International Working Women’s Day
On this International Working Women’s Day, GABRIELA USA joins the scores of Filipino women around the world demanding their basic rights to fair wages, food, land, health, education and social rights. Working Filipino women are on the forefront of the people’s struggle, engaging in strikes, demonstrations, protests and organizing themselves to achieve their own liberation from the oppression of the ruling class!
While Bongbong Marcos Jr. and his camp continue to pursue a Charter Change (Cha-Cha), the basic needs of Filipinos both at home and abroad continue to be neglected. His efforts to change the Philippine Constitution and allow up to 100% foreign ownership of the Philippines’ public utilities, education and media sectors will not improve the lives of the people, especially those from the working class. Instead of constantly finding new ways to sell out the Filipino people and land, basic needs like a living wage, regular work and access to social services should be achieved!
About 61% of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) are women, and they are often pushed into taking up low-paying, difficult and unprotected jobs due to the lack of job opportunities in the Philippines. OFW women may be subject to issues like wage theft, abusive working conditions and even human trafficking. On top of this, many Filipino women experience gender-based violence in their workplace with limited ability to protect themselves. Cases of Filipino women workers like Flor Contemplacion and Mary Jane Veloso, who is still currently on death row with no support from the Philippine government, expose the utter neglect OFW women face and the unnecessary sacrifices they make just to survive.
Meanwhile, the US continues to heighten tension in the Asia Pacific and the Philippines' continuous purchasing and testing of arms and surveillance from both the US and Israel poses a great threat towards the Filipino people and especially women. Rising militarization can also lead to increased violence against women; whether it be the devastation of the land on which peasant women reside or direct gender-based violence from military personnel to Filipino women, increased military presence is a threat to Filipino women’s safety. With the upcoming Balikatan military exercises & participation in RIMPAC 2024, it is shown to us time and again that their priorities only lie with bowing down to imperialist interest and generating more profit for the imperialists’ lapdogs.
This is why we in GABRIELA USA stand against the ruling class who profits off the exploitation and low treatment of women! We need a system change, not charter change! The solution to women’s suffering is in our struggle for freedom! Filipino women, join the struggle for national democracy and fight for our rights!