May 5th
On the Global Day of Mourning and Rage for the Negros 19 - BAYAN members prepared for mass actions and vigils throughout the day. Different areas raised their voices and fists in condemning the senseless attacks on civilians in Tomboso, Negros Occidental. The heightened militarization in the Philippines and the fascist repression for migrant workers abroad instilled a sense of urgency to amplify the call to "stop the killings!"
BAYAN USA and Malaya Movement USA hosted a global press conference that served as a spotlight for some of the families who lost loved ones from the killings in Tomboso. This exposed the inhumane ruthlessness in which the Philippine state will commit human rights violations and go against International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
In New York, there was active campaigning to visit supportive governments that will recognize the unjust killings in the Philippines and were open to listening to the case against Philippine President Marcos Jr's bid for a seat on the UN Security Council.
We continued to find ways to speak to Philippine state representatives during their visit at the IMRF. BAYAN members confronted Hans Leo Cacdac (Secretary of DMW) after a speaking engagement he held at the International Labor Organization (ILO) which is an entity that also monitors the labor protection for seafarers. Cacdac dodged any meaningful response to the questions that our members raised about the over 200 deported Filipino seafarers, the caregivers who have been exploited by their abusive employers and the massacre of the Negros 19. He dismissed these concerns altogether and refused to comment on the claim that Filipinos are not a target of unjust deportations. His inability to speak to the realities of migrant workers aligns with the overall response from the Philippine government - one that disregards their experiences, yet is ready to export them abroad and reap from their remittances.
Anakbayan USA alongside members of the Kabataan Alliance then staged a vibrant prop action and rally in front of the Philippine Consulate honoring the lives of the Negros 19 and reemphasizing the crucial role of the youth to link with the oppressed, toiling workers of the world towards genuine change in our society.