Farmers hold protest camp against VAT. Hundreds of farmers, fisherfolk, sugar workers, and other sectors from Batangas District 1 held a protest camp from April 8-13 at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila. They protested at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on the final day of the camp. They demand the removal of the value-added tax (VAT) and excise tax on petroleum products, wage increases, and lower prices of basic commodities.

Laguna residents picket against destructive sanitary landfill. Residents of Barangay Imok, Calauan, Laguna protested at the Laguna Provincial Capitol on April 8 to oppose the plan of South Luzon Waste Management Corporation to build an 84.23-hectare sanitary landfill in their community. They timed the protest with the day of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan special session which junked the permit for the project.

Petition against privatization in Cebu. Various sectors and groups in Cebu City led by the Carbon-hanong Alyansa launched on April 11 the collection of 100,000 signatures against the privatization of the Carbon Public Market. They will submit the petition to the Cebu City Council to demand legislative action and a review of the privatization agreement.

Call to surface Davao workers’ leader. Progressive groups in Davao City protested on April 9 to reiterate their demand to surface desaparecido Southern Mindanao labor leader William Lariosa. Lariosa was last seen in Barangay Butong, Quezon, Bukidnon on April 10, 2024, when 48th IB elements abducted him.

IRRI abuses, condemned anew. Farmers and youth groups protested at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baños, Laguna on April 13 to condemn its continuing abuses against farmers and the inhumane use of university land. The institution marked its 66th founding anniversary on April 4.