Women strike against poverty, government neglect, corporate greed

Women strike against poverty, government neglect, corporate greed

By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Rhak Bihag, 23 said life is getting more difficult for urban poor families. “It’s difficult to find a job; it’s difficult to make do with a measly budget to buy food for our family. And what does the president do? He further pushes poor families to crisis.”

Women strike back. Mothers marched to Mendiola to show rage against corporate greed. (Photo by Anne Marxze D. Umil / Bulatlat.com)

Women, including Bihag, stormed Mendiola bridge to show President Benigno S. Aquino III their anger and disgust for his continued support for big corporations such as the oil cartel at the expense of the ordinary Filipino family.

“We are here today to strike back against the continuing oil price hike, continuing demolition of communities of urban poor families,” Bihag told Bulatlat.com

Gabriela marks Oct. 28 as National Women’s Day of Protest. This year aside from the women’s rally in Mendiola, protest actions were also held in Southern Tagalodg, Cordillera, Cagayan Valley, Iloilo, Negros, Cebu, Davao and Caraga.

According to Lana Linaban, secretary general of Gabriela, on Oct. 28, 1983 10,000 women marched against the Marcos dictatorship. This began the tradition of militant women’s protest actions every October 28 against various issues that plague women. For this year’s protest, hundreds of women, Including mothers carrying their children, joined the march from Morayta to Mendiola bridge.

Women protesters removed the barricades covering the gates of Mendiola bridge. Caricature of Aquino, the US and oil companies were then posted at the gates, mothers expressed their anger by throwing mud at the caricature.

Junk oil deregulation law

Mothers throw mud at the caricature of Aquino, the US and oil companies posted at the gates of Mendiola bridge.(Photo by Anne Marxze D. Umil / Bulatlat.com)

“Women, especially mothers who try hard to budget the expenses of the family, are suffering because of the high prices of basic commodities, which, in turn, is being pushed up further by f the continuing increases in oil prices. But the Aquino government continues to neglect the welfare of majority of women. He allows big oil companies to rake in profits at the expense of the poor,” Linaban said during the protest.

Linaban lambasted Aquino’s rejection of buying back Petron. “It is very clear from Petron’s huge profits that the company is doing good business but at the expense of the people. If the company is owned by the government, it could help bring down oil prices and the people will benefit.”

Linaban added that the Aquino government only big businesses more than the people. According to Linaban Petron’s profit increased from P 6 billion ($139 million) last June to P 7.6 billion ($176 million) this September. She said,“Their profits increased by almost P 2 billion in the third quarter. These three months were characterized by calamities brought about by the typhoons and floods. Yet, it still had the temerity to profit from the misery of the people whose livelihood further sank into crisis. This is plain opportunism, added to the fact that the oil cartel has not been able to answer the accusations of overpricing.”.... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/10/29/women-strike-against-poverty-government-neglect-corporate-greed/