|
By Ruben D. Manahan IV and Anthony A. Vargas, Reporters
Labor Day protest rallies were held yesterday in
various parts of the country, especially Metro Manila, but the
national police chief, Director Gen. Avelino Razon, said no violent
incidents were reported.
In Manila, two generally peaceful assemblies
were held by militants, said to number a few thousands, at Don Chino
Roces Bridge to commemorate Labor Day and present their economic and
political demands to the government.
The protesters demanded that President Gloria
Arroyo step down, accusing her of failing to resolve soaring prices
of rice and other food products and to make a priority-legislated
wage increase.
Regional Wage Boards have not decided on
petitions of workers’ groups for a new round of wage hikes.
A group of the protesters reached the bridge
near Malacañang shortly after noon. They voluntarily dispersed
around 2:30 p.m. to give way to another group of demonstrators.
The second group gathered at Liwasang Bonifacio,
several blocks away from Malacañang around 1 p.m. and ended their
protest at 6 p.m.
Maximum tolerance
The Manila Police District (MPD) deployed 2,417
personnel around Malacañang to monitor the protesters’ actions.
The policemen did not carry guns and observed maximum tolerance.
Elite police commandos armed with assault
rifles, however, were deployed in highways leading to Manila, while
crowd-dispersal units were also placed on full alert near key
government buildings.
The Manila police chief, Roberto Rosales, said
they were not expecting rowdiness from the protesters. “If they
would not do their part, that would be our basis not to give them
permits in the future,” he added.
The anti-riot policemen were backed up by 400
soldiers from the military’s National Capital Region Command.
Police said the rallies were much more organized
than previous ones because of the holding two separate protest
actions.
Razon instructed all regional police directors
to continue implementing their security and public-safety plans even
after Labor Day activities have been concluded, and to return the
police alert status to normal after 7 p.m. Thursday.
The Department of Labor and Employment also on
Thursday said six labor groups with livelihood projects in four
regions have been granted livelihood assistance worth P4 million.
Secretary Marianito Roque said the Labor
department’s livelihood projects had been granted funding under
the Workers’ Income Augmentation Program.
The Solidarity of Unions in the Philippines for
Empowerment and Reforms in the National Capital Region (Metro
Manila) will receive P816,648 for its rice retailing and wholesaling
business. The Kilusan sa Jollibee-Trade Union Congress of the
Philippines will receive P1 million for its consumers’ cooperative
wholesaling and retailing store also in Metro Manila
The Kapatiran ng mga Manggagawa sa Tri-Phil
International Inc., will get P240,000 for its commissary business,
also in Metro Manila.
The Life Giver Development Foundation Inc. will be
granted P610,000 to expand its livelihood skills program for its
members in Central Luzon.
The Associated Labor Union-TUCP will
receive P880,000 to expand its cooperative in the southern Mindanao
region. The Sudecor United Independent Labor Union will receive
P340,000 for its canteen and snack-bar business in the CARAGA
region, also in Mindanao.
-- With PNA and Janice Ianne J. Miguel
|
