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Aspirations of the Lepanto miners’ children

On June 17, 2005, in the midst of the Lepanto workers’ strike, their children were asked by their teachers what they wanted to be in the future. There were those who drew a nurse, a doctor, an engineer, a teacher, an agriculturist, a veterinarian, a reporter, a miner, a jeepney driver and a basketball player.

Company representatives then posted these drawings in the picket areas. The striking workers whowere at the picketlines saw this, and started mumbling angry words against the mining company.

“This is another ploy of the company to weaken our resolve to go on with the strike by using our children, instilling in them that they will not achieve their dreams if we don’t lift our strike”, said many of the parents. They further explained that it is because they want to give their families a decent living and be able to give the best education to their children that they are on strike.

Were it not used to advance the company’s objective of maligning the workers, the drawing exercise was good. The children, in their young age, know what they want for their future if given the chance to pursue their studies. They know the difficult conditions their fathers are in.

Two children had a dialogue with their fathers. The first one showed her drawing to her father and asked, “Father, what do you think of my drawing? Is it good? I want to be a nurse when I grow up”. The father looked at his daughter and at the drawing smiling, but shook his head. The child asked if her father agreed with her being a nurse when she grows up. The father answered, “Yes, my child, why should I stop you from pursuing your ambition?”. The daughter jumped with joy upon hearing her father’s reply but, suddenly she stopped and looked at her father with concern and asked. “Father, do you think I would be able to attain my dream of becoming a nurse if the management refuses to grant the pay increase you are asking for? You are not like the management who receive big salaries, live in big houses with complete facilities. To us who are poor, we could not avail of these benefits and the salary you receive is not even enough for the rest of our family’s needs. If mother does not remedy and make ends meet, we could not even eat a decent meal”.

“My child, what you’ve said is true. The management does not care to attend to the welfare of the workers but we are still waiting for the company to grant our demands. You will go to school my child, your mother and I will work hard and try our best to send you to school and finish your studies”.

Another child showed his father his drawing, and asked, “With the low wages you have, would I be able to finish my studies? If the management does not grant your demands, how will I finish a degree? The management is so greedy. Maybe they do not want the children of poor workers to finish school, so that they will continue to have workers to bleed dry, and keep them in that position. I heard one company personnel at the General Office who described themselves as ‘we who are learned’. They say he is a lawyer. He has never experienced being poor or in need. Would he be in his position if it were not for people like us who do the hard work?”

The child went on, “Father, the company will continue to belittle us if we don’t get the education.

The father answered; “Son, you must go to school and take up the career you want. We will pursue the wage increase. We have the right to receive just wages for the work we do and to enjoy the fruits of our labor because it is by our sweat and blood that the company is profiting so much”.

All the children’s drawings revealed their aspirations. As young as they are, they feel the predicament and hardship of their parents. They do not want to experience the injustices done to their parents. They want to change the situation and have a better life.

Their parents’ struggle for better wages is a challenge to them. They could sense that anytime, their fathers could be dismissed. Their families could also be evicted anytime from the bunkhouses.

The children are intelligent, but as children, they still rely on their parents’ capacity and wisdom to provide their needs. The workers’ children understand the situation and they are with their parents in the picketlines because they believe in the cause of their fathers. So shouldn’t we encourage them to forge on?

Is there a bright future for the children if the company will not heed the demands of the workers? The workers are only asking for a small yet just wage increase which is nothing compared to the huge profits of Lepanto which is P6 million per day. Only if the workers get a decent wage will they be able to fulfill the dreams of their children.

We urge the company to be humane at this point, do not monopolize the gold. Give what is due the workers and their families, and stop using children against the workers. #

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