Protests planned for Bacolod City today

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Several groups plan to hold protests in Bacolod City today as part of this year’s Labor Day observance.

Diocese of Bacolod’s Social Action Center (SAC) head, Fr. Chris Gonzales, said they have called on various civic groups to participate in a forum hosted by the diocese parishioners and Workers Solidarity, which aims to discuss issues, including the call to end job contractualization, demands for wage increases, and better welfare for workers.

Gonzales said he would also address a rally at the Fountain of Justice, located at the old Bacolod City Hall, scheduled to take place at 1:00 p.m.

The General Alliance of Workers Association (GAWA), meanwhile, is set to hold a labor forum for solidarity at Gerald’s Restaurant at San Juan Street this morning in order to issue a workers’ manifesto airing their opposition to job contractualization.

GAWA Secretary-General Wennie Sancho said they are presently “dismayed” at President Rodrigo Duterte for his refusal to sign an executive order to stop contractualization, despite promising the end of it during his 2016 presidential campaign.

Sancho also said other economic concerns, such as wage hikes, would also be discussed, adding based on a Pulse Asia survey taken between March 23 to 28, 50 percent of the 1,200 respondents in the Western Visayas listed “salary increases” as their top priority./DGB, WDJ