Mangahas! (Dare!)
It was in this spirit that the successful 13th National Congress of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) was held from June 27-30, 2025. The gathering was attended by over 300 workers from various unions, federations, and mass organizations from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
This assembly was a bold and militant step for the entire KMU membership. It was the first time the Congress convened since 2018. After six years marked by successive fascist attacks, the deepening erosion of rights under neoliberal policies, and various other internal and external challenges, the 13th Congress was a decisive assertion for the militant center of the Filipino working class movement.
Major Highlights and Unities
Elmer Labog, KMU’s National Chairperson, reported that over the past six years, while the organization strived to rectify its identified weaknesses, it also faced external assaults — the pandemic lockdowns, fascist repression, and the onslaught of neoliberalism. Despite these, KMU retained its significant role not only in the labor movement but within the broader national-democratic movement of the Filipino people.
It was affirmed that KMU’s continuous and militant struggle for a living wage, the reinstatement of a national minimum wage, against contractualization, and for the right to unionize amidst widespread attacks, remains a hallmark of its steadfast commitment to Filipino workers.
In a historic move during Pride Month, KMU amended its Constitution to include its official stand for the rights and welfare of LGBTQI+ workers — against their oppression and exploitation as part of the working class and against discrimination based on their SOGIESC. In the same spirit, KMU elected its first-ever Secretary General from the LGBTQI+ community.
The Congress outlined a 3-Year Program of Action which carried the daring tasks of arousing, organizing and mobilizing the workers and the people. It emphasized exposing and isolating the US-Marcos Jr. regime. It placed at the forefront the task of intensifying the struggle for immediate economic relief while strengthening the unity of workers with other oppressed classes and sectors and leading role of the working class in the national-democratic struggle.
Key resolutions that the Congress passed included broadening the wage campaign to unite farm workers and other sectors through wage increase alliances, addressing job security and the welfare of young workers and those affected by automation and digitalization, advancing human rights, campaigning for the release of political prisoners, and exposing state-sponsored bogus formations aimed at undermining genuine workers’ organizations.
As the Congress drew to a close, KMU elected its new leadership for 2025-2028:
National Chairperson: Jerome Adonis, former Secretary General and Makabayan senatorial candidate
National Vice Chairperson: Florentino “Pol” Viuya, veteran labor leader from Central Luzon and former political detainee
Secretary General: Mary Ann Castillo, President of Nexperia Workers Union who successfully led a strike of 1,000 workers
To recognize his decades of service in the KMU leadership, the Congress hailed Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog as Chairperson Emeritus. His huge and significant contributions to the advancement of the trade union center’s practice in campaigning, organizing, local and international solidarity work, and in the overall leadership of the working class was highlighted. Ka Bong, along with fellow veterans, was saluted by the delegates and guests.
The Congress was highlighted by a keynote address from Julieta de Lima of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, and a discussion on the National Situation by Teddy Casiño, Chairperson of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN). Solidarity messages from Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong; Danilo Ramos, the Chairperson of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas; Ariel Casilao, the Chairperson of the Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura; Luc Triangle, the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation; and the International League of Peoples’ Struggle were also shared.
Following the success of the Congress, over 300 delegates marched on the streets coinciding with the filing of House Bill 202: P1,200 Living Wage Bill by ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. Antonio Tinio and KABATAAN Partylist Rep. Renee Co of the Makabayan Bloc. They also condemned the continuing puppet, anti-people, and fascist policies under the US-Marcos Jr. regime.