KINONDENA ng Trade Union Congress of the Philippines ( TUCP), pinakamalaking labor group sa bansa, ang pahayag ni Communication Secretary Emilio Abaya ukol sa mga biktima ng aksidente ng MRT.
“We condemn the irresponsible statements made by Transportation and Communication Secretary Abaya over an interview with Radyo Inquirer the other day. He said that “riding (MRT) is a personal decision. I won’t go out of my way to convince the people to ride. Kanya-kanyang desisyon naman ’yan. Malayang bansa naman ito,” sabi ni TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay.
“What are you transportation and communication secretary for, Mr. Abaya? Such disrespect is an affront to thousands of working people who have no other choice but to ride in the MRT to and from work. Such statement is a slap-on-face of all the victims of the unfortunate mishap which happened days ago. In effect the secretary of transportation is telling the MRT victims: “Mag-sorry kayo sa sarili n’yo kung nabalian kayo o nalamog ka matapos tumilapon ang sinasakyan ninyong tren, malaya ka at choice mo yang sumakay ng MRT. Huwag mong sisihin ang gobyerno,” aniya.
Imbes na tiyakin ang kaligtasan, sinabi ni Tanjusay taliwas ang pahayag ni Abaya at nakaiinsulto sa libu-libong MRT rider na dahil sa wala silang mapagpipilian, kailangang pumila sila halos kilometrong pilahan at pagtiisan ang pulusyon upang makabili ng tiket para makarating sa kanilang paroroonan o pinapasukang trabaho.
“Mr. Secretary, did you or are you, as the man in charge of the mass transportation in the country and as a public servant, gave the public, the MRT riders a choice? Kung meron bang ibang matinong mass transport na nagawa mo na bilang DOTC secretary, palagay mo pipila pa ba sila at sasakay pa ba sila sa delikado, siksikan, mabaho at peligrosong MRT train? Obviously none. We, therefore, in behalf of the millions of riding Filipino public, demand that Mr. Abaya retract these statements and apologize in public,” Tanjusay said. - Jun Icban Legaspi/ Journal Online
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Friday, August 15, 2014
TUCP: Probe foreign workers in PH
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) is looking to curb the rising number of foreigners working in the country without government permits, claiming that this negatively impacts local industries and the employment situation of Filipinos.
The TUCP said the Senate and the House of Representatives must probe into this issue and come up with measures to address it.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested 50 Chinese, one British, and one Australian employed at the construction of a coal-fired plant in Davao City last week for working without required Alien Employment Permits.
The BI also deported last year more than 200 foreign workers for the same reason.
TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay pointed out that a Congress investigation would benefit not only local workers but migrant workers as well, since it would ensure better working conditions for them. – Solar News Online
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Probe sought on surging number of foreign workers
MANILA, Philippines - The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) yesterday called on Congress to investigate the surging number of Chinese and other foreigners allegedly working illegally in the country.
TUCP said the Senate and the House of Representatives must conduct a probe and come up with measures to curb the rising number of foreigners working in the country without government permits because this has adverse implications on local industries and in the employment situation of Filipinos.
Under the law, foreigners seeking employment in the Philippines are required to apply for an Alien Employment Permit.
But last week, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested 50 Chinese, one British and one Australian employed at the construction of a coal-fired plant in Davao City for working without permits, the TUCP reported.
The BI also deported last year more than 200 foreign workers employed at construction sites in Bataan and Batangas provinces, again for working without permits, the labor group added.
“There is indeed a clear, continuing and growing violation of our domestic laws. This further undermines the job security in the country as they compete with the already limited jobs generated for the Filipinos in our homeland,” TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay pointed out.
TUCP party-list Rep. Raymond Mendoza earlier filed House Resolution 974, which seeks to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on illegal foreign workers in the country.
The investigation of Congress, Tanjusay noted, would benefit not only local workers but migrant workers as well, since it would ensure better working conditions for them.
Currently, illegal migrant workers are not covered by the law and therefore vulnerable to violation and exploitation of their basic rights.
Tanjusay also clarified that the TUCP is not against the entry of foreign workers in the country, but of its adverse impact on employment of Filipino workers, who leave the country to work abroad simply because there are no available jobs for them here.
- By Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)
TUCP said the Senate and the House of Representatives must conduct a probe and come up with measures to curb the rising number of foreigners working in the country without government permits because this has adverse implications on local industries and in the employment situation of Filipinos.
Under the law, foreigners seeking employment in the Philippines are required to apply for an Alien Employment Permit.
But last week, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested 50 Chinese, one British and one Australian employed at the construction of a coal-fired plant in Davao City for working without permits, the TUCP reported.
The BI also deported last year more than 200 foreign workers employed at construction sites in Bataan and Batangas provinces, again for working without permits, the labor group added.
“There is indeed a clear, continuing and growing violation of our domestic laws. This further undermines the job security in the country as they compete with the already limited jobs generated for the Filipinos in our homeland,” TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay pointed out.
TUCP party-list Rep. Raymond Mendoza earlier filed House Resolution 974, which seeks to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on illegal foreign workers in the country.
The investigation of Congress, Tanjusay noted, would benefit not only local workers but migrant workers as well, since it would ensure better working conditions for them.
Currently, illegal migrant workers are not covered by the law and therefore vulnerable to violation and exploitation of their basic rights.
Tanjusay also clarified that the TUCP is not against the entry of foreign workers in the country, but of its adverse impact on employment of Filipino workers, who leave the country to work abroad simply because there are no available jobs for them here.
- By Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)
TUCP seeks probe of foreigners working in PHL without permits
THE Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) on Wednesday called for a thorough investigation on the entry of foreigners who are working in the country without government permits.
The group issued the call following the arrest of 52 more foreign workers allegedly working without valid working permits in Davao City last week.
In a statement, TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay said the arrest of the 42 foreigners in Davao City is proof that “there is a clear, continuing and growing violation” of the country’s laws.
The increasing incidence of migrants working in the country without government working permits and without fulfilling other requirements for alien workers has very serious adverse implications not only in the local construction industry, fishing, mining and other industries, but also in the current employment and underemployment situation in the country, he said.
Such trend, Tanjusay said, undermines the job security in the country, as these foreign workers compete with the already limited jobs generated for the Filipinos in the country.
For not having valid working permits, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) rounded up last week 50 Chinese, a Briton and an Australian working in the construction of coal-fired power plant Therma South Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp.
There is also a need to investigate Aboitiz Power Corp. on how was it able to hire the foreigners amid the existence of the law, Tanjusay said. He said the foreigners must go through the due process legally mandated by the laws.
Under Department Order 12 (Series of 2001), known as the Omnibus Guidelines for the Issuance of Employment Permits of the Department of Labor and Employment, all foreigners seeking employment in the Philippines are required to apply for an Alien Employment Permit.
In December last year the BI detained and deported more than 200 foreign workers working in construction sites in Bataan and Batangas provinces after they were discovered to have without working permits.
Sen. Miriam-Defensor Santiago filed Senate Resolution 288 in December 2013 and Party-list Rep. Raymond Mendoza of TUCP filed House Resolution 974 on February 2014 to conduct an inquiry “in aid of legislation” on the matter but to no avail.
According to TUCP, Philippine unemployment rates have remained static on the average of 7 percent the past years. According to the April 2014 Labor Force Survey, the unemployment rate was at 7.0 percent or 2.924 million of the total labor force of 38,172,006, excluding the Typhoon Yolanda-stricken areas while 18.2 percent or seven million were underemployed, and about 36.9 percent or 1.078 million of the unemployed are were college undergraduates and graduates.
The World Bank in its Philippine Development Report (PDR) released in September 2013, estimates that about 10 million good jobs are needed to be generated per year which includes jobs for about three million people who are unemployed and seven million that are underemployed, and that the government also needs to create employment for another 1.15 million new entrants to the labor force every year from 2013 to 2016.
On the average, the government can only generate about 240,000 new employment opportunities annually which leave most job-seekers with no choice but to either seek employment abroad, remain unemployed, go back to school, or rely on financial support from employed family members for the time being, Tanjusay added.
- by Jonathan L. Mayuga, BusinessMirror
The group issued the call following the arrest of 52 more foreign workers allegedly working without valid working permits in Davao City last week.
In a statement, TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay said the arrest of the 42 foreigners in Davao City is proof that “there is a clear, continuing and growing violation” of the country’s laws.
The increasing incidence of migrants working in the country without government working permits and without fulfilling other requirements for alien workers has very serious adverse implications not only in the local construction industry, fishing, mining and other industries, but also in the current employment and underemployment situation in the country, he said.
Such trend, Tanjusay said, undermines the job security in the country, as these foreign workers compete with the already limited jobs generated for the Filipinos in the country.
For not having valid working permits, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) rounded up last week 50 Chinese, a Briton and an Australian working in the construction of coal-fired power plant Therma South Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp.
There is also a need to investigate Aboitiz Power Corp. on how was it able to hire the foreigners amid the existence of the law, Tanjusay said. He said the foreigners must go through the due process legally mandated by the laws.
Under Department Order 12 (Series of 2001), known as the Omnibus Guidelines for the Issuance of Employment Permits of the Department of Labor and Employment, all foreigners seeking employment in the Philippines are required to apply for an Alien Employment Permit.
In December last year the BI detained and deported more than 200 foreign workers working in construction sites in Bataan and Batangas provinces after they were discovered to have without working permits.
Sen. Miriam-Defensor Santiago filed Senate Resolution 288 in December 2013 and Party-list Rep. Raymond Mendoza of TUCP filed House Resolution 974 on February 2014 to conduct an inquiry “in aid of legislation” on the matter but to no avail.
According to TUCP, Philippine unemployment rates have remained static on the average of 7 percent the past years. According to the April 2014 Labor Force Survey, the unemployment rate was at 7.0 percent or 2.924 million of the total labor force of 38,172,006, excluding the Typhoon Yolanda-stricken areas while 18.2 percent or seven million were underemployed, and about 36.9 percent or 1.078 million of the unemployed are were college undergraduates and graduates.
The World Bank in its Philippine Development Report (PDR) released in September 2013, estimates that about 10 million good jobs are needed to be generated per year which includes jobs for about three million people who are unemployed and seven million that are underemployed, and that the government also needs to create employment for another 1.15 million new entrants to the labor force every year from 2013 to 2016.
On the average, the government can only generate about 240,000 new employment opportunities annually which leave most job-seekers with no choice but to either seek employment abroad, remain unemployed, go back to school, or rely on financial support from employed family members for the time being, Tanjusay added.
- by Jonathan L. Mayuga, BusinessMirror
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)