Govt cheers deeds; labor jeers anti-SOT tack

File photo

AS government patted its back on accomplishing regularization of 471,394 contractual workers, labor groups slammed employers for pushing for the outright veto of the pending Security of Tenure (SOT) bill.

Labor Assistant Secretary Benjo Santos M. Benavidez told the BusinessMirror the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) was already able, as of July, to facilitate the regularization of nearly half-a-million contractual workers.

Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III considers this as a result of the government’s campaign.

“The regularization of almost 500,000 contractuals is a big thing,” Bello said. “It is unprecedented.”

The labor chief said these figures could still rise especially if President Duterte will opt to sign the pending SOT bill, which imposes additional restriction for contractual work arrangements.

“I am sure and quite positive we will get a positive reaction from the President. After all, this is certified [SOT] bill,” Bello said.
‘Wrong assumption’

HOWEVER, labor groups slammed employers for pushing for the outright veto of the SOT bill based on a wrong assumption.

Last week, local and foreign business groups submitted a letter to Duterte to appeal to him to junk the SOT bill, claiming it was already redundant with the provisions of Executive Order (EO) 51 and the DOLE Order 174.

Labor coalition Nagkaisa chairman and Federation of Free Workers (FFW) President Jose Matula called the assessment “unrealistic,” citing the thousands of workers who fall prey to arbitrary contractualization.

“With due respect the business leaders claiming that the old rules is enough to solve Endo, it appears they are out of touch of reality with the situation of millions of workers,” Matula told the BusinessMirror.

Endo is the acronym for “end of contract,” an illegal form of contractualization wherein workers are repetitively hired and rehired by their employers for the purpose of circumventing their right to be regularized.
Mutually beneficial

Last May, the DOLE reported it was able to facilitate the regularization of around 400,000 workers since 2016 from 3,377 firms, which were found or suspected of engaging in illegal forms of contractualization.

Many of the said employers claimed they were not aware that some of their positions cannot be legally contracted out since they are part of the company’s “core” business.

The process of determining if a position is “core or non-core” has been the subject of numerous labor disputes due to contradicting interpretations from management and labor unions.

Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) Spokesman Alan Tanjusay said the passage of the SOT bill will aid in ending this contentious issue.

He said it is this mutually beneficial nature of the SOT bill that makes them confident that Duterte will back the legislation.

“The SOT bill, when approved into law, as it is, will identify the jobs that can be contracted out and what are those that can only be regularized,” Tanjusay said. “This will help employers to plan better and cope with demands of the modern times.”

Matula explained the process of this determination will be done through the Industry Tripartite Council, which has representatives from both employers and labor groups.

Bello earlier said the bill was already transmitted to Malacañang last June 21 for Duterte’s consideration.

‘Unparalleled’

But even without the SOT bill, Bello said Duterte’s accomplishment on contractualization policy is already unparalleled, which is why he endorsed this achievement together with the soon-to-be constructed overseas Filipino workers (OFW) Hospital in Pampanga to become part of the President’s upcoming State of the Nation Address (Sona) later this month.

The construction of the first- ever OFW-dedicated hospital in the country, Bello said, is expected to start by July 15.

Malacañang said Duterte’s Sona this year will focus more on the administration’s poverty alleviation programs to show the government’s malasakit or concern to Filipinos. - By Samuel P. Medenilla

TUCP cites DOST-FNRI findings on malnutrition

The DOST-FNRI survey showed a prevalence of stunting among children below the age of five and that the Philippines will have to make policy interventions in order to reach the 2030 targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals to end hunger. 

MANILA, Philippines — The Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP Partylist) yesterday cited the findings of the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) Expanded National Nutrition Survey on malnutrition and child stunting as further proof of the administrative arrogance and gross incompetence of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in dismissing the TUCP wage petitions.

The DOST-FNRI survey showed a prevalence of stunting among children below the age of five and that the Philippines will have to make policy interventions in order to reach the 2030 targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals to end hunger.

“No less than the DOST-FNRI established that malnutrition is endemic. It is clear that hunger ravages our workers and their families,” said TUCP Rep. Raymond Mendoza.

The findings of the study are that the losses from children suffering from undernutrition are costing the Philippines P220 billion a year and causing over 29,000 deaths annually of Filipino children less than five years old. It added that the needed interventions will cost an estimated P4.8 billion yearly, but for every P49 invested to address undernutrition, there is a return of P587.

DOST-FNRI said the results of this survey are to be “used to address nutrition problems by crafting policies and interventions.”

According to Mendoza, “There is clearly a problem, and there is clearly a need for intervention. The refusal of the RTWPBs to acknowledge the effects of malnutrition is outrageous. If they do not fulfill their purpose then what need is there for this agency to exist?”

“Also, the 2019 Mercer Cost of Living study ranked Manila among the most expensive cities in terms of cost of living. It ranked 109 out of 400 locations, and this is alarming when you consider how this will affect the competitiveness of the Philippines in attracting businesses and investments,” he said. Manila tied with Adelaide, Australia in 109th place, according to the Mercer study.

“Our petition is centered on the need of Filipino workers and their families to be fed nutritious meals as prescribed by our very own government. They are already subsisting on survival meals without even taking into consideration the rising prices for other necessities, such as electricity and petroleum,” he said.

The petition of the TUCP for a daily increase of P710 in NCR is based on the “Pinggang Pinoy” model and the food bundle prescribed by the DOST-FNRI, which gives the breakdown of what meals Filipinos should be consuming in order to fulfill their nutrition requirements.

“Another government agency has already flagged the problem of malnutrition and yet the RTWPB persists in turning a blind eye. Nagbubulagbulagan sila (They are turning a blind eye) at the expense of our workers. Hunger is the supervening condition,” Mendoza said.

The Philippines has enjoyed steady GDP growth rate, even with the recent slow down in the first quarter of 2019. “What other justification do the RTWPBs need to grant a wage increase to those who lift up our economy? Are they condoning the exploitation of Filipino workers so that corporations can continue to generate excessive profits?” he asked.

The Social Weather Stations (SWS) self-rated poverty survey showed a record-low 38 percent of families considering themselves poor. “Many people count themselves as less poor than before. But that does not mean they can afford nutritious food. Maybe all it shows is that they can just afford flavored instant noodles and 3-in-1 coffee to continue to survive,” Mendoza said.

“We warn that this continued inaction will result in a decline in labor productivity, a less competitive economy and escalating social costs as our workers get sick, and our children – the future work force – become smaller in size and weight and have a diminished learning capacity. We are talking about the future of this country and the consequences of keeping wages low to appease businesses will spare no one,” he added. - The Philippine Star

TUCP dismayed with Wage Board’s decision to junk wage petition

TUCP President Raymond Mendoza
(TUCP Party-List / MANILA BULLETIN)

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has expressed dismay over the decision of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) National Capital Region to junk their wage petition.

TUCP President Raymond Democrito Mendoza said it showed the gross insensitivity of the RTWPB to the plight of workers and their families.

“The RTWPB of NCR clearly acted in bad faith in not even going into the merits of the case. With the wages that Filipino workers receive, our petition precisely pointed out that workers and their families – based on their minimum wages – can only feed themselves and their families nutritionally deficient meals,” he said in a statement.

“A competent and globally competitive workforce will not be achievable if we have a malnourished labor force that is prey to illnesses and unable to reach their full potential,” added Mendoza.

He said the capacity of the Filipino worker to produce world-class talent and skills is wasted when the current and next generation of workers have to deal with pangs of hunger and the struggle to feed their family.

“How can the government expect the people to keep up with the demands of a rapidly changing work environment when the future of this country go to school and go to bed hungry?” Mendoza asked.

TUCP earlier filed a petition for a daily wage increase of PHP710 in NCR to be added to the existing minimum wage of PHP537.

Using the “Pinggang Pinoy” model of the Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition and Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), TUCP pointed out that using the existing minimum wage of P537 in NCR, and utilizing the projected expenditure rate of 42.5% for food, the budget per person per meal for a family of 5 would amount to a measly budget of PHP10.05.

However, the group said the RTWPB dismissed the wage petition on the mere technicality that the wage petition was filed within the one year period from the last wage order.

“The RTWPBs said there was no supervening event such as an unusual increase in the prices of basic goods like petroleum, and services for a designated period. TUCP asks! Isn’t hunger a supervening event?” asked Mendoza

In a Board Resolution dated June 7, the RTWPB NCR said there is no supervening conditions which would merit a review of the minimum wage rates.

“Now, therefore, the Board resolves, as it hereby resolves without delving into the substance, that the petitions for wage increase filed by BPO Industry Employees Network, Pambansang Kilusan ng Nagkakaisang Manggagawa, Metal Workers Alliance of the Philippines, and TUCP cannot be given due course at this time,” it read. - By Leslie Ann Aquino

Solon pushes for inquiry on compliance of entertainment industry with work safety laws

Eddie Garcia / Inquirer photo

MANILA, Philippines — TUCP (Trade Union Congress of the Philippines) Representative-elect Raymond Democrito Mendoza on Tuesday said he would be filing a resolution calling for an inquiry into the compliance by the media and entertainment industries with the Occupational Safety and Health Law.

In a statement, Mendoza said the law, as well as the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) order on occupational health and safety for the media and entertainment industries, was aimed at protecting the safety and rights of workers. He issued the remark in light of the recent death of veteran actor-director Eddie Garcia.

“We are shocked and angered that such a thing can happen to someone of the stature of Mr. Eddie Garcia, but even more so it exposes how ordinary talents and ordinary workers in the entertainment industry are made vulnerable to the failure of management to comply with these occupational safety and health rules,” the party-list lawmaker said.

Garcia, 90, passed away last June 20. He had been in critical condition due to a neck fracture after he tripped on a wire while shooting a TV series for GMA Network on June 8.

Just two days after Garcia’s death, a factory worker in Iloilo, Jomar Junco, fell victim to “unsafe and precarious working conditions when he was caught in grinding equipment at the meat factory he worked for,” according to Mendoza.

“Across all industries and in every workplace, it should not be the case that workers are sacrificed by their employers in the name of profit,” he added.

Mendoza also said their party-list fully supports the proposed “Eddie Garcia Law” or the Actors Occupational Safety and Health Standard Bill which would also be filed by Garcia’s stepson, 1-Pacman Rep. Michael Romero, when the 18th Congress opens.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III earlier said he had ordered the Occupational Safety and Health Center to conduct a probe of the incident. - By: Pathricia Ann V. Roxas - Reporter / @PathRoxasINQ