Militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) on Friday urged netizens to join the “Crybaby Selfie Challenge against Oil Price Hikes” amid oil price hikes.
In the challenge, netizens were instructed to take a photo of themselves holding a placard with their call against price increases and post it on social media.
Facebook user EJ Honorica, for his “crybaby selfie,” took a photo of himself hugging a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tank while pretending to weep.
In his post, Honorica said: “Tatlong araw na kaming walang gasul. Mahirap gamiting panggatong ang semi-nabubulok na kawayan.”
The protest was inspired by the remarks made by Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno who had said that consumers “should be less of a crybaby” amid high prices of fuel and common goods.
KMU Metro Manila chairperson Ed Cubelo said Diokno’s remarks were a “grand display of insensitivity, irresponsibility and arrogance” to the already burdened conditions of poor Filipino workers and people.”
“On his public statements, Secretary Diokno is being consistent in undermining and insulting us,” Cubelo said in a statement.
“We cannot forget how he insulted the Filipino workers during his Labor Day remarks last month as response to the workers demands for wage hike. He then said that workers will not go hungry if they will only work hard,” he said.
Likewise, Cubelo warned of continuing protests—both online and offline—against the government over the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.
The group blamed the TRAIN law for the rising costs of fuel, petroleum products and basic commodities and services.
“Workers and people’s demands against high prices and for higher wages were not just a crybaby thing. These calls were just and legitimate aspirations that needs to be addressed by crybaby government officials like Duterte and Diokno,” Cubelo said.
READ: Palace: Duterte does not view Filipinos as ‘crybabies’
But Malacañang has distanced itself from Diokno’s remarks, with presidential spokesperson Harry Roque stressing that President Rodrigo Duterte would not call distressed Filipino consumers as “crybabies.”
“Let’s just say the President does not consider the Filipinos as crybabies,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.
“The President recognizes that there is a challenge due to the rising prices of crude oil which is resulting to the price hike of other products,” Roque added. /muf