US labor and community advocates,” ICHRP-USA officer Jessie Braverman said.

ICHRP-USA however said that while it welcomed Sullivan’s remarks to the delegates at the White House, “…the Biden administration needs to concretely walk the talk by withdrawing its support of the tools of repression being used by the Marcos administration to repress and attack Filipino labor, starting with the National Taskforce to End Local Communist Armed Conflict or NTF-ELCAC,”

Activists Hold Vigil on December 7 in front of US State Department, Calling for Abolition of NTF-ECLAC. (ICHRP-USA photo)

As a government agency established under the Rodrigo Duterte administration and continued under the Marcos administration, the NTF-ELCAC plays a central role in harassing and intimidating workers as part of the government’s counter-insurgency campaign, the group added.

ICHRP-USA noted that Schuler herself highlighted at the awarding ceremony two of the most recent killings, Alex Dolorosa of BIEN and Jude Fernandez of KMU, who were relentlessly harassed and red-tagged by the NTF-ELCAC prior to their murders.

ICHRP-USA, KMU and ACT leaders also met with US Congresswoman Susan Wild, who introduced the Philippines Human Rights Act (PHRA) into US Congress in 2021, the same year as the Bloody Sunday Massacre that saw the murders by Philippine police of several labor leaders and activists branded by the NTF-ELCAC as “communist-terrorists” in the Southern Tagalog region. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Members of ICHRP-US, KMU and ACT meet with US Rep. Susan Wild. (ICHRP-USA photo)

Makabayan solon, DND condemn Chinese envoy’s threat against OFWs in Taiwan

/in /by

A Makabayan solon and the Department of National Defense (DND) separately condemned an alleged threat made by Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian against Filipinos in Taiwan.

House of Representative Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party Rep. France Castro said Huang’s statement is a threat and an imposition on a sovereign country.

“It is condemnable that China seems to be issuing a threat not just against the Philippines as a country but to innocent overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were obligated to work abroad to create better lives for their families,” Castro said in a statement Saturday, April 15.

In a public speech Friday, the Chinese envoy said, the “Philippines is advised to unequivocally oppose Taiwan independence rather than stoking the fire by offering the US access to the military bases near the Taiwan Strait if you care genuinely about the 150,000 OFWs.”

“The Taiwan question is entirely China’s internal affair, as is the Mindanao issue to the Philippines. You will never allow any third party to meddle with resolving rebel issues in Mindanao,” Huang said.

This did not sit well with the progressive solon who said Huang’s statement must be condemned.

The DND in a separate statement took exception to Huang’s assertion the Philippines is “meddling” in Chinese internal affairs concerning Taiwan.

DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said the Philippines’ primary concern regarding the heated situation between China and Taiwan are the expatriate Filipinos in the island.

Pique at new EDCA sites

While it appears to directly threaten Filipino workers in Taiwan, Huang’s speech was in fact obviously directed at the Philippine government’s decision to open four new military sites the for United States military to be closer to China.

“Obviously, the US intends to take advantage of the new EDCA sites to interfere in the situation across the Taiwan strait to serve its geopolitical goals, and advance its anti-China agenda at the expense of peace and development of the Philippines and the region at large,” Huang said.

The Chinese Ambassador also likened the situation in Taiwan to Mindanao, implying that China does not meddle with Moro independence struggles in Southern Philippines. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Teachers to Senate: Pass bill exempting ‘meager’ poll service honoraria from 20% tax

/in /by

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) urged the Senate to pass the tax exemption bill for the teachers’ election service pay before the 18th Congress ends.

As Congress resumed sessions to canvass election results for the presidential and vice presidential posts Monday, May 23, ACT said the Senate must thank teachers by scrapping the 20% tax on election service pay and refund previous tax collections on the same.

The group urged Senate President Vicente Sotto to lead the push to ensure its legislation before sessions end on June 3, 2022.

“Our election workers cannot wholly feel the state’s recognition of their vital role in the past elections as hefty tax deductions practically eroded the measly raise on election service pay,” ACT said in a statement.

The group added it is urgent for the Senate to fast-track the legislation that will exempt all previous and future election service pay from taxes.

The House of Representatives has already approved the proposal in August 2021 but has only reached committee level discussions in the Senate, ACT pointed out.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution No. 10727 in November 10, 2021 set an honoraria of P7,000 for chairpersons of the election board (EB), P6,000 to the members of the EB, P5,000 to the Department of Education supervisor official (DESO), and P3,000 for support staff and medical personnel.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue however said that a 20% tax must be levied on these in accordance with the Tax Revenue for Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) law.

The Comelec has since expressed support to ACT’s calls in a Senate Committee on Ways and Means hearing.

“Our poll workers yet again delivered exemplary service despite last election’s dirty politicking and the un-transparent automated elections system. Our teachers were subjected to harsh conditions and unnecessary hardships, but they fulfilled their duties and went above and beyond to protect the sanctity of our people’s votes,” ACT said.

“The integrity of this elections may be deemed questionable, but not the integrity of our teacher-poll workers. They deserve to be fully remunerated for their service, without burdensome tax deductions,” the group added. # (Raymund B Villanueva)

5-puntong kahilingan, giit sa World Teachers’ Day

/in /by

Nagdaos ng kilos-protesta ang mga gurong kasapi ng Alliance of Concerned Teachers para sa World Teachers’ Day noong Oktubre 5 sa Maynila.

Pangunahin nilang bitbit ang 5-puntong panawagan ng mga guro. Kabilang sa mga ito ang salary upgrade, overtime pay, laptops at P1,500 na internet allowance kada buwan, P3,000 inflation adjustment allowance at P10,000 tax-free election service honorarium.

Bukod dito, hiling din nila sa gobyerno ang ligtas na balik-eskwela sa mga lugar na may mababang kaso ng Covid-19.# (Bidyo ni Joseph Cuevas/Kodao)

Teachers demand unpaid benefits, protest repression on World Teachers’ Day 2021

/in /by

Unfazed by “thinly-veiled threats” by the Rodrigo Duterte government, teachers from various federations held protest actions in many schools in Metro Manila to demand for unpaid benefits on World Teachers’ Day today, October 5.

“Overworked, underpaid and under-supported” teachers held mini protest actions in their schools and hung tarpaulins listing five demands they said is owed them by the government amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Manila Public School Teachers’ Association members participate in a nationally-coordinated protest action on World Teachers Day 2021.

Led by the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), the teachers said they demand salary upgrading, service credits and overtime pay, laptops and other gadgets for their online classes, P3,000 inflation adjustment allowance and P10,000 tax-exempt honorarium for their work as election inspectors in next year’s national and local elections.

“World Teachers’ Day is our day, and we are again presenting our dire situation and just demands on this day. We call on the Department of Education (DepEd) and the rest of the Duterte administration: spare us your empty messages of gratitude for teachers this year. This year, we urge you to simply listen and act on our just demands,” ACT secretary general Raymond Basilio said in a statement.

ACT said the demands have been repeatedly presented to the DepEd but were instead met with threats of administrative charges if the teachers hold protest actions.

“The shameless attempts of DepEd to invalidate our calls and dampen our resolve to fight for teachers’ rights and welfare will not stand. Our teachers have been struggling for too long because of DepEd and Duterte’s extreme neglect and incompetence. We will take no more of it,” the group said.

Political repression

Aside from ignoring their economic demands, ACT said DepEd has allowed the government’s anti-insurgency campaign to sow terror among teachers who are members of various organizations.

In a press conference last Saturday, ACT recalled their organization has been the target of vicious red-tagging activities by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) that has resulted in the filing of trumped up charges against their leaders.

The government also accused several universities in being involved in the so-called “Red October Plot” a Malacanan Palace spokesperson said was hatched to overthrow the Rodrigo Duterte administration.

The group also complained against NTF-ELCAC’s seminars among students and teachers as well as recently-revealed operations to purge libraries of alleged “subversive books.”

ACT however said the teachers are not fazed by government’s fascist campaigns.

“[W]e have the lessons of history on our side and we know where we stand. We will fight for academic freedom and all other rights and liberties put under siege by this wretched government,” the group said.

In Pasay City, ACT Teachers Party has chosen World Teachers Day to file its Certification of Nomination and Acceptance with the Commission on Elections for next year’s party list elections. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Teachers demand better pay, safety measures for 2022 ‘pandemic poll duty’

/in /by

Teachers asked the House of Representatives (HOR) to ensure better pay and safety measures when they render poll duties in next year’s national and local elections.

Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) members held a picket to press these demands at the HOR on Tuesday as Congress deliberated on the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) 2022 budget.

As the next elections would be held during a deadly pandemic, ACT said it will likely be among the most challenging in history.

“As teachers will be at the front lines of possibly one of the most precarious elections in recent years, we are calling on our legislators to not be too tightfisted and allot significant amount for poll workers’ compensation and for the establishment of safety and protective measures,” ACT secretary general Raymond Basilio said.

ACT seeks for the following tax-exempt honoraria for board of election inspectors (BEI) members who are mostly composed of teachers:

  • Php10,000 for chairpersons of the electoral board;
  • Php9,000 for electoral board members;
  • Php8,000 for DepEd Supervisor Official (DESO);
  • Php7,000 for support staff; and
  • Php3,000 travel allowance for those in urban areas and Php5,000 for those in rural areas.

ACT said each poll worker should also be paid Php2,500 in food allowance and Php500 in hazard pay in addition to overtime pay for services rendered in excess of 24 hours on election day.

Both Comelec and the Department of Education earlier announced their desire to ask Congress for higher pay for teacher-poll workers.

ACT however expressed fears the PhP15-billion cut to Comelec’s original 2022 budget proposal would undermine their demand for “a proper, peaceful, and safe conduct of the 2022 elections.”

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the electoral boards will be the “most affected” by the planned budget proposal reduction by the HOR.

ACT’s Basilio recalled teachers faced many problems in the 2019 mid-term elections, such as insufficient pay and allowances that were taxed, uncompensated overtime of poll workers of up to 48 hours, health and safety concerns, among others.

“It’s always those on the ground who suffer the effects of paltry funding and poor planning, despite being the very backbone of facilitating the people’s exercise of their right to vote…[W]e expect our legislators to utilize the power given to them by the people to address all the issues concerning the 2022 elections, he said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Teachers denounce ‘state abandonment’ as school year opens

/in /by

School teachers greeted the new school year with protest actions against what they call an “indifferent” Rodrigo Duterte administration that has abandoned the education sector amid a raging coronavirus crisis.

Teachers spent the last weekend before the new school year sorting distance learning modules, complaining they hardly had time to catch their breath from last school year. (ACT photo)

In a “sunrise protest” before the first day of classes this year, members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) trooped to Mendiola Bridge in Manila to denounce “government neglect and utter disregard of teachers and students’ welfare.”

“Today, we will be forced into another school year of underfunded and ill-equipped distance learning, with no plans from the government on how it can safely re-open our school nor on how it will address the grave issues hounding DepEd’s (Department of Education) learning continuity plan,” the group said in a statement.

The teachers said the government failed to address for the second consecutive year their demand for the safe re-opening of schools and bigger state support for distance learning needs.

ACT secretary general Raymond Basilio said teachers bore the brunt of the shift to remote learning when the pandemic hit last year, forcing them to remain “overworked, underpaid, and under-supported.”

Basilo added the DepEd continue to ignore their demands for overtime pay and service credits, Php1,500 monthly internet allowance, Php3,000 inflation adjustment allowance, hazard pay, and their overdue upgrading to salary grade 15 and other benefits to offset the additional hardships they endured because of the shift to online teaching mode.

In earlier “laptop protests,” teachers posted their photos collating printed modules for distribution to parents and students today they said should have been the responsibility of DepEd Central had it adequately prepared for the new school year.

The teachers also complained they themselves have to spend from their own pockets to enough teaching materials for the projected 20 million students to be enrolled this year.

“As state abandonment peaks, we have no one else to turn to but each other. The future of our youth and their right to accessible quality education now lies on the collective resolve of teachers, parents, and students to say ‘no more’ and demand better,” Basilio said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Teachers spent the last weekend before the new school year sorting distance learning modules, complaining they hardly had time to catch their breath from last school year. (ACT photo)

Court junks police-military charge against teacher-unionist

/in /by

By Joseph Cuevas

A municipal court in Agusan del Norte dismissed the case against a teacher and leader of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) in the Caraga Region.

Citing lack of evidence, the 2nd municipal circuit trial court in Santiago Tubay approved the recommendation of the provincial prosecutor and ordered the dismissal of the attempted homicide charge filed against Rosanilla “Lai” Consad.

Consad is a special education teacher and assistant principal of San Vicente National High School in Butuan City. She is also a member of ACT’s National Council.

The court said, “Finding merit on the counterveilling evidence submitted by the accused Rosanilla ‘Lai’ Consad, the investigating Provincial Prosecutor recommended the dismissal of the case against her for total lack of evidence.”

The court added that the accused proved she was at home on November 21, 2020, the day of the ambush the military alleged she was part of.

Through messages stored on her mobile phone, the teacher proved she was busy with her laundry and was in fact assisted by her son on the morning of the incident.

She was also busy on Facebook and sending messages to her co-teachers and DepEd school supervisor.

Assistant Principal and Alliance of Concerned Teachers national council officer Rosanilla Consad. (Supplied photo)

Consad was arrested last March 17 by a combined team of police and military personnel who later charged her with the crime of attempted homicide for participating in a New People’s Army (NPA) ambush in Sitio Manhupaw in Santiago, Agusan Del Norte.

ACT hailed the court’s decision, adding the “ridiculous case” against Consad was only meant to harass and persecute her for being an ACT unionist.

“This is a clear case of the state’s deplorable weaponization of the law against critics and dissenters,” ACT secretary general Raymond Basilio said.

The group said that in its press conference after Consad’s arrest, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) falsely claimed she was a high-ranking Communist Party of the Philippines and NPA officer.

Weeks after her arrest, NTF-ELCAC and DepEd Caraga also held a seminar that red-tagged teacher Lai in one of the presentations, ACT said.

ACT said it is preparing to file counter-charges against those who arrested and unjustly charged her. #

‘Tama na ang pambabarat sa mamamayan’

/in /by

“Tama na ang pambabarat sa mamamayan, habang laging buhos ang pondo sa militar at sa mga gyera ni Duterte. Unahin ang serbisyo gaya ng edukasyon, hindi pasismo sa pangunguna ng NTF-ELCAC. Unahin ang ayuda, hindi CHA-CHA. Ito ang giit ng mga guro at ng mamamayan, at ‘yan ang dapat tugunan ng gobyerno.” — Raymond Basilio, Secretary General, Alliance of Concerned Teachers

ACT, TDC express alarm as DepEd gathers numbers of members

/in /by

Two teachers’ organizations oppose a Department of Education (DepEd) order to gather numbers of their members in several regions throughout the country.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) and the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) expressed alarm at the directive to division level officials on orders from DepEd Undersecretary for Field Operations Revsee Escobedo.

“As per reports, our union leaders in regions 1, 3, 4A, 4B, 6, 10, and CAR have been asked by their division offices to provide the number of ACT members in their area as per orders from Usec. Revsee,” ACT said in a statement Saturday, April 17.

TDC for its part bared that one notice sent through a Facebook chat group in one of the divisions in Region II reads: “Good morning everyone, the DepEd Central Office is surveying thru this online form, teachers, who are currently members of the (TDC) and (ACT). We appreciate receiving your feedback by filling out this Google form today until 12:00 Noon. All PSDS/Districts In-charge are requested to disseminate to all School Heads and Teachers in AOR (area of responsibility).”

Both organizations, victims of red-tagging operations by the police and military, said the order may be another profiling drive against their members.

‘For possible dialogues’

Escobedo confirmed to Kodao he issued the order but said it is in preparation for possible dialogues with both organizations and other teachers’ groups.

Department of Education Undersecretary for Field Operations, Atty. Revsee Escobedo. (Phjoto from DepEd Tayo FB page)

“I only asked for numbers, not names. How can we red-tag numbers?” Escobedo, also DepEd Employees Association Coordinating Office supervising official, said in a phone interview.

The official said they want to know the number of members of teachers’ groups to identify which organizations to initiate dialogues with on various issues such as salary increases.

He said the groups’ statements are overreactions.

‘No clear explanation’

Both teachers’ organizations however said the order, sent only through text and social media messages, lack explanation that gives rise to doubts as to its real intent.

ACT recalled that the Philippine National Police earlier asked school officials for the names of its members, several of whom were later accused of being communists or communist sympathizers.

“This is eerily reminiscent of the 2019 police profiling of our members, which precluded worse attacks on our members and on our very organization,” ACT said.

The group said its members Nestor Ada and Lai Consad have been arrested and charged with trumped-up charges after being profiled and subsequently red-tagged.

Ada, a high school principal, is still in jail in Northern Samar three months after being arrested on charges of illegal possession of guns and explosives in campus.

Assistant Principal Consad was also arrested at her school in Butuan City last November after being red-tagged by the police and the military.

“So we’re understandably alarmed at (the) sudden interest with our members,” ACT secretary general Raymond Basilio said.

TDC for its part said it will instruct its members not to participate in the “survey, profiling and inventory” of its members that “has no clear objectives and hastily done through Google Forms, text messages, Facebook messages or phone calls.”

ACT said DepEd has never defended teachers and school officials who fell victim to red-tagging and persecution by other government agencies.

The DepEd is a member of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)