Cotabato City - Leaders of multi-sector
organizations held a meeting morning today to discuss the situation and possible response and interventions to
the bad situation of the urban poor, agricultural communities and workers due
to the long dry spell.
There were sharing on several
issues confronting the poor and workers and efforts that have been done in
Cotabato City and Maguindanao province.
There were reports of suicides due
to the failure of harvest from Teduray tribe in February and April 2016. Also reports
of urban migration and selling of farm animals for their daily needs. The rise
of prices of commodities is also felt in the City and province, aside from the
failures and low harvest.
The sharing proved
interconnectedness of struggles and issues of sectors and peoples.
“With a low labor movement due
to the situation also of the workers that are occupied for daily survival than
joining organizations, we can add as forces to push forward the struggles among
our communities. Let us bring the labor issues and concerns as our fight. The food
insufficiency and bad shape of the agricultural sector have link to workers
battle for quality and dignified life. Our workers in the urban centers are
always affected if the price due to lack of food supply rise. We are also part of the working and oppressed class. We women are half
of the world’s population and of no exemption from the effects of the long
drought. We can certainly can make a difference if we push harder,” Jo
Demit of Kilusang Maralita sa Kanayunan (KILOS KA), a rural poor and peasant
movement said.
Mindanao Peoples’ Peace Movement –
Cotabato City Chairperson Fatima Ali also expressed that “we are confronted
with various issues that are closely interrelated. If you are a farmer, with
the current neglect to agriculture of the current system then you are forced to
go to urban centers or towards outside of the country, while back in your
country your family continued to suffer poverty and unemployment.”
Nora Pendi, the National
Vice-Chairperson for Bangsamoro of MindanaOne that is supporting Partido
Manggagawa Partylist in the coming May 2016 elections added that, “the labor
policies in our country are insensitive to cultures and needs of our people and
communities. The likes of women with mini-skirts, it is either you follow the
dress code or loss your job even it is not in accordance with your religion and
culture. The government keeps on encouraging contractual labor system while our
workers are demanding for regular jobs. The government keeps on encouraging
mineral exploitation, corporate farming and exportation while our small farmers
are demanding sustainable local economy and organic agriculture.’
A member of Tri-Peoples Youth for
Change Farhana Tekoken shared that her working friends in the City are
receiving below from the minimum wage. And their organization called for
investigation in this one concrete labor malpractice in establishments in the
city.
“This is certainly the result of
economic framework that is measuring development by money, gains and profits
and not thru the quality of lives. We have farmers with no foods, workers with
no foods, people starving to death with a few rich population. We have a killer
system,” Hasmin Bayao of KILOS BAYAN added too.
The group then agreed to have manifestations
and actions towards the May Day (May 1) 2016 to call for justice for the workers and
dignified life for all particularly the toiling masses and workers.
“Our struggle is beyond this
electoral season and the workers and masses’ struggles must be core to our battle
everyday. We propose investigations of the labor malpractices; abolition of
contractual labor system; quality support services to agriculture and communities,”
Hasmin Bayao concluded. (MindanaOne.18 April 2016)
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