RELENTLESS PURSUIT (Labor Day)

Philippines Labor Day is celebrated annually on May 1 to celebrate hardworking Filipinos across the country. In Filipino, it is known as ‘Araw ng mga Manggagawa’. People in the Philippines relax and spend the day with their family and friends. One of the reasons why we are celebrating this freedom is because of Isabelo Delos Reyes who is a prime mover of the Philippine Labor Movement. He laid the foundation for the Filipino worker’s struggle for better conditions, fair pay and rights recognition.

Isabelo Delos Reyes is regarded as the father of the Philippine labor movement and Filipino socialism. Throughout his life, he fought against imperialism and capitalism, advocating for pro-Filipino labor legislation. Today is Labor Day, commemorating the workers who marched from Plaza Moriones in Tondo to Malacanang grounds to demand fair salary and equality under American rule. That rally was a sign of things to come for the movement against Filipino worker exploitation. On April 8, 1908, the Philippine Assembly passed a bill recognizing May 1 as Labor Day and declared it a national holiday. The first Labor Day celebration was held on May 1, 1913, a decade after the initial protests.

Celebrating Labor day is not only about the workers who are committed to their work and careers but it remind us about the brave workers who fought and stood for their rights. This day remind us about what we've lost, what we've gained from the collective efforts of our Filipino workers. Labor Day has come to represent activism and protest. The rights we enjoy today as a result of these, such as the minimum wage law and eight-hour workdays, are frequently taken for granted. They battled for these rights. They fought for every reforms and lasting changes in legislations. 

May this Labor Day May show us how much more we have to overcome along the way. May it honor the brave folks who represent the people's best interests. By doing so, we learn to look past our own privileges and respect the spirit of the movement and the message. This is a day to stand in solidarity with history, as well as a day to stand in solidarity with those at the forefront of the labor movement of our own time.