I am honored and glad to have been invited by the Nagkakaisang Manggagawa ng Tarlac (United Workers of Tarlac) and BAYAN-Tarlac to give a message this May First and meet via teleconference the workers of Central Luzon who have gathered in Tarlac and Angeles City through the assistance of Workers’ Alliance-Region 3 and BAYAN-Central Luzon.
Our discussion is a relevant celebration of International Workers Day. Our topic for discussion is of utmost importance. We must address and counter the policy of neoliberalism, struggle against its evil consequences on the working masses and look to the bright future of the struggle of the working class and the Filipino people.
The chronic crisis of the semifeudal economy that has beset neocolonialism or imperialist control through direct investments and debt has been further worsened by neoliberal policy which brazenly expands the superprofits of foreign monopoly capitalists through the reduction of wages, the removal of social services, the liberalization of investments and trade, the privatization of state assets, deregulation and denationalization.
Neoliberal policy has caused the stunting of the economy, high unemployment rates, widespread poverty and the grave impoverishment of the working masses and the entire people. Their daily lives are fraught with suffering such as low wages and lack of job security, especially in the face of widespread short-term contractualization, lack of health services, housing and others, high prices of commodities, high taxes and political repression.
In the face of such a situation, the working masses must rise up and struggle, not just for their daily needs, but more so for the struggle of the entire class and people against imperialism and the local reactionary big compradors and big landlords in order to attain national freedom and democracy for the people and open the gates towards socialism.
