Posts by Benjamin Velasco
Philippines in 2024: Workers’ Welfare Deteriorates along with Quality of Democracy
As President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s administration approaches its midpoint, the conditions for workers and the poor continue to deteriorate, while the quality of democracy remains in decline. One indicator of the deficits in democracy is the utter dominance of political dynasties in the upcoming midterm elections in May 2025. The elections represent a pivotal moment…
Read More2023 Year in Review: Cost-of-living crisis and worsening inequality in the Philippines
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.‘s first full year in office in 2023 demonstrated both disruption and continuity in governance. While Marcos declared that the war on drugs would continue, his administration has shifted its focus toward prevention rather than the brutal enforcement that marked his predecessor’s approach. This shift is reflected in the reported decline…
Read MoreWorkers First: The Nagkaisa Labor Coalition’s Covid Response in the Philippines
The paper examined the demands, activities, tactics and alliances forged by the Nagkaisa (United) labor coalition as the authoritarian covid response of Duterte in the Philippines led to an unprecedented economic crisis. Nagkaisa is the most successful experiment in uniting organized labor in the last decade. It pushed for a response that prioritizes workers’ rights…
Read MoreArbeiter*innen Zuerst: Die Philippinische Arbeiter*innenvereinigung Nagkaisa Und Ihre Antwort Auf Covid-19
Diese Studie behandelt die Forderungen, Aktivitäten, Taktiken und Bündnisse der Arbeiter*innenvereinigung Nagkaisa («Vereint») in Reaktion auf die beispiellose Wirtschaftskrise, in die Dutertes COVID-19-Politik die Philippinen gestürzt hat. Nagkaisa gehört zu den erfolgreichsten Versuchen der letzten Jahrzehnte, Arbeiter*innenorganisationen zu vereinen. Der Zusammenschluss hat sich für einen Umgang mit COVID-19 eingesetzt, in dem die Rechte der Arbeiter*innen…
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