CAUSE-ORIENTED groups marched on some Cebu City streets yesterday to commemorate the 151st birthday of Andres Bonifacio. The groups also continue to push for the abolition of the pork barrel and to amend the Oil Deregulation Law.
At 9 a.m., the Partido ng Manggagawa held a protest rally on Colon St.; at 1 p.m., the groups of Anak Pawis and Bayan Muna also marched from Fuente Osmeña rotunda toward Colon St.
For both rallies, police estimated the crowd to be about 300.
Jaime Paglinawan of Bayan Muna said that their theme for the 151st birthday of the national hero was “Diwa ni Bonifacio, inspirasyon alang sa padayong pakigbisog sa tinuod na pagbag-o.”
Other groups that participated in the Bayan Muna-initiated rally were Grabriela and Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston)-Cebu.
Paglinawan told Sun.Star Cebu that he hopes that the commemoration of Bonifacio’s birthday will serve as an instrument for the concerned government agencies to listen to their sentiments.
“Based on this year’s theme, we want change, a change in our nation,” said Paglinawan.
Paglinawan said his group vows to continue the revolution initiated by Bonifacio to protect the rights of the workers.
Greg Perez, a Piston representative, also tackled the local issue that concerns the drivers–the increase of penalties for traffic violations.
He said his group will not stop protesting against the increase until the government would listen to their appeal.
Jenny Fabroa, 20, a college student from one of the universities in the city, was among those who also joined yesterday’s activity.
The concern she raised was about tuition increases.
Cebu City Police Intelligence Branch Chief Romeo Santander said at least 20 policemen were deployed during yesterday’s rallies to ensure order.
Meanwhile, the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) urged private sector employers to give their workers the correct payment “as their fair share of the fruits of production.”
ALU-TUCP spokesman Art Barrit said they hope the employers would possess the conviction, values and principles of Bonifacio, whom they honored yesterday, “as he (Bonifacio) knew that a nation is built on the back of its workers.” - SunStar Cebu By Elias O. Baquero and Jill Tatoy-Rabor
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