KMU to Albayalde: Gov’t subservience to foreign powers causes unemployment, not rallies

Labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) on Monday said that it is the government's alleged subservience to foreign powers that causes unemployment, not rallies and protests.

“It is not workers’ protest actions or assertion of our democratic rights that unemployment under Duterte regime continues to worsen,” the KMU said.

The labor group made the statement after Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said that the KMU's activities are driving foreign investors away.

"Sino mawawalan ng trabaho? Eh di 'yung mga kapwa Pilipino natin. They instigate the worker, mag-rally 'yung worker, nagtratrabaho ng maayos, kumikita ng maayos, napapakain ang pamilya tapos tayo ang may kasalanan?" said Albayalde, in response to KMU's tagging him as a contributor to the oppression of the labor sector. 

The labor group said that the government's reliance on foreign investors has the resulted in plunder of resources and exploitation of labor in the country.

“Unions have struggled for the protection of jobs. It is not the cause of massive retrenchment and unemployment,” the KMU said.

The group also said they seek the creation of jobs through the advancement of the agricultural industry and the implementation of national industrialization.

“These should be prioritized over foreign direct investments,” the KMU said. — Joviland Rita/BM, GMA News