Militant groups led by Kilusang Mayo Uno (May One Movement) staged a protest outside the United States Embassy in Manila on Monday, March 23, condemning the ongoing US-‘Israeli’ war on Iran.
Rallyists marched from Plaza Ferguson toward the embassy along Roxas Boulevard, breaching police lines and rushing toward the embassy gates. The group was able to hold its program and deliver speeches near the embassy entrance, intensifying tensions at the site.
Protesters denounced what they described as US warmongering in West Asia, warning that the conflict is driving oil price hikes that are worsening the economic burden on Filipino workers. With the Philippines heavily reliant on imported oil, rising fuel costs have made wages increasingly insufficient, further straining working-class households.
View this post on Instagram
KMU and allied groups also called on the government of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to repeal the Oil Deregulation Law, remove excise taxes on fuel, and implement wage increases. They stressed that existing economic policies have left workers vulnerable to global shocks triggered by geopolitical conflicts.
In addition, the protesters demanded the abrogation of military agreements between the Philippines and the United States, including the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). According to the group, these arrangements risk dragging the Philippines into what they described as “senseless, imperialist wars.”
Jerome Adonis, chairperson of KMU, warned that Filipinos should not be used as “cannon fodder” in conflicts involving the United States. “This is the time to fight, not a time to keep quiet,” he said, calling for an immediate end to US military actions against Iran.
The group also condemned the continued presence of US military forces in the country, including bases, rotational deployments, and refueling facilities, arguing that these increase the risk of the Philippines being drawn into escalating international conflicts.
KMU described US imperialism as the “world’s number one terrorist,” singling out the “madman” Donald Trump and his administration as responsible for ongoing wars. Protesters stressed that ordinary Filipinos and workers worldwide are bearing the brunt of economic crises triggered by conflicts they did not initiate.
“We did not create this war. But the Filipino workers and the peoples of the world are suffering the worst from the economic crisis this war has created,” Adonis said, as demonstrators vowed to continue mobilizing against US military intervention and its local impacts.
