Militants unimpressed with PNoy Labor Day gift

Militants on Sunday were not impressed with President Benigno Aquino III’s Labor Day offerings for this year, even as they insist on a legislated wage hike to ease laborers’ woes. “Sinabi naming walang magiging laman ang pronouncements ng Malacañang (Just as we thought, the Palace’s pronouncements meant nothing to workers)," Kilusang Mayo Uno secretary general Elmer Labog said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said the Palace should have acted more actively on “supervening events" that it admitted had been affecting workers. Earlier, Aquino told moderate labor leaders at a breakfast meeting in Malacañang that the government is working for their welfare but said reforms should not be expected overnight. Instead of announcing a wage hike, he urged all concerned parties to act quickly on petitions for a wage hike. Aquino also junked proposals for the regulation of oil prices, saying government has no funds to subsidize fuel. — LBG, GMA News