KMU, Piston to converge at physical protest rally on SONA day

Labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno, and transport association Piston will hold a physical protest on the day President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.

In a Facebook post, KMU will assemble at 8:30 a.m.  at CP Garcia St. and will march to Jacinto St. in Diliman, Quezon City before the program starts.

KUM will hold the main program or the SONAgkaisa, an anti-Duterte protest, at the University of the Philippines, Diliman campus at 10:00 a.m.

Then, the group will go to the ABS-CBN Corporation’s Esguerra Gate at 6 p.m. to protest against the denial of the company’s franchise renewal.

“Taliwas sa sinasabi nilang pagbabawal ng pampulitikang pagtitipon para sugpuin ang pandemya, ang nais lamang sugpuin ng gobyerno ay ang pagrereklamo at paglaban ng mamamayan,” KMU chair Elmer Labog said in a statement.

Authorities are discouraging the conduct of mass gatherings on the day of SONA due to threat of the transmission of the virus among protesters.

“Batay sa mga research, walang kinalaman sa pagkalat ng COVID ang pagrarali. Sila nga itong nagpapahamak sa mga locally-stranded individuals na walang physical distancing nilang pinaghihintay,” he added.

Meanwhile, Piston will gather first at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Central Office at 7 a.m.

The transport group will converge with the members of Bayan in Philcoa at 8 a.m.

Like KMU, Piston will go to the SONAgkaisa program at 10 a.m. and then to ABS-CBN Esguerra gate at 6 p.m. —LBG, GMA News