Noy’s Rome mis-adventure with OFWs

Posted by Belarmino Dabalos Saguing
Rome, Italy 4 December 2015

Noy’s Rome mis-adventure with OFWs

There are people who are wondering about what Pres. Aquino has accomplished in his visit with OFWs in Rome. Can he call it a success? Many OFWs considered his Rome ‘adventure’ a dismal failure. He only succeeded in projecting himself a clown masquerading as a national leader and someone who could speak so much words without saying anything.

His speech before us in his meeting with AFWs, he spoke at length about the successes of his administration… economic growth, and upgrading of youth education with his K+12 program. He boasted about his health program and the progress on tourist industry, his war against crime and corruption.

But we already heard it many times before.  And we also knew that his so-called economic progress is empty because it has’nt reached the ordinary people. We have already seen that his K+12 program is not really projected to upgrade the education in the country, it only serve as a factory for more migrant workers. His health program is a sham. Orfinary people could still ill afford the prohibitive cost of medicine and hospitals which has been privatized. Crime still abound and curroption still destroy our economy and political system.

It is not what we expected from the president. To our dismay, he never made mention on what he accomplished for us OFWs. We wanted to hear about legal assistance for OFWs, lightening the burden of excessive fees, lessening of bureaucratic hardships each and every OFW before, during and after their sojourn in far awa lands. We want to hear from hin what steps he has done in industrialization and genuine agrarian reforms that would give the Filipinos jobs and income to enable them to live a decvent human life without having to migrate. About the end of Labor Export Progran tha gives a deathblow to many families.

Above all, we expected him to tell us abouth the stopping of endless human rights violations and persecution of peoples leaders and activists. The killing of Lumad and other indigenous people of the Philippines.

He came to Europe this time to participate in the talks on climate change. But has he the right presence of mind when he boasted on his programs to minimize the effects of pollution, when he himself support the use of polluting fuels like carbon to produce power in our country? His open invitation to foreign entities to destroy the environment of the country through destructive large-scale mining that plunders our natural wealth and displace the indigenous people? If this president believed that he has been doing well in this field, then he is either telling himself leas or is a hippocrite.

The president’s meeting with the OFWs in Rome is a failure. It only succeeded in projecting himself as a clown. He succeeded to amuse us and make us laugh with his sdenseless anecdotes about himself being a bachelor president. But laughing does not mean we arre happy about him. We are dismayed, we are disgusted. Truly he is the clown who could speak may words without saying anything.

 Noy’s Rome mis-adventure with OFWs

There are people who are wondering about what Pres. Aquino has accomplished in his visit with OFWs in Rome. Can he call it a success? Many OFWs considered his Rome ‘adventure’ a dismal failure. He only succeeded in projecting himself a clown masquerading as a national leade and someone who could speak so much words without saying anything.

His speech before us in his meeting with AFWs, he spoke at length about the successes of his administration… economic growth, and upgrading of youth education with his K+12 program. He boasted about his health program and the progress on tourist industry, his war against crime and corruption.

But we already heard it many times before.  And we also knew that his so-called economic progress is empty because it has’nt reached the ordinary people. We have already seen that his K+12 program is not really projected to upgrade the education in the country, it only serve as a factory for more migrant workers. His health program is a sham. Orfinary people could still ill afford the prohibitive cost of medicine and hospitals which has been privatized. Crime still abound and curroption still destroy our economy and political system.

It is not what we expected from the president. To our dismay, he never made mention on what he accomplished for us OFWs. We wanted to hear about legal assistance for OFWs, lightening the burden of excessive fees, lessening of bureaucratic hardships each and every OFW before, during and after their sojourn in far awa lands. We want to hear from hin what steps he has done in industrialization and genuine agrarian reforms that would give the Filipinos jobs and income to enable them to live a decvent human life without having to migrate. About the end of Labor Export Progran tha gives a deathblow to many families.

Above all, we expected him to tell us abouth the stopping of endless human rights violations and persecution of peoples leaders and activists. The killing of Lumad and other indigenous people of the Philippines.

He came to Europe this time to participate in the talks on climate change. But has he the right presence of mind when he boasted on his programs to minimize the effects of pollution, when he himself support the use of polluting fuels like carbon to produce power in our country? His open invitation to foreign entities to destroy the environment of the country through destructive large-scale mining that plunders our natural wealth and displace the indigenous people? If this president believed that he has been doing well in this field, then he is either telling himself leas or is a hipocrite.

The president’s meeting with the OFWs in Rome is a failure. It only succeeded in projecting himself as a clown. He succeeded to amuse us and make us laugh with his senseless anecdotes about himself being a bachelor president. But laughing does not mean we are happy about him. We were dismayed, we were disgusted. Truly he is the clown who could speak much words without saying anything.

Mindanao: A Militarized and Plundered Land

Mindanao:

A Militarized and Plundered Land

Source : www.manilakbayan.org

Posted by Belarmino Dabalos Saguing

Rome, Italy 02 November 2015

Attacks on

Schools

Indigenous community schools in Mindanao have been targeted for closure, encampment, vilification, and harassments. These schools have been initiated by Lumad community organizations, with assistance from non-government organizations and support groups, in response to the need to address high illiteracy rates in rural areas. Since April 2015, Lumad children of Talaingod in Southern Mindanao have been holding classes in an evacuation center after their  schools were ordered closed and after soldiers have encamped in their communities. The same experience of attacks prevails among Manobo, Banwaon, and Mamanwa children in Caraga; Blaan and Tboli children in Socsksargen region; and Higaonon and Manobo children in Northern Mindanao

Attacks

on our

Communities

Militarization of communities has led to forcible evacuations of Lumads. Their livelihood has been disrupted. Community infrastructure like schools, clinics, collective farms have been destroyed. Using the classic divide-and-rule approach, the AFP has organized, armed, and trained indigenous para-militaries to fight against their kin.

Attacks on our People

Advocates against big mining, plantations, and other extractive  projects, as well as teachers and students, have been lodged with fabricated criminal suits. They are facing threats to their lives.n Several of those who find their names in the AFP’s “order of battle hit list” have become victims of summary executions.

Support

our Calls

Stop Oplan Bayanihan, the Aquino government’s war against the people No to Big Mining and Plantations!

Cancel all mining permits! Stop plantation expansion!

Stop the Attacks on our Schools!

Pull out military troops from our schools and communities!

Rescind Department of Education Memorandum 221 or the

militarization of schools!

Stop the Attacks on our Communities!

Disband all indigenous paramilitaries!

Indemnify rural communities displaced by militarization!

Stop militarization in rural and urban communities!

Stop the Attacks on our People!

Justice for all victims of extra- judicial killings by the Aquino government!

Drop false criminal charges against our community and sectoral leaders!

DEFEND MINDANAO

FROM MILITARIZATION AND PLUNDER!

Support

Manilakbayan

2015

We in Mindanao are fighting to defend our schools, communities, and people from militarization and plunder.

Manilakbayan 2015 is a people’s caravan from Mindanao to Manila, to bring the voices of indigenous peoples and peasant communities to the national capital.

At the doorstep of the Presidential Palace and before the national platform, we vow to demand justice for victims of  extrajudicial killings, to demand the dropping of false charges against our leaders and people, to press for the pull out of military troops from our schools and communities, and to clamor for the disbandment and disarming of paramilitaries. Manilakbayan 2015 needs the participation of the people in Manila and the solidarity of peoples all over the world.Mindanao needs your active support!

How you can help

JOIN the Manilakbayan from Mindanao to Manila

WRITE letters to government agencies and international bodies to call attention to our plight

EDUCATEyour community/group about the situation in Mindanao and our calls for justice

MOBILIZEa demonstration, media event or any gathering on the Global Week of Action for Mindanao on December 3-9, 2015

DONATE and support the cause for human rights and ecological justice

T: +63 82 327 2719

E: support.manilakbayan@gmail.com

W: www.manilakbayan.org

FB: manilakbayan ng Mindanao

Contact Us

ANDRES BONIFACIO: The Controversial Hero of the Philippine Revolution

Posted by Belarmino Dabalos Saguing
Rome, Italy August 30, 2015

The historical assessment of Bonifacio involves several controversial points. His death is alternately viewed as a justified execution for treason and a "legal murder" fueled by politics. Some historians consider him to be the rightful first President of the Philippines instead of Aguinaldo. Some historians have also called that Bonifacio share or even take the place of José Rizal as the (foremost) Philippine national hero.

Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (November 30, 1863 – May 10, 1897) was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary leader. He is often called "the Father of the Philippine Revolution". He was a founder and later Supremo ("supreme leader") of the Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or simply and more popularly called Katipunan, a movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution. He is considered a de facto national hero of the Philippines, and is also considered by some Filipino historians to be the first President of the Philippines (through the revolutionary government he established), but officially he is not recognized as such.

In 1892 Bonifacio was one of the founding members of Rizal's La Liga Filipina, an organization which called for political reforms in Spain's colonial government of the Philippines. However, La Liga disbanded after only one meeting as Rizal was arrested and deported to Dapitan in Mindanao. Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini and others revived La Liga in Rizal's absence and Bonifacio was active at organizing local chapters in Manila. He would become the chief propagandist of the revived Liga.

La Liga Filipina contributed moral and financial support to the Propaganda Movement of Filipino reformists in Spain.

Andrés Bonifacio was also a member of Freemasonry with the lodge Taliba headed by Jose Dizon; and his pseudonym was Sinukuan, possibly taken from a Philippine mythological character Maria Sinukuan.

 On the night of July 7, 1892, the day after Rizal's deportation was announced, Bonifacio and others officially "founded" the Katipunan, or in full, Kataastaasang Kagalanggalangang  Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan ("Highest and Most Respected Society of the Country's Children;" Bayan can also denote community, people, and nation).  The secret society sought independence from Spain through armed revolt.

From the beginning, Bonifacio was one of the chief Katipunan officers, although he did not become its Supremo (supreme leader) or Presidente Supremo (Supreme President)  until 1895. He was the third head of the Katipunan after Deodato Arellano and Román Basa. Prior to this, he served as the society's comptroller and then as its fiscal.  The society had its own laws, bureaucratic structure and elective leadership. For each province involved, the Katipunan Supreme Council coordinated with provincial councils in charge of public administration and military affairs, and with local councils in charge of affairs on the district or barrio level.

Within the society, Bonifacio developed a strong friendship with Emilio Jacinto, who served as his adviser and confidant, as well as a member of the Supreme Council. Bonifacio adopted Jacinto's Kartilya primer as the official teachings of the society in place of his own Decalogue, which he judged as inferior. Bonifacio, Jacinto and Pío Valenzuela collaborated on the society's organ, Kalayaan (Freedom), which had only one printed issue. Bonifacio wrote several pieces for the paper, including the poem Pag-ibig sa Tinubúang Lupà (approx. "Love for One's Homeland) under the pseudonym Agapito Bagumbayan. The publication of Kalayaan in March 1896 led to a great increase in the society's membership. The Katipunan movement spread throughout Luzon, 

to Panay in the Visayas and even as far as Mindanao.  From less than 300 members in January 1896,  it had 30,000 to 40,000 by August 1896.

The rapid increase in Katipunan activity drew the suspicion of the Spanish authorities. By early 1896, Spanish intelligence was aware of the existence of a seditious secret society, and suspects were kept under surveillance and arrests were made. On 3 May, Bonifacio held a general assembly of Katipunan leaders in Pasig, where they debated when to start the revolution. While some officers, especially Bonifacio, believed a revolution was inevitable, some members, especially Santiago Alvarez and Emilio Aguinaldoboth of Cavite, expressed reservations and disagreement regarding the planned revolt due to lack of firearms. The consensus was to consult José Rizal in Dapitan before launching armed action, so Bonifacio sent Pío Valenzuela to Rizal. Rizal turned out to be against the revolution, believing it to be premature, He recommended more preparation, but suggested that, in the event the revolution did break out, they should seek the leadership of Antonio Luna, who was widely regarded as a brilliant military leader.

Eluding an intensive manhunt, Bonifacio called thousands of Katipunan members to a mass gathering in Caloocan, where they decided to start their uprising. The event, marked by the tearing of cedulas (community tax certificates) was later called the "Cry of Balintawak" or "Cry of Pugad Lawin"; the exact location and date of the Cry are disputed.  The Supreme Council of the Katipunan declared a nationwide armed revolution against Spain and called for a simultaneous coordinated attack on the capitalManila on August 29. Bonifacio appointed generals to lead rebel forces to Manila. Other Katipunan councils were also informed of their plans. Before hostilities erupted, Bonifacio reorganized the Katipunan into an open de facto revolutionary government and they named the nation and its government Haring Bayang Katagalugan (loosely translates to Tagalog Republic), with him as President and commander-in-chief (or generalissimo) of the rebel army and the Supreme Council as his cabinet. On August 28, Bonifacio issued the following general proclamation:

This manifesto is for all of you. It is absolutely necessary for us to stop at the earliest possible time the nameless oppositions being perpetrated on the sons of the country who are now suffering the brutal punishment and tortures in jails, and because of this please let all the brethren know that on Saturday, the 29th of the current month, the revolution shall commence according to our agreement. For this purpose, it is necessary for all towns to rise simultaneously and attack Manila at the same time. Anybody who obstructs this sacred ideal of the people will be considered a traitor and an enemy, except if he is ill; or is not physically fit, in which case he shall be tried according to the regulations we have put in force. Mount of Liberty, 28 August 1896 – ANDRÉS BONIFACIO

Some historians such as Milagros Guerrero, Emmanuel Encarnación, and Ramón Villegas have pushed for the recognition of Bonifacio as the first President of the Philippines instead of Aguinaldo, the officially recognized one. This view is based on his position of President/Supremo of the Katipunan revolutionary government from 1896–97. This view also emphasizes that Bonifacio established a government through the Katipunan before a government headed by Aguinaldo was formed at the Tejeros Convention. Guerrero writes that Bonifacio had a concept of the Philippine nation called Haring Bayang Katagalugan ("Sovereign Tagalog Nation") which was displaced by Aguinaldo's concept ofFilipinas. In documents predating Tejeros and the First Philippine Republic, Bonifacio is called the president of the "Tagalog Republic".

The term Tagalog historically refers to an ethnic group, their language, and script. While historians have thus tended to view Bonifacio's concept of the Philippine nation as restricted to the Tagalog regions of Luzon, as compared to Aguinaldo's view of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao (comprising the modern Philippines), Guerrero writes that Bonifacio and the Katipunan in fact already had an all-encompassing view. The Kartilya defines "tagalog" as "all those born in this archipelago; therefore, though visayan,ilocano, pampango, etc. they are all tagalogs".

José Rizal is generally considered the national hero, but Bonifacio has been suggested as a more worthy candidate on the grounds of having started the Philippine Revolution. Teodoro Agoncillo notes that the Philippine national hero, unlike those of other countries, is not "the leader of its liberation forces".  Renato Constantino writes that Rizal is a "United States-sponsored hero" who was promoted as the greatest Filipino hero during the American colonial period of the Philippines – after Aguinaldo lost the Philippine–American War. The United States promoted Rizal, who was taken to represent peaceful political advocacy, instead of more radical figures whose ideas could inspire resistance against American rule.  Specifically, Rizal was selected over Bonifacio who was viewed as "too radical" and Apolinario Mabini who was "unregenerate."

Historian Ambeth Ocampo gives the opinion that arguing for Bonifacio as the "better" hero on the grounds that he, not Rizal, began the Philippine Revolution, is moot since Rizal inspired Bonifacio, the Katipunan, and the Revolution. Even prior to Rizal's banishment to Dapitan, he was already regarded by the Filipino people as a national hero, having been elected as honorary president by the Katipunan.  León María Guerrero notes that while Rizal did not give his blessing to the Katipunan because he believed the time was premature, he did not condemn the aim of independence per se. Teodoro Agoncillo gives the opinion that Bonifacio should not replace Rizal as national hero, but they should be honored "side by side"

Despite popular recognition of Rizal as "the Philippine national hero", the title itself has no explicit legal definition in present Philippine law. Rizal and Bonifacio, however, are given the implied recognition of being national heroes because they are commemorated annually nationwide – Rizal Day on December 30 and Bonifacio Day on November 30.  According to the website of the National Center for Culture and the Arts:

Despite the lack of any official declaration explicitly proclaiming them as national heroes, [Rizal and Bonifacio] remain admired and revered for their roles in Philippine history. Heroes, according to historians, should not be legislated.

Their appreciation should be better left to academics. Acclamation for heroes, they felt, would be recognition enough.

.

Ipaglaban ang tunay na kalayaan at demokrasya

Posted by Belarmino Dabalos Saguing

25 May 2015

Halaw sa Statement ng Bayan

Ngayong Hunyo 12, 2015, Araw ng Kalayaan, buhayin natin ang diwa ng ating mga dakilang bayani – sina Bonifacio, Rizal, Jacinto, Mabini at marami pang iba  – na naglunsad ng rebolusyonaryong  pakikibaka at nag-alay ng kanilang buhay para makamit ang kalayaan mula sa mananakop na Kastila. Nananatiling makabuluhan ang kanilang magiting na halimbawa  sa harap ng nagpapatuloy na katiwalian at pagpapakatuta sa dayuhang interes ng rehimeng US-Aquino.

Kalayaan sa gubyernong korap

Talamak ang korapsyon sa sistema ng pulitika sa ating bansa. Ang Napoles P10 bilyong pork barrel scam ay isa lamang sa mga nabibistong katiwalian sa bulok na sistema. Kitang-kita ang pagtatakip ni Pres. Aquino sa kanyang mga alipores. Hindi isinasama ng Commission  on Audit, Department of Justice at Ombudsman sa kanilang mga imbestigasyon ang mga anomalya sa ilalim ng administrasyong Aquino. Kabilang dito ang pandarambong sa Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), Malampaya Fund at Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) mula 2010-2013.

Sa totoo lang ang sistemang pork barrel ay bahagi lamang ng mas malawak at organisadong sistema ng pagnanakaw ng mga opisyal ng gobyerno, mula pa nang itayo ang Republika ng Pilipinas.  Ang korapsyon ay talamak sa gubyerno pero ang pinakamalalang pandarambong ay nagaganap sa tanggapan ng Pangulo, ng mga iba’t ibang ahensya ng gubyerno, ng Konggreso’t mga malalaking lokal na pamahalaan.   May tawag dito –  BURUKRATA KAPITALISMO – sistema ng pagkamal ng yaman ng mga opisyal sa gobyerno sa pamamagitan ng pagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan at pagsunod sa utos ng mga amo nilang malalaking asendero, malalaking negosyante at mga dayuhang bansa at korporasyong multinasyunal. Sa ilalim ng burukrata kapitalismo, ginagawang isang malaking negosyo ang paggugubyerno, negosyong nagsisilbi sa iilang naghaharing uri at mga dayuhang monopolyo kapitalista habang nagpapahirap sa sambayanan, lalu na sa masang manggagawa at magsasaka.

Hangga’t hindi tayo lumalaya sa bulok na sistema ng burukrata kapitalismo marami pang Napoles at mga korap na pulitiko ang mamamayagpag sa kanilang pagnanakaw at pagpapahirap sa bayan. Gayundin magpapatuloy pa rin ang pakikipagsapalaran ng mga naghihirap na mamamayang Pilipino sa pagtratrabaho sa ibang Bansa.

Kalayaan sa dayuhang paghahari

Hindi rin tayo malaya sa paghahari ng mga dayuhan, pangunahin na ang imperyalistang Estados Unidos, na dati nang sumakop sa ating bansa pagkatapos makipagkutsabahan sa kolanyalistang Espanya. Sa katunayan, ibabalik pa nga ang mga base militar ng Kano (na sinipa na mula sa Pilipinas noong 1991) sa pamamagitan ng bagong kasunduang Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

Gagamitin din ng imperyalismong Kano  ang kapangyarihang militar upang pwersahin ang iba’t-ibang bansa tulad ng Pilipinas na sumunod sa kanilang mga dikta. Kabilang rito ay ang higit pang pagbukas ng ekonomiya ng mga bansang ito upang gawing tambakan ng kanilang mga produkto at kapital; ang pagpapababa ng sweldo at benepisyo ng mga manggagawa sa kapakinabangan ng mga dayuhang kapitalista’t mga kasosyo nila; ang pagkontrol ng mga dayuhang dambuhalang korporasyon sa industriya ng tubig, kuryente, langis at komunikasyon; ang pag-amyenda ng Konstitusyon at pagbasura sa iba pang mga batas para payagan silang magmay-ari ng lupa at mga negosyong nakareserba sa mga Pilipino tulad ng niraratsadang “Chacha” sa Konggreso sa kasalukuyan.

Samakatuwid, pinatitindi ng gobyernong Aquino ang nagpapatuloy na dominasyon ng US sa Pilipinas sa ilalim ng umiiral na huwad na kalayaan . Ito ang IMPERYALISMO o NEOKOLONYALSIMO  – sistema kung saan ang mga mahirap at atrasadong bansa ay di-tuwirang pinaghaharian ng mga abanteng kapitalistang bansa upang dambungin ang kanilang likas yaman, pagkakitaan ang murang lakas-paggawa at pigain ang pambansang ekonomya.

Sa pagiging korap mismo at protektor ng naghaharing sistema ang kasalukuyang rehimeng US-Aquino at lau’t higit sa pagiging bulag na sunud-sunuran nito sa dikta ng imperyalismong Kano, higit na nasasadlak ang sambayanan sa kahirapan, kawalan ng pagkakapantay-pantay, kapayapaan at maaliwalas na kinabukasan. Ang malala pa ngayon, ang dambuhalang kapitalistang bansang Tsina ay nagiging mas agresibo sa pagtatangkang saklawin ang halos buong West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) kasama na ang bahagi ng exclusive economic zone (EEZ) ng Pilipinas dahil na rin sa udyok ng malakas na presensyang militar at panghihimasok ng imperyalismong US.

Laban para sa tunay na kalayaan at demokrasya

Ang tatlong salot sa lipunang Pilipino – imperyalismo, pyudalismo at burukrata kapitalismo — ay nagsasadlak sa ating bansa sa kumunoy ng malapyudal at malakolonyal na pagsasamantala’t pang-aapi.  Kailangan ibagsak ang sistemang ito at patalsikin ang anumang rehimeng nagtataguyod nito, tulad ng rehimeng US-Aquino.

Kailangan isulong ang laban upang wakasan ang pang-aalipin, pandarambong at panggigyera ng mga imperyalistang bansa, lalu na ng imperyalistang US.

Kailangan nating ipagpatuloy ang dakilang laban ng ating mga bayani para sa isang bansang malaya, maunlad at demokratiko, at sa tapat, makabayan at makamamayang sistema ng pamamahala.

Ang Pakikibaka ng manggagawa ng TDI para sa Regularisasyon sa Trabaho

Posted by Belarmino Dabalos Saguing
Rome, Italy 03 June, 23015

Tandual Distilleries workers on strike (downloaded photo)

I.                    Ilang Mahahalagang Impormasyong Hinggil sa Kumpanya

Ang Tanduay Distillers Incorporated (TDI) ay pagawaan ng alak na itinayo noong 1988 sa ilalim ng Lucio Tan Group Inc. Si LucioTan  ang   pangalawa sa pinakamayamang tao  sa Pilipinas.

May tatlong planta ng TDI na matatagpuan sa El Salvador,  Misamis Oriental, sa Negros Occidental at sa Cabuyao City, Laguna.  PInakamalaki ang nasa siyudad ng Cabuyao. Dito nililikha  ang mahigit sa sampung  produkto ng kumpanya, kabilang ang Tanduay Rhum  na ibinibenta  sa lokal at internasyunal na pamilihan. Bilyong pisong ang kinikita ng kumpanya bunga ng dekalidad na produktong nililikha ng mga manggagawa.

Mga Partikular na Impormasyon Hinggil sa TDI Cabuyao Plant:

                Mga Produktong Nililikha:

-          Tanduay Long Neck

-          Lapad Five Years

-          Jamaica

-          Green Tea

-          Asian Rhum

-          Companero

-          London Gin

-          Gin Capitan

-          Rhum Cocktails

-          Island Mix

Mga Incorporator ng TDI:

1.        Ramon Padilla

2.       Solomon Fontillas

3.       Ferdinand Robles

4.      Richard Pedrosa

5.       Melchor Fuentes

* Ang 2 pa ay hindi pinangalanan.

Ayon sa (cite source),  umabot sa P10 bilyon hanggang P12 bilyon ang benta ng TDI Cabuyao.

	2013	2012
NET SALES	P 10,431,383,329	P 12,879,773,465
COST OF GOODS SOLD	8,334,819,759	10,144,316,836
GROSS PROFIT	2,096,563,570	2,735,456,629
OPERATING EXPENSES
Selling Expenses	648,018,233	601,716,910
General and Administrative Expenses	649,380,794	396,094,691
OTHER INCOME (CHARGES)
Finance costs	(416,998,965)	(417,656,290)
Finance Income	313,476	6,480,934
Rental Income	173,304	747,857
Others-net	90,434,904	34,111,475
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX	473,087,762	1,361,329,004
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAX
Current	170,822,114	432,639,992
Deferred	(22,938,891)	(26,519,672)
	147,883,223	406,120,320
NET INCOME	P 325,204,039	P 955,208,684
Basic/Diluted Earnings Per Share	P 0.28	P 0.88

II.                  KALAGAYAN NG MANGGAGAWA NG TDI:

Nasa humigit kumulang limang daan ang kabuuang manggagawa ng TDI; ang 397 o katumbas ng 90% ng lakas tauhan  nito ay pawang mga kontraktwal. Karamihan sa  mga manggagawang ito ay mahigit na sa sampung taong naglilingkod sa TDI subalit sumasahod lamang ng pinakamataas na P315.00 kada araw, walang mga benepisyo at sapilitan ang ginagawang pa-overtime sa kanila. Ang mga Kakulangan sa (Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) na dapat sana ay libreng ibinibigay sa mga manggagawa ay binabayaran pa ng manggagawa. Maging ang mga uniporme ay kinakaltas pa sa kakarampot na sahod. Sa mga pagkakataong may mga aksidente sa loob ng pagawaan, hindi tinutugunan ng kumpanya ang pananagutan nito sa kanyang mga manggagawa.  Dagdag dito, dahil ang empleyo ay pawang kontraktwal, basta na lamang kung magtanggal ng empleyado sa trabaho kung kailan naisin ng kompanya.

Lumilitaw na ang bilyong benta ng kumpanya ay produkto ng ‘iskemang kontraktwalisasyon sa paggawa’. Habang papalaki ang taunang kita ng disteleria, pinapanatili ang Labor Only Contracting sa Cabuyao plant tulad ng pamamaraang ipinatupad sa Asia Brewery noong dekada 90’s. Kakutsaba sa iskemang ito ang mga ahensiyang— GLOBAL Pro at HD cooperative.

Hindi din naasahan  ang tulong ng nakatayong unyon ng mga regular, palibhasa ay dilawang unyunismo ito, sunod-sunuran lamang ito sa kompanya at walang pakialam sa kapakanan ng manggagawang kontraktwal. Hindi na pumayag ang mayoryang manggagawa ng TDI na manatili ang mapagsamantalang kalakaran. Noong Abril 16, 2015, matagumpay na nabuo at naparehistro ng mga manggagawang kontraktwal ang kanilang asosasyon na Tanggulan, Ugnayan at Daluyang lakas Anakpawis ng Tanduay Distillers Incorporated o TUDLA upang sama-samang itaguyod at ipagtanggol ang kanilang mga batayang karapatan kagaya ng regularisasyon sa trabaho.

Naghain agad sila ng Petition for Inspection sa Department of Labor and Employment(DOLE) subalit iniligaw ng bayarang Labor Inspector na sina Jennifer Taip at Daisy Ramos ang usapin, sa halip na ang pagtuunan ay ang Labor Only Contracting na sumasagka sa regularisasyon ng mga kontraktwal,  pinihit ito sa usapin ng Labor Standard upang ilusot ang paglabag ng kompanya.

Tinangkang suhulan at ginigipit ang manggagawa upang iatras ang reklamo sa DOLE. Sapilitan din silang pinapipirma ng bagong kontrata gayong dapat ito ay sa Disyembre 2015 pa at kung hindi ka pipirma ay mawawalan ka nang iskedyul ng trabaho.

Lantaran ang sabwatan ng DOLE at ng Kapitalista, walang aasahan ang manggagawa kundi ang kanyang sariling lakas, MAYO 18 - ipinutok ng Manggagawang Kontraktwal ng Tanduay ang makasaysayang Welga.

Makatao, makatwiran at Makatarungan ang kahilingan ng manggagawa na gawing regular sa trabaho. Malinaw ang isinasaad ng Batas Paggawa mula sa Art.280 na “kapag ang trabahong ginagampanan ng isang manggagawa sa loob ng pagawaan ay tuwirang may kaugnayan sa paglikha ng produkto at mahalaga at mainam sa negosyo ng principal na employer, ito ay regular na manggagawa”. Ang 397 na manggagawang kontraktwal ay pawang mga operator ng makina, sila ang nasa istratehikong posisyon sa loob ng pagawaan ng Tanduay na nag-ooperate ng makina, sila ay dapat mga regular na manggagawa at hindi kontraktwal.

Sadyang ganid at hindi makatao si Lucio Tan. Sinalubong ng karahasan ang makatarungang welga ng manggagawa. Ginamit ang mga gwardiya at bayarang goons sa ilalim ng Sigasig Security Services sa walang habas na  pagbobomba ng maruming tubig, pambabato ng bato, bubog at ihi, at tangkang pagbomba sa poste ng kuryente at pagpigil sa pagpasok ng pagkain para sa mga welgistang nasa loob ng ABI Complex.

Nanatiling matibay, matatag ang  paninindigan ng mga manggagawa kahit pa nga marami ang nasaktan at nasugatan  sa hanay ng mga manggagawa, sa kabila nito nanatiling nagkikibit-balikat lamang ang lokal na gobyerno sa syudad ng Cabuyao.

Ang mga manggagawang kontraktwal ng Tanduay ay bahagi lamang sa mga biktima ng  malaganap na kontraktwalisasyon sa ating bansa na ipinatutupad ng Rehimeng BS Aquino.. Ilan lamang sila sa  hinahagupit ng malupit at marahas na estado at kapitalista. Ilan lamang sila sa buong tapang na naglantad ng kriminalidad sa loob ng pagawaan. Ilan lamang sila sa kapit-bisig na sama-samang nagtatanggol at nagtataguyod ng kanilang mga lehitimong karapatan

Ang malawakang kontraktwalisasyon ay isa sa mga delubyong nananalasa sa uring manggagawa, nagreresulta ito na pagpako sa mababang pasahod,  sa kawalan ng benepisyo at sa hindi pagkilala sa karapatan ng mga  manggagawa para sa regular na trabaho at karapatan sa pag-uunyon. Ang kontrakwalisayon ay kasingkahulugan ng malawakang masaker sa regular na hanapbuhay.

Samahan niyo kami sa aming Makatao, makatwiran at Makatarungan pakikibaka. Nananawagan po kami ng inyong suporta. Sama-sama nating itulak ang gobyernong Aquino lalo na ang DOLE na gawing regular ang mga manggagawang kontraktwal. Ipadala ang inyong sulat pagkundena sa;

Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III, Republic of the Philippines
PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS OPERATIONS OFFICE
3/F New Executive Building (NEB), Malacañang Compound
Email: op@president.gov.ph

Labor Sec. Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Building,
Muralla Wing cor. General Luna St., Intramuros, Manila, 1002, Philippines

http://www.dole.gov.ph/queries/submit

Mr. Alex V. Avila
OIC Director Dole Region IV-a (Calabarzon)
3rd and 4th Floors Andenson Building II, Parian, Calamba City, Laguna 4027, Philippines
Tel: (049) 545-7360; Fax: (049) 545-7357
E-mail: ro4a@dole.gov.ph / dole4a_observe@yahoo.com

Tanduay Distillers, Inc. International Office
7/F Allied Bank Center, Ayala Ave., Makati City, Philippines
Tel. No. (63)2-7339301
Fax No. (63)2-7339090
E-mail: tanduay@tanduay.com

At ang sulat  pakikiisa sa :

Pang. Anse

pangulo ng Tudla

Phone number:

Violent dispersal of an orderly and peaceful workers' union manifestation (downloaded photo)