A salute to the Filipino workforce

Labor Day is an annual celebration honoring and recognizing our country’s workforce. It is also the time of the year when we usually hear the unending supplication of the workers or laborers for salary-wage hikes, fair compensation and benefits, end labor contractualization and other work-related conditions. It is also usually marked by rallies and political demonstrations to call for reforms and bring to the government’s attention the complaints of the workers.

Aside from the labor unions taking advantage of this day to voice out their concerns for the workers, there are these “opportunist organizations” who also try to manipulate them and continue to mislead them. I’m pretty sure that what the communist front organizations are trying to instill in these workers are the same old issues that are being raised for years but are not doing anything to solve these problems. They are just adding fuel to the fire and keep on agitating them until all the blame will be put to the government.

We know that much work still needs to be done in addressing these issues but let us not forget that our leaders are trying their best to improve the system, not in an overnight manner but for a long-term implementation. We may not feel it now but someday, one day, we will be experiencing the effects of the improved work/labor system.

So, I am calling on all my fellow workers, let us not be a victim of the scheme of these opportunist organizations. Let us be wary of who we are dealing with, especially when it comes to our work. I hope that the labor sector will not be manipulated anymore by the CPP-NPA-NDF.

Labor Day is all about the laborers, the workers, the employees, the personnel who work hard to make their family’s lives comfortable and satisfied. Not only on May 1 or this month should we pay tribute to all the achievements, sacrifices and contributions of our working men and women who greatly contribute to the progress of our nation, but we should thank them all throughout the year. – Sheila Mae Viernes, Cauayan City, Isabela