Palace respects holding of rallies on Labor Day

April 30, 2019

Malacanang has shrugged off planned rallies on Labor Day Wednesday, by various groups.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said anyone could join the rallies.

"It's their right to protest. You can even join them if you feel like joining," he said.

Various labor groups, led by the Kilusang Mayo Uno, are set to hold a march in Manila that will end in Liwasang Bonifacio to press for "wage increase and anti-fascism."

An effigy of President Rodrigo Duterte, which the protesters called as "DUTERTEmonyo," projecting the President as an "evil," would be paraded on the Manila streets and would later be burned.

According to KMU, some 30,000 workers are expected to participate in the Metro Manila rally.

Meanwhile, Panelo said it would be up to the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board to decide on the call for wage increase.

"We have the wage board. So whatever petitions they will have to file, have to go through the wage board," he said.

In particular, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines has asked the RTWPB ( Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board) for a P710-per-day across-the-board wage increase for workers in Metro Manila. Celerina Monte/DMS