LABOR When they created a union among B-Mirk employees doing outsourced jobs in NutriAsia in April, officers were

When they created a union among B-Mirk employees doing outsourced jobs in NutriAsia in April, officers were laid
off.
NUTRIASIA
The workers say they were suspected as union members when they held a noise barrage during a work day – they
LOOK: Why NutriAsia workers are on strike clapped for around 15 minutes. Suspected members, they added, were "threatened" with suspensions.

Some outsourced workers at NutriAsia’s facilities are paid P380 a day

In June, they decided they couldn't take it anymore. And so they went to the streets to hold a strike.

Aika Rey and Jane Bautista

Violence
Published 7:20 AM, June 18, 2018
Updated 12:29 PM, June 21, 2018
Jessie Gerola, president of Nagkakaisang Manggagawa ng NutriAsia Inc, led 200 people composed of workers and
CONTRACTUAL. Jornell Quiza, 28, had spent long years working with NutriAsia, hired through contractor B-Mirk. All supporters, in holding a picket line across the factory in Marilao in June 4.
photos by Jane Bautista/Rappler

The act forced NutriAsia to suspend operations, as the picket barred entry to the plant. (READ: PH still among
BULACAN, Philippines – All they wanted was to be hired in regular positions. world's 'worst' countries to work in – report)

Jornell Quiza, 28, was hired by contractor B-Mirk Enterprise sometime in 2010 to work for condiments company The NutriAsia management sought for a temporary restraining order (TRO) from a Regional Trial Court in Bulacan,
NutriAsia in Marilao, Bulacan. NutriAsia is the manufacturer of popular condiments, such as Datu Puti vinegar, Mang and succeeded in getting not only one but two TROs.
Tomas sauce, and UFC ketchup.

Come Thursday, June 14, hundreds of policemen and security personnel guarded the gate of NutriAsia to enforce
Throughout the years, he had been assigned to different tasks. He started as a bottle feeder then came to be a the said TROs. Those who joined the picket line were forced to leave.
machine operator for popular gravy sauce Mang Tomas. After figuring in an accident and getting ill, he was
eventually moved to mixing Datu Puti soy sauce.
But when a woman worker tried taking a video with her phone, a policeman shoved her arm to stop her from
recording. Violence ensued.
The work was hard but he had no other choice. For P380 a day, Quiza had to work overtime so he could make ends
meet.
"Sila nag-umpisang tanggalin ang mga kubol namin. Dahil kokonti lang kami sa picket namin noon, pinilit kami i-
disperse palabas. Tinulak kami sa batikwasan,"Gerola told Rappler.
"Kahit uniform o protective gear, kami ang nagbabayad. Sabi, ire-reimburse daw, pero hindi naman lahat
[nabibigyan]. Minsan, mahigit 12 hours sa isang araw kami nagtatrabaho para lang mapagkasya 'yung sweldo
namin," he said. (They started to remove our makeshift camps. Because there were few of us in the picket line at that time, they
dispersed us by forcing us out. They pushed us to the boundary.)

(Even uniforms or protective gear, we pay for it. They said they will reimburse, but not all receive reimbursement.
Sometimes, we work more than 12 hours a day so that we have enough salary.) 'Like animals'

He said he received no salary adjustments in his 7 years with NutriAsia as an outsourced worker. Quiza was also part of the picket line that Thursday afternoon. He and protesters laid to the ground, hoping that the
police would not hit them.

Quiza's experience was not an isolated case. It was the norm for more than a thousand outsourced workers, mostly
hired through contracting agencies. "Wala naman kaming mga armas panlaban, kaya dumapa na lang kami," Quiza said. (We don't have arms for
fighting, that's why we laid down to the ground.)
But instead of exercising restraint, Quiza said that the police surrounded them and went on to beat them.
"Gusto kong tumakas, gusto kong umalis para hindi ako mapalo sana. Lumusob [sila] tapos pinaghahampas ako
nang pinaghahampas," he said. (I wanted to escape, I wanted to leave so I won't be hit. But they came over me and
continuously hit me.)
REFUGE. NutriAsia workers were taken in by the Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Marilao, Bulacan.
Junel Padaylap, Quiza's co-worker, received a heavy beating as well.
"Hindi sila tumitigil. Hanggang sa may tao doon na nakahiga, papaluin nila yun nang papaluin," Padaylap said. (They
didn't stop. As long as there was someone lying there, they will continue to hit them.)
The only way that made the police stop was when they acted as if they were dead. And then, they ran away.
"Nagpapatay patayan [na lang] kami. Kapag di kami umalis doon, dadalhin kami sa presinto tapos kakasuhan pa
kami," he added. (We played dead. If we didn't leave, they will bring us to the precinct and file charges against us.)
Seventeen people, workers and supporters included, were detained at Meycauayan City and Marilao police stations
after the dispersal. A minor, who was part of the leftist group supporters, was even among those detained.
But the police downplayed the incident, saying it was merely a "confrontation." They also blamed urban poor group
Kadamay for allegedly instigating the violence.
Heavily guarded
A day after the violent dispersal, NutriAsia appeared to be heavily guarded still.
Several policemen and security personnel were at the gate of the condiments factory, refusing entry to anyone but
authorized vehicles and people who live within the compound.
GUARDED. Police (not in photo) and security personnel man the entrance of NutriAsia factory in Marilao.
NutriAsia management, in a statement, denied that it was engaging in illegal labor practices. They said they "ensure
that B-Mirk group provides all mandated benefits to its regular employees."
"For about two weeks, they (workers) managed to prohibit entry to and exit from the plant, which not only completely
paralyzed operations but also disrupted the livelihood of fellow workers," the company added.
In an interview with Rappler, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) denounced the violence on
Thursday, as well as the interference by the police and the RTC on the dispute.
Back in February, DOLE had ordered NutriAsia to place over 900 workers in permanent positions. It found
that NutriAsia's contractors were engaging in labor-only contracting practices.
Moreover, DOLE said that NutriAsia was found violating labor laws and general labor standards.
"Ang gusto lang namin, pakinggan nila kami. Bina-balewala 'yung sakripisyo namin, 'di nila kinikilala na kami ang
gumagawa ng produkto nila," Quiza said. (What we want is for them to hear us. They disregard our sacrifices, and
they don't acknowledge that it is us who make their products.)– Rappler.com
Jane Bautista is a Rappler intern. She studies journalism at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
NutriAsia blames striking workers for violence
ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jul 31 2018 12:46 AM
MANILA - Condiments giant NutriAsia, Inc. (NAI) on Monday blamed striking workers for allegedly being behind the violent
dispersal in its Bulacan plant that left several people injured and arrested.
In a statement, NAI said violence erupted when employees of processing company B-Mirk Enterprises, NAI's toll packer,
allegedly "fired a shot in the air and started to hurl rocks at police and guards tasked to maintain peace and order in the area."
The violent attack happened during a mediation led by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) together with
stakeholders and union organizer, NAI said.
NAI claimed that the "aggressive action" by the strikers and their supporters violated the writ of preliminary injunction issued by
the Regional Trial Court in Malolos City, Bulacan on July 26, 2018.
The order states that the independent workers’ union “and all the other persons acting under its authority, direction or control,
during the pendency of this case, to desist and restrain from obstructing the ingress to and egress from the company plant located
at 904 Angeles Road MIS 3 Lambakin, Marilao, Bulacan of NutriAsia Inc. Marilao or obstruct thoroughfares leading thereto,
including but limited to Dayap Road."
NAI claimed "the strikers had used young children and elderlies as frontliners and human shields as they pushed their way to
barricade the plant entryways."
A mass was held Monday by NutriAsia workers outside its factory in Marilao. Police arrested 19 people, with some of them
allegedly caught with firearms.
Workers at began their strike on June 2, demanding the management to recognize workers’ union, regularize employees, and hire
back those they say were illegally dismissed. Setting aside Kadamay’s alleged meddling, Bello said that he was optimistic that the labor issues between the employees and the

NutriAsia manufactures UFC Ketchup, Mang Tomas All-Purpose Sauce, and Datu Puti vinegar and soy sauce. NutriAsia management would be resolved.

Bello: Kadamay, not NutriAsia workers, to blame for violent dispersal

“Very bright ang prospects. Anytime now, magkakaroon ng conciliation. Kaunti na lang. Dalawang issue na lang ‘di

By: Julius N. Leonen - Reporter / @JLeonenINQ napagkakasunduan. Separation pay at increase (sa salary),” Bello said. “Anytime this week, mare-resolve iyan.”

INQUIRER.net / 01:51 PM August 01, 2018

“We can go into the process of conciliation kasi kaunti na lang naiwan na issue, eh involving na lang 273 workers,” the Labor chief

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III. (File photo from GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE / Philippine Daily Inquirer) also said.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III is blaming members of militant group Kadamay for causing the violent dispersal of protesters at a NutriAsia workers went on strike to protest the alleged labor-only contracting, low wages, and poor working conditions. They also

NutriAsia factory in Marilao, Bulacan. called for the reinstatement of dismissed union leaders.

Bello said there was already an ongoing mediation between the workers and the condiment giant when Kadamay members had The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has issued a regularization order against NutriAsia, but its workers are saying

reportedly meddled. that the company has yet to implement it.

“Meron nang ongoing conciliation. Nagkagulo dahil pumasok ‘yung Kadamay. Hindi naman workers ‘yun. Hindi NutriAsia ‘yun. READ: Villanueva asks Senate to look into PLDT, NutriAsia regularization issues

Kadamay ang pumasok dyan,” the Labor chief told reporters at Malacañang on Wednesday. Senator Joel Villanueva had called on his colleagues to look into the regularization issues against the condiment giant.

No employee hurt “We need to investigate because these cases highlight the weaknesses of our current regulatory framework,” Villanueva said in a

statement on Tuesday, July 31. /je

Bello said that there was no report to him that any of the NutriAsia employees were hurt during the dispersal.
NutriAsia:
1. Refuses to regularize JUST EIGHTY long-term employees.
“Wala,” Bello said. “‘Di naman mga empleyado ‘yan. Walang na-report sa akin (na sugatan na empleyado).”
2. Keeps them in hazardous working conditions with no job security and maintains a zero-injury workplace BY
FIRING INJURED WORKERS.
3. Mobilizes its (equally non-regularized) security against protesters.
“Ang nanggugulo diyan ang Kadamay. ‘Di naman sila empleyado ng NutriAsia,” he stressed. “Kung ‘di lang pumasok ang
4. Blames protesters.
Kadamay, dapat ‘di nagkagulo.” 5. Belongs to the Campos family, which owns Unilab, Greenfields Development, and has family members on the
board of Del Monte and Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation- which makes them VERY CAPABLE OF
REGULARIZING EIGHTY LONG-TERM EMPLOYEES AND IMPROVING THE WORKING CONDITIONS OF THE
VERY PEOPLE WHO SUSTAIN THEIR SUCCESS.
6. Also makes the worst local juice ever, Locally.
Not very surprising: To cover up NutriAsia's hand in the repressive police dispersal of the NMN Marilao picket line,
labor secretary Bebot Bello demonizes the urban poor who have come to stand in solidarity w/ the workers on strike.
Instead of holding sauce magnate Butch Campos and the PNP accountable for the eruption of violence, he prefers to
discourage everyone from lending support to and learning from the workers' union. Props to Kadamay for their
compassion and courage, shame on Bello for being a corporate
accomplice! #SupportNutriAsiaWorkers #BoycottNutriAsia#HandsOffUnionists
NutriAsia, the PNP, and the media are working hard to portray the striking workers and their supporters as a rowdy,
violent bunch who were practically asking to be dispersed.
What is not often emphasized is that they were holding a thanksgiving mass at the picketline when it was dispersed.
A friggin' mass. At a legal picketline. A worker shares that while the mass was ongoing, the NutriAsia plant blared
loud music to drown them out: "Wala silang patawad. Nagpatugtog pa ng ‘Budots.’"
Who is boorish and disrespectful?
Here is an excerpt from the narrative shared with Pinoy Weekly, full article in the link:
Hinaltak at nakaladkad din si Fr. Rollie de Leon, Katolikong pari na siyang isa sa mga nangasiwa sa misa. “Ang
hitsura (noon) ni Fr. Rollie, parang ginahasa,” kuwento ni Fr. Marvin de Leon (walang relasyon), pari ng United
Methodist Church na isa rin sa mga nangasiwa ng misa. Luray-luray ang damit ng pari. “Kinaladkad, hinila siya. May
sumigaw lang na ‘taong-simbahan iyan’ (kaya natigil).” Ani Fr. Marvin, nagsasalita si Fr. Rollie sa sound system:
“Sino po ang ground commander?” Pinagpatayan siya ng sound system. Kinuha ng mga security at pulis ang gamit
na ito.
“Pati ‘yung crucifix at altar na ginamit namin (sa misa), di na nirespeto, nawasak ‘yun, Binalibag din ‘yung krus. Hindi
namin alam kung nasaan na,” ani Fr. Marvin.
#BoycottNutriAsia #NutriAsiaWorkersStrike #EndContractualization#StopTheAttacks
Manggagawa
DUGUAN, LUMALABAN
by Kenneth Roland A. Guda
August 2, 2018
Hiling lang nilang tupdin ang pangako ng Pangulo, ang mairegularisa sa trabaho. Matapos ang muling pandarahas sa kanilang
piketlayn, lalong tumapang ang mga manggagawa sa NutriAsia. At suportado sila ng marami.
Halos dalawang buwan na silang tinataboy, dinidispers, tinatakot. Noong araw na iyon, alas-tres ng hapon ng Hulyo 30, Lunes,
habang nagsasagawa ngecumenical mass ang mga manggagawa at tagasuporta nila, nagpatugtog nang malakas ang mga bantay
ng planta ng NutriAsia sa Marilao, Bulacan.
“Wala silang patawad. Nagpatugtog pa ng ‘Budots,’” kuwento ni Reynante Godinez, 38, tumatayong tagapagsalita
ng Nagkakaisang Manggagawa ng NutriAsia – Marilao Plant (NMN Marilao). Maingay na tugtog pangsayaw ang “Budots.”
Nangungutya ba ang manedsment sa kalagayan ng mga manggagawa bilang kontraktuwal at tinanggal sa trabaho? Ang ibig
sabihin kasi ng “budots”, tambay, walang trabaho. Pinauso ito ng mga tambay sa Davao City.
“Nakakuha sila (manedsment) ng permanent injunction ordersa korte laban sa piketlayn namin. Dahil doon, nagdesisyon kami
na ‘yung araw na ‘yun ay huling araw na namin (sa piketlayn). Kaya nagdesisyon kami na magpamisa. Para makita na hindi pa
naman namin isinusuko ang laban,” kuwento ni Reynante.
Patapos na ang misa noon, at nagsalita na lang ang mga lider para magbigay ng mensahe sa mga manggagawa.”(May) puwersa
na sa amin (ang mga security). Naghanay kami. Dinikdik kami sa gilid. Nung pagsabi natin na ipuwesto sa hanay, dinikdik kami
nang dinikdik,” aniya.
Humanay ang mahigit 50 securityng NutriAsia. Armado ito ng malalaking truncheon at yantok. Sa kanilang hanay, mga pulis
ng Bulacan. Isa sa mga nagkokomand, ang mismong hepe ng Philippine National Police (PNP) sa Meycauayan,
Bulacan, si Supt. Santos Mera Jr.
“Mga siyam na minuto lang ang itinagal ng dispersal,” kuwento pa ni Reynante. Ang isang bahagi ng piketlayn, napaupo habang
nagpopormasyon ang mga security at pulis. Pinaghahampas ng mga security ng kanilang truncheon ang nakaupong mga tao.
Nasa nakaupong hanay ng mga tao si Aling Leticia Retiza, 56, taga-Bulacan na miyembro ng Kalipunan ng Damayang
Mahihirap o Kadamay, isa sa maraming tagasuporta ng piketlayn ng mga manggagawa sa NutriAsia. Sa bidyo
ng AlterMidya(alternatibong media network na nagkober noon sa piketlayn), nakita si Aling Leti na nakikiusap sa mga security.
“Walang sakitan!” paalala niya. Ayon sa mga saksi, nang magkagulo, tinamaan siya ng malaking bato na mula sa hanay
ng security.
Screengrab: Altermidya” width=”1366″> Sa video na kuha ni Eric Tandoc bago siya hulihin, makikita si Aling Leticia na
nakikipag-usap sa mga security at pulis na huwag manakit. Screengrab: Altermidya
***
Tuluy-tuloy na ang dispersal. Tulak, hampas ng yantok at truncheon ang inabot ng mga taong nasa piketlayn. Nandito ang mga
manggagawa, kaanak nila, tagasuporta (nandoon ang ilang miyembro ng Anakbayan tulad nina Mark Quinto at Einstein
Recedes, pangkalahatang kalihim ng organisasyon).
Kasabay ng paghahampas ang pagdampot ng mga security at pulis sa mga tao. Kinuha sina Mark at Einstein, at iba pa.
Kinaladkad habang sumisigaw si Jon Bonifacio, estudyante ng BS Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at isang campus
journalistsa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas sa Diliman. Hinaltak ang mga manggagawa at ilang tagasuporta.
Hinaltak at nakaladkad din si Fr. Rollie de Leon, Katolikong pari na siyang isa sa mga nangasiwa sa misa. “Ang hitsura (noon)
ni Fr. Rollie, parang ginahasa,” kuwento ni Fr. Marvin de Leon (walang relasyon), pari ng United Methodist Church na isa
rin sa mga nangasiwa ng misa. Luray-luray ang damit ng pari. “Kinaladkad, hinila siya. May sumigaw lang na ‘taong-simbahan
iyan’ (kaya natigil).” Ani Fr. Marvin, nagsasalita si Fr. Rollie sa sound system: “Sino po ang ground commander?” Pinagpatayan
siya ng sound system. Kinuha ng mga security at pulis ang gamit na ito.
“Pati ‘yung crucifix at altar na ginamit namin (sa misa), di na nirespeto, nawasak ‘yun, Binalibag din ‘yung krus. Hindi namin
alam kung nasaan na,” ani Fr. Marvin.
Samantala, nandoon din at nagkokober ang ilang miyembro ng alternatibong midya, ang AlterMidya at Radyo Natin-
Guimba. Sina Eric Tandoc at Hiyasmin Saturay, dalawang documentary filmmakers na nagsisibling correspondents ng
AlterMidya, gayundin ang isa pang correspondent na si Avon Ang at ang intern nitong si Psalty Caluza, estudyante sa UP
College of Mass Communication.
Sa mga video ng dispersal, mula mismo kina Eric, Hiyasmin, at kay Jek Alcaraz ng Radyo Natin-Guimba, at sa mga miyembro
ng Anakbayan at mismong mga manggagawa, nakita na tahimik na nagkokober ang mga miyembro ng midya nang hulihin sina
Eric at Hiyasmin. Kinumpiska pati ang mga gamit nila, na tinatayang nagkakahalagang P100,000. Si Avon, tinutulungan ang
sugatang si Aling Leti nang pati siya’y damputin.
“Umatras lang nang ilang metro ang mga manggagawa para malaman kung sino ang mga nasaktan o nadampot,” ani Reynante.
“Inalam namin kung sino ang nagtago sa mga bahay (sa palibot ng piketlayn).”
Sa estasyon sa radyo na DZBB noong araw na iyon, Agosto 1, tumawag si Thelma Meneses, tagapagsalita ng NutriAsia.
Nanawagan siya sa publiko na sana marinig daw ang panig nila. Kahit pa sa mga coverage ng balita sa telebisyon, tila mas sila
na nga at ang mga pulis ang nakakapanayam at nakukuhanan ng bersiyon ng pangyayari.
“Sana marinig din ang hinaing namin. May nanggugulo lang sa kanila. Nagaganap noon ang mediation sa Department of Labor
and Employment,” apela ni Meneses. “Marami kaming tiniis sa mga negosasyon.”
Pero kumalat na sa social media ang balita ng marahas na demolisyon. Kumalat ang larawan ng duguang mukha ni Aling Leti.
Kumalat ang video ng AlterMidya at Radyo Natin-Guimba, at Anakbayan. Umigting na ang panawagang pagboykot sa mga
produkto ng NutriAsia. Hindi mapasusubalian: Mapayapa ang piketlayn nang inatake ito ng mga security at pulis. Sobrang dahas
ang ginamit sa mga tao. Ang masama pa, kinulong at tinangkang kasuhan ang 19, pati na ang mga miyembro ng midya na
nagkokober sa pangyayari.

***
Tapos na ang dispersal at nakaatras na ang mga manggagawa. Pero nagbahay-bahay pa ang mga pulis at guwardiya, kuwento pa
ni Reynante. “Iyung iba, nasa ibang lugar na, hinabol pa rin nila. Yung mga bahay na inupahan ng mga manggagawa, mga
apartment, pinuntahan nila, pinasok. Kinuha ang mga tao na nandoon,” aniya. Di niya tiyak kung ilan, pero may mga nakuha sa
mga bahay na nakasama sa 19 na kinulong ng pulis.
“Puwede namang mag-usap nang mapayapa. Kapwa namang Pilipino. Legal naman ang piket ng mga tao. Iyung (misa) naman
ay thanksgiving. Humingi sila ng tulong sa taong-simbahan para magdaos ng panalangin,” ani Fr. Marvin.
Itutuloy ng mga manggagawa ang piketlayn, sabi ni Reynante. Regularisasyon sa NutriAsia at hindi sa mga ahensiya ang hiling
nila. Kung may nagbago man sa kanila matapos ang pangyayari, mas buo ang loob nila ngayon.

“Yung manedsment, pinuntahan ‘yung mga bahay na malalapit dun sa piketlayn. Kinausap ang mga may-ari ng mga bahay para May ulat nina Jennelie Francisco at Ryan Plaza
paalisin (ang mga manggagawa),” ani Reynante.

Dinala sa PNP Meycauayan ang 19 katao, kasama sina Eric, Hiyasmin, Avon, Psalty, Jon, Einstein, at Mark. Gabi na nang Kenneth Roland A. Guda
matunton ng rumespondeng paralegal team at mga tagasuporta. Kenneth Roland A. Guda is Pinoy Weekly's editor-in-chief and a board member of PinoyMedia Center, Inc.

Madaling araw na rin nang dalhin sila sa Malolos Provincial Hospital para ipasailalim sa medico-legal exam. Umaga na nang
dalhin sila sa piskal para sampahan ng “reklamo” ng mga pulis. Nadagdagan din sila. Isang Edwin Barana ang pinakilala ng
mga pulis sa midya. Kasama raw ito ng mga nagpiket. Nakuhanan daw siya ng baril at mga sachet ng shabu.

Pero sa pakikipag-usap sa piskal ng Meycauayan, inamin ni Barana na napuwersa lang siyang umamin sa bintang.
Taong 2016 pa umano siya nakakulong. Binugbog siya ng mga pulis para puwersahing magsalita sa midya at sabihing bahagi
siya ng mga nagpipiket noong araw na iyon.

Dalawang araw pa matapos, Agosto 1, nang mapalaya ang 19 dahil wala namang kasong maisampa ang piskal laban sa kanila.
Ibinalik umano ng piskal sa pulisya ang kaso para sa preliminary investigation dahil hindi niya matanggap ang mga “ebidensiya”
ng pulis laban sa 19.

Screengrab: Altermidya” width=”796″> Si Hiyasmin Saturay (may itim na bag), matapos puwersahang kunin ng mga security ng
NutriAsia at pulis habang kumukuha ng bidyo sa piketlayn ng mga manggagawa roon. Screengrab: Altermidya

***