Belmonte and House leaders spearhead orchestrated response to Yolanda disaster, call for bayanihan

The House of Representatives has been actively working even during the congressional recess as it was able to generate quick response from lawmakers regarding preparations for the resumption of sessions on Monday and outlining the chamber’s agenda that includes two priority resolutions which aim to help victims of super typhoon Yolanda and other calamities.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. said over the past few days, the House leadership conducted a series of meetings with various congressmen and various bodies in preparation for the opening of sessions, which will be on Monday.

"The House Leadership, taking the cue from these various consultations, decided on HR 446 and HJR 7 that have already been filed," said the Speaker during the Ugnayan press conference.

The House leadership headed by the Speaker filed House Resolution 446 "Providing Financial Assistance To The Victims Of Typhoon Yolanda" and House Joint Resolution 7 "Waiving All Rights To The Unreleased Balance Of The 2013 Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) And Authorizing The Executive Department To Realign The Same To The Calamity Fund."

By House leadership, Belmonte said he means the Speaker, Majority Floor Leader, Deputy Speakers and the heads of all the party groups comprising the majority in the House. He said there was also consultation with the House minority, who were also invited to the meetings.

Both HR 446 and HJR 7 are co-authored by Deputy Speakers Henedina Abad, Giorgidi Aggabao, Sergio Apostol, Pangalian Balindong, Carlos Padilla and Roberto Puno, Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales, Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora, Mel Senen Sarmiento (1st District, Western Samar), Enrique Cojuangco (1st District, Tarlac), Mark Llandro Mendoza (4th District, Batangas), Eleandro Madrona (Lone District, Romblon), Elpidio Barzaga, Jr. (4th District, Cavite), Antonio Lagdameo, Jr. (2nd District, Davao del Norte), Rolando Andaya, Jr. (1st District, Camarines Sur), Mar-Len Abigail Binay (2nd District, Makati City), Nicanor Briones (Party-list, AGAP) and Raymond Democrito Mendoza (Party-list, TUCP).

The Speaker said the House has a third proposal, which cannot be put into writing yet as the 2014 national budget is still pending. This involves the realignment of certain items to create a rehabilitation fund.

“The budget has just passed first reading and is still pending second reading in the Senate, but eventually it will go to the bicam committee meeting and during the bicameral meeting we would like to take steps to realign certain items there which we are trying to study now through the Appropriations Committee to create a rehabilitation fund. Maybe we can grant that the President has the power to realign as we maintain he has, but nonetheless Congress should take steps in view of these tragedies and calamities that have been happening in the country. So, we decided to take the initiative to create that rehabilitation fund and we will see to it that the 2014 budget will not leave the bicam committee without the plan there. The rehabilitation program has minimum of P10 billion but our own version would like it to hit at least P20 billion,” the Speaker said.

Belmonte said a meeting on Monday preceded the meeting of the House leadership regarding HR 446 and HJR 7 on Tuesday with members of the Oversight on Disaster Risk Reduction headed by Rep. Rodolfo Biazon for the House panel.

Prior to this, the Speaker said the House also conducted a meeting with a group of economists headed by former National Economic development Authority (NEDA) Director-General Cielito Habito, in which possible legislations that would support the concept of a more competitive Philippines, were discussed.

He said the House also had a meeting with a group of people associated with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) during the term of President Fidel Ramos, including Secretary Salvador "Jun" Enriquez, who served as the DBM Secretary for the entire six years of the Ramos Administration.

Aside from the meetings, the House also initiated calls to various sectors to help in raising calamity fund for the victims of super typhoon Yolanda.

"I am calling on residents of Metro Manila, starting with Metro Manila local government units most of whom, if not all, are well funded to contribute to the calamity fund, and we are also calling on business establishments to contribute," said Belmonte.

He said the House is offering Congress as one place where people can drop off their donations. "We will make sure that whatever is dropped off here by way of dry goods, by way of used clothing or anything else...we will see to it that these will be sent to the appropriate places," he said.

Meanwhile, as part of the discussions in the oversight committee on risk reduction, Sarmiento said House members have asked how they can help the calamity-stricken areas in the country. He said an orchestrated response during this emergency phase is what is being planned with the involvement of the different House members.

Meanwhile, the Speaker said House members have also been organizing local officials in the provinces and initiated gathering of relief goods for Yolanda's victims.

"The Governor and Congressmen of La Union called me up to say that they are organizing their whole province to get goods. So I am talking about Governor Manuel Ortega, Congressman Victor Ortega and Congressman Franny Eriguel and Abono Rep. Francisco Emmanuel 'Pacoy' Ortega III. All of them have organized the mayors of their province and they have gathered relief goods. I think that is terrific, and I wish other people who are very fortunate will do the same thing," said the Speaker. - Rowena B. Bundang, Media Relations Service-PRIB

Bill to give members of cooperatives right to organize union

A lawmaker has filed a bill granting members of cooperatives in the country the right to form unions.

Rep. Democrito Mendoza (Party-list, TUCP), author of House Bill 2542, said members of cooperatives should also enjoy similar rights as those of other enterprises, including the right to establish and join organizations of their own choosing.

Mendoza said self-organization should be guaranteed to all workers without distinction or qualification.

The bill seeks to amend Presidential Decree 442, otherwise known as the Labor Code of the Philippines.

Mendoza said cooperatives must respect the rights of their workers to organize or join labor organizations.

"The cooperative's member-owner should guarantee their workers' right to organize for the purpose of collective bargaining," Mendoza said.

Mendoza said the proposed amendment will bring Philippine Law into compliance with the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association, which the Philippines is obliged to observed as a member-state of the ILO.

Under the measure, all persons employed in cooperatives, whether operating for profit or not, shall have the right to self-organization and to form, join, or assist labor organizations of their own choosing for purposes of collective bargaining. - Jazmin S. Camero, Media Relations Service-PRIB

TUCP slams foreign investors for anti-wage hike stand

The country’s largest labor group debunked yesterday the claim of foreign and local businessmen that increasing the minimum wage would result in mass layoffs and closure of companies.

“This will not happen in the Philippines because those who cannot afford the minimum wage rate can be exempted by law from applying the rate,” TUCP executive vice president Gerard Seno said yesterday in reaction to the warning issued by the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC) and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP).

Seno said employers are heartless for ignoring the condition of workers.

The ECOP and the JFC urged the wage boards to dismiss TUCP’s petition for wage increase. The TUCP filed separate petitions for an increase in the daily minimum wage of workers in Metro Manila by P85 and from P80 to P88 for workers in other regions.

Seno said workers are suffering from rising electricity rates and gas prices. He also cited the impending hike in Social Security System premiums and the Metrorail Transit and Light Railway Transit fares.

“The response to dismiss the petition outright tends to show the top leadership of ECOP and JFC is losing touch with reality and utterly disregarding the economic difficulties being experienced by thousands of Filipino minimum wage earners,” Seno said.

He said it is also unfair to compare the wage rate in the Philippines with those in other countries in Southeast Asia since workers operate in varying political and economic circumstances and procedures.

He said the P456 daily minimum wage in Metro Manila has significantly eroded and is way below the living wage needed to survive in the highly urbanized region.

Seno said JFC and ECOP’s claim would not discourage workers from seeking a wage increase.

TUCP president Democrito Mendoza said they support the business groups’ campaign against smuggling and red tape and the call to bring down the cost of electricity.

However, Mendoza said, the group remains firm in its position to seek an immediate wage hike.

TUCP also called on the different wage boards to objectively focus on efforts to restore the workers’ lost purchasing power and ignore the call of the employers to dismiss the petition for wage hike.

The wage board in Metro Manila is set to hold today a public hearing on the TUCP’s petition for wage increase.

Meanwhile, workers belonging to the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno staged a mass action to push for a P125 legislated wage increase and to abolish the wage boards. — Philippine Star With Michelle Zoleta

NAGKAISA Pre-SONA Rally in Ayala Makati

The NAGKAISA! calls the President to address the imbalance of the rich and the poor and eliminate inequality. Kilusan TUCP joined the NAGKAISA! in the mobilization staged in the country's main business center and the Philippine Stock Exchange in Ayala ave, Makati City , July 18, 2013. STOP INEQUALITY!