The KMU Correspondence (May 2026) captures a defining moment for the Filipino labor movement – a time of both deep mourning and unprecedented global solidarity. This issue leads with a harrowing report on the Toboso Massacre, where nineteen civilians and researchers documenting the “dead season” in Negros were killed by state forces. We further dissect the “Crisis of Bureaucrat Capitalism,” exposing a system where gunfire echoes in Senate halls while billions in public funds vanish into “ghost projects”.
But the working class is fighting back with the spirit of “Mangahas!” (Dare!). We celebrate the triumphant Kowloon strike, the first of its kind in the service industry in decades, and the landmark legal victories for platform riders who are successfully demanding recognition as regular employees. This issue also details the historic 13th National Congress, which transformed the movement by formally upholding the rights of LGBTQI+ workers and electing its first-ever queer Secretary General.
On our back page, we feature the 37th International Solidarity Affair (ISA), the largest international delegation hosted by the KMU since the pandemic. Bringing together trade unionists and activists from four continents, the ISA saw delegates immerse themselves in the frontlines of the struggle – from urban poor communities to the semi-feudal countryside. From resisting the imperialist plunder of “Pax Silica” to the massive Mayo Uno mobilizations for a PHP 1,200 living wage, this issue proves that the Filipino people do not march alone.
