“The company of Kowloon would not generate P25 million if not for the blood and sweat of workers.”

CAGAYAN DE ORO — Workers of restaurant Kowloon House West in Quezon City slammed the offer of a P10 (US$0.16) increase in their salaries.

The proposal of Katipunan Food Services Incorporated (KFSI), the company that manages and operates Kowloon House West, rejected the workers’ demand of a P35 (US$0.59) salary increase, which is already lower than their original call of P50 (US$0.84). This led to the deadlock in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between management and the union, which should have begun in August 2025.

Workers expressed their outrage through a “break-time protest” held in front of the main office of Kowloon House West on March 6, 2026.

Bernard Dimaunahan, president of Kowloon House West Chapter under the Genuine Labor Organization of Workers in Hotel, Restaurant, and Allied Industries – Kilusang Mayo Uno (GLOWHRAIN-KMU-KHWC), pointed out that their demand remains far from the average family living wage.

“The ?35 wage demand is neither merely an increase nor simply a recovery of long-denied benefits dating back to 2020,” Dimaunahan said in a statement. “We condemn the gross corruption in the government as well as the blatant exploitation and corruption in our workplace.”

According to research group IBON Foundation, the average daily living wage for a family of five stood at P1,253 (US$21.22) as of January 2026.

In a statement, labor center KMU noted that workers of Kowloon House West allegedly faced cases, sanctions, and intimidation, which resulted in the filing of complaints before the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). A series of protests was also launched to pursue the CBA negotiations.

The KHWC also raised concerns on the distribution of service charge benefits to an alleged four “ghost employees” and managerial personnel. The chapter also expressed concern about the relationship between KFSI and another entity, KMN.

“While management insists that KMN is a separate entity, both reportedly share the same uniforms, documents, payroll systems, and the sale of trademarked products associated with KFSI,” KMU said. “Workers view these as a potential attempt to take over KFSI’s operations and production.”

KMU Chairperson Jerome Adonis stressed that Kowloon House would not be recognized by the public if not for the workers behind the operation and production. “The company of Kowloon would not generate P25 million if not for the blood and sweat of workers,” he added during the protest.

The company reportedly generates an estimated ?25 million (US$423,446.55) in gross income over two years from just three products: siopao, siomai, and wonton.

This was not the first time that they fought for their rights. In 2007, Kowloon workers also staged a series of break time protests urging the management to implement a wage board order mandating a P12 increase, as well as an emergency cost of living allowance (ECOLA) of P50.

The picket was initially declared an “illegal protest” by a National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) labor arbiter, resulting in the termination of 73 Kowloon workers. But the decision was reversed and the management was ordered to reinstate the sacked workers.

Because of the deadlock declaration, Adonis said the labor center will tap its regional chapters, including other sectoral organizations, to intensify the calls of Kowloon House West workers.

“You [the company] started it, and we will finish the fight,” Adonis said. (RVO)

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