[APWSLMembers 210] GMA's Cha-Cha means unimaginable poverty and suppression KMU hits "aristocratic labor group" on Cha-Cha

[Kilusang Mayo Uno]

KMU News Release
March 20, 2006


GMA's Cha-Cha means unimaginable poverty and suppression
KMU hits "aristocratic labor group" on Cha-Cha

The militant labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) today hit the Trade 
Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) on its statement that jobs 
creation will be boosted through charter change.

Far from being a key to genuine local autonomy and jobs creation, KMU 
National Chairman Elmer Labog said that charter change is the final 
touch to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's de-facto martial rule.

"Tapat sa kanyang track record itong TUCP bilang tagapagtaguyod ng 
alinmang rehimen na dumadahas sa mamamayan. Tulad ng kanyang among si 
Mrs. Arroyo, sila ay mga tuta ng mga dayuhan. Isinusuko nila ang 
patrimonya  at mga likas na yaman ng ating bansa sa mga dayuhan na 
siyang laman ng Charter Change. Sisikilin nila ang anumang pagtutol 
ng mamamayan alang-alang sa kanilang Cha-cha," Labog further went on.
(TUCP is true to its track record of being a supporter of any regime 
that represses the people.  Like  its master Arroyo, TUCP is an 
imperialist puppet that surrenders the country's patrimony and 
natural resources to their foreign masters.  It will oppose the 
people's struggle just for the sake of Cha-Cha.)

The labor leader also said that among the contentious and 
unacceptable provisions in the Cha-Cha proposal include the ff: 100% 
foreign ownership of land, mass media outlets, advertising firms and 
liberalization of education. Also, Cha-Cha aims to open the economy 
and national patrimony to unrestrained foreign exploitation and profiteering.

"Globalization already massacred thousands of domestic jobs. Things 
will become worse with Cha-Cha as it shall legally institutionalize 
unbridled foreign domination of the local economy. For the working 
sector, Cha-Cha means massive job loss, unemployment and unimaginable poverty."

Further on, Labog said Mrs. Arroyo's Cha-Cha will worsen the 
violations in our freedom of expression, assembly and civil 
liberties. With Cha-Cha, the powers of the president or prime 
minister will be unhampered as to worsen the carnage of the bill of rights.

An accomplice to repressive regimes

Labog likewise recalled, "Isa ang TUCP sa humiling kay Marcos noon na 
ipakulong ang mga aming mga lider na sina Felixberto "Ka Bert" Olalia 
at Crispin "Ka Bel" Beltran at iba pa naming mga lider."
((TUCP was one of those who requested Marcos to jail our leaders, 
including Felixberto "Ka Bert" Olalia and Crispin "Ka Bel" Beltran.)

He said that in a 1988 human rights investigation in the country by 
the group of Ramsey Clark, it was found out that it was the 
Asian-American Free Labor Institute (AAFLI) through the National 
Endownment for Democracy (NED) which pushed that KMU leaders be 
arrested, "TUCP then is a conduit of the NED."

Labog also said  that the Charter Change Advocacy Commission (AdCom) 
puts it well when it said that the 'charter change is the antidote to 
those who want to secede and divide the republic.' "It is apparent 
that Mrs. Arroyo is keen on closing all constitutional avenues to the 
opposition to her anti-worker and anti-people policies and to the 
clamor against her illegitimate usurpation to power."

The labor leader said that the Cha-cha AdCom and the TUCP are 
apparently singing the same tune for what he calls a 
"Gloriahorrrific" charter change, "If the country is to pursue a 
change in the constitution, it ought to be in the perspective of 
construction of an economy that will advance the interest not only of 
a few but of the basic social sectors."###


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