The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) unites with the Filipino workers and people who are holding big protests today to call for accountability for corrupt government officials and contractors and for a change in government policies in time for the 53^rd anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law

Today’s protests in Luneta, Mendiola and Edsa reflect workers and all Filipinos’ condemnation of corruption in the country’s flood control projects. In joining these protests, CTUHR refunctions the “bangka,” the small boat, which ordinary Filipinos use in many areas when flood levels are high.

Instead of being a symbol of Filipinos’ much-vaunted resiliency during high floods and strong typhoons, the bangka is now used as a call for accountability and change. We call for united action against corruption in government – “Iisang bangka laban sa korupsyon at para sa pagbabago (One boat against corruption and for change)” is our theme for today.

We are calling for the accountability of all contractors and politicians who have so far been named in relation to corruption in flood control projects – the Discaya contractor couple; Representative Zaldy Co; House Speaker Martin Romualdez; senators Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva and Mark Villar; and vice-president Sara Duterte.

Sara Duterte should be held accountable for her P615 million in unaudited confidential funds, including the controversial P125 million that she spent in just 11 days. Her dealings with contractors should be investigated, in the wake of revelations that she received donations from them for the 2022 elections.

Public funds lost to corruption are workers’ hard-earned money. They should have been spent on:
>> Health, education, housing and other social services for workers.
>> Expanding and improving labor inspection in workplaces to ensure compliance with labor rights.
>> Improving labor courts’ rate of dispatch of workers’ cases.
>> Increasing the wages and decreasing the workloads of construction workers in flood control projects.

We are revolted by the injustice of a system in which corrupt contractors and politicians amass huge wealth and remain scot-free while 20 labor organizers and leaders continue to be detained as political prisoners. The first are perpetrators and benefactors of corruption, while the second are enemies of government corruption and whose only crime is fighting for workers’ labor and human rights. The first should be jailed while the second should be set free immediately.