Philippine Labor Day Evolution

Labor Day in the Philippines

The first Labour Day celebrations were held in the Philippines on May 1, 1903 in a mammoth rally in front of Malacañang Palace staged by the Union Obrera Democratica (Democratic Laborer's Union), while pressing for workers’ economic rights.

The UOD was the first modern trade union federation in the country, earlier labour groups had been more of mutual aid societies and guilds. The organization had thirty-three affiliated trade unions as of 1902. In 1903 the organization counted with 150 affiliated unions, and around 20,000 members in the Manila area. At its peak, the Union Obrera Democratica had around 150,000 members in eight provinces of Luzon.