On the commemoration of International Labor Day, Inklusibo joined thousands of workers who stormed the streets of Manila to amplify workers’ demands for an increased minimum wage, lowered commodity prices, regularization of employment, and genuine rights protection. Inklusibo stresses that the Marcos Jr. administration has not fulfilled the workers’ demands and considers it a blatant disregard for people’s rights.

Informal workers remain unprotected

Informal workers contribute to the development and progression of urban cities through their labor force. However, current labor conditions remain unfavorable due to lack of protective mechanisms for them. If not unprotected, threatened by policies that only serve the ruling class. Inklusibo remains alarmed about the current state of informal workers and demands the state to fulfil their mandate of protecting the working class.

Jeepney workers are among the many segments of the unprotected working class. For months, they have resisted a system that only favors the rich and have gutted the government for its ill-prepared execution of the PUV Modernization Program. Just recently, thousands of them took part in a three-day nationwide transport strike to resist the April 30 franchise consolidation deadline and ultimately the corporate takeover of public transport. The Department of Transport stated that jeepneys are not considered ‘colorum’ after the April 30 deadline. Such pronouncement only manifests the government’s ineffective planning processes and absurd ideas of the current circumstances of transport workers.

An appreciable number of workers make up the informal sector of the labor force in addition to transport workers. Ambulant vendors, platform delivery workers, pedicab drivers, construction workers, and other daily wage earners make up a large percentage of the urban poor workforce. Just like jeepney drivers, they also face vulnerability due to the lack of social security, occupational safety, and other protection mechanisms the state should provide.

Unnecessary and questionable policies

For the longest time, our policies have been reflective of the government’s desperation to appease the imperialists’ demands. This consequently forces the people to bear the brunt of its impact leading to further marginalization and disenfranchisement. The dismal situation of workers today can be attributed to the escalating crises in transportation, inflation, and contractual employment. Adding to their hardships is the impending charter change.

Increased commodity prices, stagnating wages, and an environmental crisis would disproportionately affect informal workers and the urban poor if public services like transportation, water and power supplies, education, and mass media were fully owned by foreign entities. This prompts us to reiterate our question of to whom is the charter change for when it will only serve the interests of the powerful. Beyond charter change, policies on housing and social protection only marginalize workers further as they also face threats of eviction, lack of benefits, and other protective mechanisms to become more productive members of society.

Fulfilling an inclusive labor agenda

Inklusibo stresses that the government should fulfill an inclusive labor agenda that protect workers and gives them opportunities to enhance their productivity. As the toiling masses continue to fight for livable wages, job security and regularization of employment, and humane labor conditions, the state should also fulfill their need for decent and affordable human settlements, progressive, nationalistic, and people-centric public transportation, and universal social protection. If the state leaves one of these demands behind, then it will be difficult for us to realize an inclusive future for all.