HOTSPOT
In 1902, the colonial legislature listed a grand total of nine public holidays in the Philippines.
In its Act No. 345, the Philippine Commission designated “the first day of January, the 22nd of February, Thursday and Friday of what is commonly called Holy Week, the fourth of July, the 13th of August, Thanksgiving Day, the 25th of December and the 30th of December” as public holidays.
We could easily identify there New Year’s Day, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, US Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. But the act did not explain or describe two other dates. Maybe our historians could help us about Feb. 22 (which might be the regular President’s Day holiday in the US at the time) and Aug. 13 (which could be about the infamous Battle of Manila).
Also in 1902, Filipino workers started organizing themselves. The first labor union was born: The Union Democratica de Litógrafos, Impresores, Encuadernadores y Otros Obrero. Then, unions formed the first trade union center: Unión Obrera Democrática (UOD).
The book “History of the Philippines Labor Movement” recounts that aside from the workers in the printing presses, those who joined UOD were workers in the cigarette factories, tailors, shoemakers, carpenters, sculptors, and even barbers.
UOD elected Isabelo delos Reyes as president and Herminigildo Cruz as vice president, and adopted the socialist principles from the books “Life and Works of Karl Marx” by Friedrich Engels and “Los Compesinos” by Malatesta.
Delos Reyes and UOD proclaimed in Aug. 1902 the establishment of the Philippine Independent Church.
UOD called for a national strike to demand a wage increase, which colonial authorities met with arrests based on a Spanish era law banning workers from organizing themselves and demanding higher wages.
By 1903, UOD had reorganized and renamed itself as UODF (F for de Filipinas).
UODF passed resolutions on: (1) the introduction of cooperatives in the country; (2) restriction on the entry of aliens; (3) opposing the proposal of American and Filipino businessmen to introduce the rickshaw business in the country; (4) adoption of an eight-hour working day; (5) establishment of workers’ schools; (6) declaration of May 1st as Labor Day; and (7) establishment of workers’ districts and tenement houses.
The Second International and the American Federation of Labor had pushed May 1 as International Workers Day, in honor of a historic U.S. national strike and to promote workers’ solidarity around common goals.
The number of UOD member-unions rose from 33 to 150, and its mass membership reached 20,000 in Manila and the suburbs.
On May 1, 1903, UODF again made history by spearheading the Philippines’ first Labor Day. Despite the authorities’ denial of a rally permit (sounds familiar?), UODF spearheaded a huge march of 100,000 workers to Malacanang to demand complete independence.
A lot happened after that first Labor Day, with colonial authorities moving against the UODF, arresting leader Dominador Gomez, and putting up a pro-American and American-style trade union center.
But on April 29, 1908, the Philippine Assembly passed Act No. 1818 proclaiming May 1 as a public holiday. In just five years, one of UODF’s dreams and demands had been attained. We could thus consider our Labor Day as arguably the first public holiday collectively fought for and won by Filipinos themselves.
The book I referenced here also cites the name of a Bulletin cajista or typesetter, Crisanto Evangelista, as a prime mover of unionism in the country.
Evangelista served as secretary-general of the Union de Impresores de Filipinas, co-founder of the Legionarios del Trabajo, secretary-general of the Congreso de Obrero de Filipinas, leader of the Katipunan ng mga Anakpawis sa Pilipinas, and, finally, founder of the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas.
The Japanese imperial conquest of Manila in 1942 led to the arrest and execution of Evangelista and other PKP leaders. But the PKP would fight on and figure prominently in our World War II history. Filipino communists, socialists and peasant leaders would organize the Hukbalahap and lead the Philippine resistance to the Japanese invaders.
This column could only barely scratch the surface of the Philippine labor movement’s history.
As we mark our 120th Labor Day this year, let’s remember how it all started, our first labor groups, our first labor leaders, the first labor demands. Their achievements, losses and sacrifices are an inspiration to the Filipino workingclass and the nation, and deserve our eternal gratitude. Mabuhay ang uring manggagawa sa Pilipinas at sa buong daigdig!