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No to VAT—KMU-Cordi

BAGUIO CITY (Feb. 11) — The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU)-Cordillera expressed support to the nationwide sentiment against the proposed House Bill 3355 or the Value Added Tax (VAT).

KMU-Cordillera Spokesperson James Tulipa said that it would only worsen the very poor situation of the people especially the workers who until now are receiving petty wages. He added that like the other workers in the country, Cordillera laborers, since time immemorial, have been carrying the burden of unimaginable poverty.

He stressed that the workers find it difficult coping with continuing price hikes.
“If the VAT will be implemented, the workers together with their families can no longer survive”. Tulipa said. # Aldwin Quitasol for NORDIS

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Former Philex workers face eviction

BAGUIO CITY (Feb. 11) — As part of Philex Mining Corporation’s (PMC) camp decongestion program, the mining firm is set to evict former employees by March 2005. PMC management tried to implement the decision since 1999. This was met by strong opposition by the community.

The company justified the eviction by claiming that there is no more employee-employer relationship with the former mine workers and they can no longer be “generous”. They also said that the management’s priority is their present workers who need to be housed.

Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU)-Cordillera Spokesperson James Tulipa criticized PMC’s move, saying that after all the hard labor workers have invested in the company, they will only end up evicted. He added that PMC should be considerate enough to its former workers who have built small cottages within the camp.

“It is from their sweat and blood that they built these homes. Many of them came from far provinces, in search of better lives. Right now they have no other home but Philex,” he said.

Tulipa added that the labor case filed by the retrenched employees is not yet finished and the employee-employer relationship is not yet officially terminated.

There will be a dialogue between the management and the affected residents with Benguet Province Board Member Juan Nazarro on February 18, 2005. # Aldwin Quitasol for NORDIS

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Mining not pro-worker

BAGUIO CITY (Feb. 11) — The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU)-Cordillera joined various sectors in protest against the government-sponsored mining summit that aimed to attract more foreign investors. KMU said that the mining conference would not benefit the people and will only create massive displacement of communities and heavy damages to the environment.

KMU Spokesperson James Tulipa added that large-scale mining does not even benefit workers as far as jobs are concerned “because the mining operations will be massive.Companies will use modern mining technologies and heavy machines that can boost their production. This will mean job displacement for the workers”.

Tulipa said that the better alternative is the nationalization of the mining industry where the which the Filipino people will have an actual hand on the mining industry. # Aldwin Quitasol for NORDIS

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