TUCP supports small-scale miners

THE country’s largest labor group is now pushing for new legislation which will cut red tape for the government registration of small scale miners.

In a statement on Wednesday, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) President Raymond C. Mendoza backed the pronouncement of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. that he wants to update Republic Act (RA) No. 7076 or the Act Creating A People’s Small-Scale Mining Program to ensure small-scale miners enjoy “social assistance and labor protection.”

Marcos said currently most of the small-scale mining activities in the country are unregistered, which leaves its workers vulnerable to precarious working conditions.

Mendoza, who is also a deputy speaker at the House of Representatives, said a possible amendment to RA 7076 will make it easier for interested parties to register in the Minahang Bayan program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Minahang Bayan or the People’s Small-Scale Mining Area is an initiative of DENR, which aims to regulate small-scale mining through registration.

Based on its October 2022 data, DENR reported that there are already 100 Minahang Bayan sites nationwide.

Mendoza said this could rise if DENR futher streamlines its processing for applicants. “This can be principally achieved by streamlining the Minahang Bayan petitioning, licensing, and registration processes by promoting localized access, simplifying documentary requirements, ensuring affordable fees, ensuring reasonable application time, establishing one-stop-shops, and leveraging technology,” Mendoza said.

TUCP said there are an estimated 200,000 to 500,000 small-scale miners nationwide, which could benefit from the “legitimization and formalization” of their operations. - BY SAMUEL P. MEDENILLA

Labor says oil price hikes dissipate wage increases

Labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) yesterday said the continued increase in fuel prices will water down the value of the salary adjustments recently approved by the regional wage boards.

In a statement, TUCP president Raymond Mendoza said the oil price increases are unacceptable as they eat away the benefits of the salary adjustments to be implemented in 14 regions.

“The buying power of the current wage adjustments are being dissipated by the series of previous and present extraordinary increases in prices of fuel, basic commodities, and cost of services,” said Mendoza.

“These will have no impact in lifting the lives of workers from worsening poverty caused by the pandemic crisis,” he added.

Mendoza pointed how the fuel price increases will trigger upward adjustments in the prices of basic commodities and the cost of services.

“Because of extraordinary inflation, the series of wage increase orders issued by the wage boards failed to restore the purchasing power of wages,” said Mendoza.

In recent weeks, 14 regional wage boards have issued wage orders granting minimum wage rate adjustments.

The 14 wage orders are to take effect starting this month, according to the Department of Labor and Employment. - By Gerard Naval

TUCP proposes P470 salary increase

Representatives of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines seek an across the board salary increase of P470 for the National Capital Region at the NCR wage board in Gen Malvar, St., Manila on Monday. The group urged the labor department to consider the proposed increase, which will bring the minimum wage to P1,007 per day, citing that no wage hike has been implemented in the past two years amid rising costs of living across the country. - ABS-CBN News

TUCP pleads wage hike

The ALU-TUCP has not filed any wage increase because we understand the situation. But as fuel prices continue to spike, which will affect prices of commodities and food, then we will appeal for a wage increase in the coming days or weeks

The Associated Labor Group-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) is set to demand a hike from P537 to P750 for daily minimum wage as the war between Russia and Ukraine is expected to impact the prices of the basic commodities.

The Brent crude — the global oil benchmark — has now ballooned to above $139 a barrel before easing back to below $130, but it has sent fuel pump prices to skyrocket.

Hefty price increases in fuel are to be implemented in the Philippines starting today.

Alan Tanjusay of ALU-TUCP, during a guesting in Daily Tribune’s morning program Gising Na! on Monday, said it’s about time that wages of workers are increased.

“It’s been two years now that the worker’s wage remained stagnant due to the pandemic. The ALU-TUCP has not filed any wage increase because we understand the situation. But as fuel prices continue to spike, which will affect prices of commodities and food, then we will appeal for a wage increase in the coming days or weeks,” he said.

Tanjusay said they will channel the wage increase petitions through the Wage Boards, which are under the Department of Labor and Employment, as Congress is currently in recess due for the 9 May elections.

“This is a rare situation amid this still persisting pandemic, as both employers and employees were greatly battered by the health emergencies. We are now trying to strike a balance between the need and the clamor of the workers for a wage increase, at the same time, addressing the need of businesses and employers to be able to survive the moment the Wage Board will allow our request,” he explained.

Tanjusay stated that P750 wage is a clamor among lawmakers supportive of the call.

The current minimum wage in National Capital Region is P537 that which took effect in October 2017.

- By Raffy Ayeng

Silipin ang TUCP Labor Agenda

𝗦𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗼, 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼! 𝗞𝗮𝘆𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗮 𝗻𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗴 𝗼𝘁𝘀𝗼-𝗼𝘁𝘀𝗼 𝘀𝗮 𝗸𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼!

Silipin ang TUCP Labor Agenda ngayong taon, mga programa na itutulok maipatupad sa susunod na administrasyon!

Save Jobs, Save lives para sa Manggagawang Pilipino!

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EcoWaste, TUCP push for stronger anti-asbestos policy

There is an urgent need to improve the policy on the manufacture and use of asbestos and materials containing the disease-causing substance to protect public health, the EcoWaste Coalition (EcoWaste) and Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said Thursday, Jan. 6.

In a joint statement, EcoWaste and TUCP said that the Chemical Control Order (CCO) for Asbestos “needs serious enhancement” to protect the public from the unrestricted importation of raw asbestos and materials or products containing such substance.

According to the groups, the most common diseases caused by asbestos exposure are asbestosis or a form of lung disease, lung and ovary cancer, scarring of the lung lining, and mesothelioma or the formation of a tumor in the linings of the lungs, abdomen, or heart.

“We no longer see labels on asbestos-containing products. And we don’t see warning signages that forewarn the people and keep communities from hazards of asbestos dust exposure in demolition and disposal of asbestos,” said TUCP President Raymond Mendoza.

“The compliance to and enforcement of CCO is long gone. We fear that many workers and their families may have been exposed already, and its effects will only manifest a few years later,” he added.

Meanwhile, EcoWaste Coalition Chemical Safety Campaigner Thony Dizon said the CCO can be strengthened by expanding the ban to cover all forms of asbestos, phasing out asbestos-containing products, and promoting the commercial use of safer alternatives to such carcinogenic material.

“All stakeholders, including workers, communities, and local governments, need to be involved in raising citizens’ awareness on this public health issue and in the conduct of sustained monitoring and surveillance on asbestos exposure,” Dizon said.

The CCO on Asbestos was issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Jan. 6, 2000.

It prohibits all forms of asbestos on toys, low-density jointing chemicals, corrugated commercial paper, and untreated textiles among others.

Moreover, it also notes that asbestos and asbestos-containing materials must be labeled in structures, construction, demolition, disposal, and packaging products.

All manufacturers are also required by the DENR to register with the Environmental Management Bureau, obtain importation clearance, and submit annual reports, among other things, to ensure compliance with the CCO. - by Faith Argosino