 
Labor cannot forget when then Gen. Ping Lacson launched the campaign
against .kotong cops. It was a time when everyone thought that the widespread
practice of kotong was impossible to eliminate.
But kotong did stop under Gen. Ping Lacson. Our bus, taxi, jeepney and
tricycle drivers were happy to save more of their earnings as cops concentrated
on managing traffic rather than on collecting kotong. Our small-time vendors
were no longer harassed by kotong cops. Food delivery vehicles from the
provinces no longer had to stop at every kotong checkpoint. It was the
poor who benefited most from the drive to stop kotong.
It was a simple plan that was implemented with firm determination and
dedication. It was a simple plan that brought about a big change that
captured the imagination of the ranks of the workers. Pwede pala!
Corruption in government can be eliminated if the national leadership
has the political will to do so and has the determination to lead by example.
Official corruption is costing the Filipino people P150 billion a year!
We need this money to generate more jobs and service the poor.
Gen. Ping Lacson, when he headed the Philippine National Police (PNP),
implemented a "no take" policy with respect to jueteng and rejected
bribe worth millions as then Gov. Chavit Singson, the jueteng whistle-blower,
himself testified.
Gen. Ping Lacson allotted the lion share or 85% of the PNP budget to
the operating units in the field substantially eliminating the lavish
perks and privileges of top police officials. That's the kind of political
will we need to clean up the government. Ganun pala!
If there is political will, sincerity and dedication to duty, one can
absorb fast the general struggle of the toiling masses. So did Senator
Ping Lacson. He took the cudgel for them when he publicly opposed the
more scandalous kotong enterprise of the Purchased Power Adjustment (PPA)
charges. It is all about protecting the hard-earned money of the masses.
It is all about protecting and promoting the people's interest.
With such qualities, plus the courage and determination that Senator
Ping Lacson has exhibited despite continuous political persecution and
smear campaign by his detractors and sworn enemies, we can have a government
that will be more responsive to the needs of the toiling masses. Ito na
talaga!
The toiling masses need a champion in government, someone who cannot
be intimidated nor be bought by vested interests, someone whose roots
can be traced to their ranks. Born of a father who was a driver and mother
who was a vendor who sew all his clothes, Senator Ping Lacson is the champion
of the toiling masses! Senator Ping Lacson is the workers' man! Senator
Lacson is our man! We, Filipino workers, now unite! We will make Senator
Lacson workers' President in 2004!
Hindi maaaring malimutan ng sektor ng paggawa nang ilunsad noon ni Hen.
Ping Lacson ang kampanya laban sa mga pulis kotong. Ito ang panahon na
kung saan para bang ang pangongotong ay hindi na masasawata. Ngunit ito
ay napagtagumpayan ni Hen. Panfilo Lacson.
Natuwa ang mga tsuper ng bus, taksi, jeep ganun na rin ang mga pumapasada
ng tricycle dahil ang atensyon ng mga pulis ay nabaling na sa pagsasaayos
ng daloy ng trapiko at hindi sa pangongotong. Ganun din, ang mga biyahero
ng iba't ibang uri ng produkto na galing sa probinsya, dahil di na nila
kailangang huminto sa mga kotong chekpoints. Di na rin tinatakot ng mga
pulis ang ating mga maliliit na kababayang nagtitinda sa lansangan. Sa
kabuuan, ang mga maralita ang nakinabang sa kampanya laban sa kotong.
Ito ay pagpapatupad ng isang simpleng inesyatiba na may determinasyon
at walang pasubali. Isang determinadong pagpapatupad ng isang simpleng
batas na pumukaw ng atensyon sa hanay ng paggawa. Pwede pala!
Ang pangungurakot sa pamahalaan ay maaring masawata kung determinadong
nanaisin ng pambansang liderato at maging halimbawa sa pagpapatupad nito.
Ang pangungurakot sa pamahalaan ay umaabot ng 150 bilyon kada taon na
lubbang kailangan ng bansa upang magkaroon ng maraming trabaho at nakinabang
ang mga maralita.
Ipinatupad ni Hen. Ping Lacson ang polisiya na "bawal ang lagay"
patungkol sa kampanya laban sa jueteng at tinanggihan ang mga umaabot
sa milyong lagay na na pinatunayan mismo ng jueteng lord na si Gov. Chavit
Singson.
Ibinahagi ni Hen. Lacson ang 85% na budget ng PNP sa mga "field
operating units" na malaking kabawasan sa luho ng mga matataas na
opisyales ng kapulisan. Ito ang uri ng liderato na ating kailangan upang
malinis ang ating pamahalaan. Ganun pala!
Ang pagkakaroon ng sinsero at dedikadong liderato na naghahangad ng tunay
at determinadong pamamahala ay madaling makaunawa sa paghihirap ng masa.
Ito ang ginawa ni Sen. Lacson ng kaniyang labanan ang maanomalyang Purchased
Power Adjustment (PPA). Ito ay upang protektahan ang perang kanilang pinaghirapan,
upang proteksyunan ang interes ng masa.
Ang ganitong katangian, idagdag pa ang kanyang katapangan at determinasyon
sa kabila ng mga pag-uusig at mga mapanirang kampanya na ginagawa ng kaniyang
mga kalaban sa pulitika ay simbolo ng katatagan. Sa kaniyang liderato
maaari tayong magkaroon ng pamahalaang tutugon sa karaingan ng manggagawa
at interes ng mamamayan. Ito na talaga!
Ang hanay ng manggagawa ay nangangailangan ng tunay na lingkod at lider
sa ating pamahalaan Isang tao na walang takot at walang pansariling interes.
Isang indibiwal na galing mismo sa ating sariling hanay. Anak ng isang
hamak na tsuper at isang ordinaryong tindera, siya'y tunay na masa. Siya
ang tagapagtaguyod ng mga manggagawa. Siya ang tagapagtaguyod natin. Tayong
mga manggagawa ay nagkakaisa na! Tayong mga manggagawa ang siyang magluluklok
kay Sen. Lacson bilang pangulo ng mangagawa sa 2004.
Association of Democratic Labor Organizations (ADLO)
Carlito Rallistan, President, 0920-8049330
Automotive Industry Workers Alliance (AIWA)
Frank Mero, President, 0917-5374344
Labor Rights Advocacy and Welfare Center (LRAWC)
Arnel Lajada, Executive Director, 0919-5954804
Lakas Manggagawa Labor Center (LMLC)
Antonio Policarpio, Chairman, 0917-9389603
National Federation of Labor-National Confederation of
Labor (NFL-NCL)
Ernesto Arellano, President, 0917-3966996
National Labor Union (NLU)
Dave Diwa, Vice-President, 0916-3072448
Pambansang Diwa ng Manggagawang Pilipino (PDMP)
Roberto Oca, Jr., National President, 02-7236852
3 Labor Centers, 25 Federations, 3 National Unions, 5
Industry Alliances, 219 Local Unions, 17 Affiliates, 8 Independent Unions,
5 Service Providers, 287 signed and existing Collective Bargaining Agreements
(CBAs), 200,000+ Organized Workers
Lakas Manggagawa Labor Center (LMLC) Antonio Policarpio,
Chairman - 10 Federations, 70 Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs),
30,000 workers; National Federation of Labor-National Confederation of
Labor (NFL-NCL) Ernesto Arellano, President - 30 local unions, 15,000
workers; Pambansang Diwa ng Manggagawang Pilipino (PDMP) Roberto Oca Jr.,
National President - 6 Federations, 30 CBAs, 10,000 workers.
Alliance of Trade Unions (ATU) Joseph Pajanustan, President
- 10,000 members; Alyansa ng Malayang Obrero (AMO) Oscar Aceron, President-
7 local unions, 7 CBAs, 5,000 workers; Association of Democratic Labor
Organization (ADLO) Carlito Rallistan, President - 10 local unions, 10
CBAs, 3,000 workers; Association of Free Democratic Labor Unions (ADFLU)
Antonio Cedilla, President - 6 local unions, 6 CBAs, 2,000 workers; Confederation
of Labor and Allied Social Services (CLASS) Mon Certero, President - 22
local unions, 17 affiliates, 22 CBAs, 33,000 workers; National Labor Union
(NLU) Eulogio Lerum, President - 25 unions, 25 CBAs, 5,000 workers; Philippine
Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) Alexander Barrientos, President
- 1 CBA, 6,000 workers; Philippine Labor Unity Movement Federation (PLUM)
Salvador Purisima, Secretary General - 6 local unions, 6 CBAs, 2,000 workers;
Philippine National Unions Council (PNUC) Norberto Alenzuela, President
- 10 local unions, 10 CBAs, 2,500 workers; Philippine Transport and General
Workers Organization (PTGWO-Oca) Atty. Pedro de Quiroz, Secretary General
- 30, local unions, 30 CBAs, 10,000 workers; United Filipino Workers Solidarity
(UFWS) Rodolfo Ladiao, President - 10 local unions, 10 CBAs, 3,000 workers.
Alyansa ng Lapiang Security Guards sa Pilipinas (ALAS)
Atty. Alfredo Bentulan, Secretary General - 3 local unions, 3 CBAs, 3,000
workers; Associated Workers Union (AWU) Paul de Quiroz, Vice President
- 30 local unions, 30 CBAs, 10,000 workers; Automotive Industry Workers
Alliance (AIWA) Frank Mero, Chairman - 15 unions, 15 CBAs, 6,000 workers;
Aviation Industry Alliance (AIA) Edgardo Oredina, Convenor - 10 unions,
2 CBAs, 3,000 workers; Banks, Insurance and Finance Unions (BIFU) Jerry
Tan, Chairman - 5 unions, 5 CBAs, 3,000 workers.
Central Colleges of the Philippines Faculty and Non-Academic
Personnel Employees Association (CCPNAPEA) Prof. Gloria Agato, President
- 1 CBA, 250 workers; Coca-Cola Bottles Philippines Post-Mix Employees
Union-Las Pinas (CCBPPMEU-Las Pinas) Rey Reyes, President - 1 CBA, 40
workers; Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines Post-Mix Employees Union-Manila
(CCBPPMEU-Manila) Retie Socrates, President - 1 CBA, 80 workers; Coca-Cola
Bottlers Philippines Daily and Monthly-Paid Workers Union-San Pedro, Laguna
(CCBPDMPWU-San Pedro) Danny Balunes, President - 1 CBA, 600 workers; Miascor
Workers Union (MWU) Demosthenes Agan, President - 1 CBA, 2,000 workers;
Nagkakaisang Manggagawa sa Welprint Services (NMWS) Tony Brenches, Adviser
- 30 workers; PS Bank Employees Union (PSBEU) Exequiel Nidea, President
- 300 workers; PUP Faculty and Non-Academic Personnel Association (PUPNAPA)
Prof. Zenaida Pia, President- 500 workers.
Construction Workers Solidarity, Inc. (CWSI-Construction
Workers) Leodegario Lubiano, President - 15 companies, 5,000 workers;
Labor Rights Welfare and Advocacy Center (LRWAC-Independent Unions) Arnel
Lajada, Executive Director; Sikhay Foundation, Inc. (SFI-Communications
and Postal Workers) Ronaldo Tuazon, Chairman - 17,000 constituents.
Masa ng Edsa (Vendors & Unemployed-Pasay City) Rogelio
Estrella, Chairman - 500 workers-urban poor; National Union of the Unemployed
in the Philippines (NUUP) Ernesto Abille, President - 1,000 members.
 3199
Magsaysay Blvd., Sta. Mesa, Manila; Tel. 7152752;
Cel. 0916-3072448; Email: labor4lacson2004@hotmail.com
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