By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora and Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – The United States Embassy in Manila has advised American nationals to avoid participating in protests as multiple Labor Day demonstrations are expected to take place across Metro Manila on Friday.
“US citizens should avoid political demonstrations. Foreign nationals found engaging in a protest could be considered in violation of their immigration status,” it said in an advisory on Thursday.
Local authorities estimate that around 8,000 protesters from various groups will gather at several locations, including near the US Embassy, during Labor Day activities.
Demonstrations are expected in key areas such as España Boulevard, Mendiola, and Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila; Welcome Rotonda, the University of Santo Tomas, St. Joseph’s College, and the University of the Philippines in Quezon City; as well as other sites.
The embassy also noted that it will be closed on May 1 in observance of Labor Day, a regular holiday in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) welcomed the advisory.
“This is a prudent and responsible reminder that while the Philippines upholds democratic freedoms, large public gatherings — especially those involving political issues — carry real and sometimes unpredictable risks,” NTF-ELCAC executive director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. said in a statement Thursday.
Torres said the task force agrees with the embassy’s warning, emphasizing that even peaceful demonstrations can escalate unexpectedly.
“When thousands gather across multiple locations, the potential for disruption, confrontation, or unintended incidents increases,” Torres said.
He added that foreign nationals face heightened risks, as participation in political activities in the Philippines may have legal implications under local immigration laws.
He noted that there had been situations where Filipinos and foreigners alike “could be drawn into situations they do not fully understand, only to find themselves in harm’s way.”
“The line between activism and exposure to danger can quickly blur, particularly in environments where organized groups operate with clear political or ideological objectives,” he added.
Torres also cited a recent armed encounter in Toboso, Negros Occidental, where 19 individuals were killed, including two US citizens, Lyle Prijoles and Kai Dana-Rene Sorem. Both had arrived in the Philippines separately in March and were present in the area when the clash occurred.
“What happened there was not a protest — it was a violent clash between government forces and members of the North Negros Front of the New People’s Army (NPA),” Torres said. (PNA)
