THE Palace left the door open Monday to an executive order to bar certain forms of contract work as a concession to workers on Labor Day.
After stating last week that there would be no EO, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte would meet with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to discuss salient features of an EO that might be presented to labor today.
He said the President is not abandoning his campaign promise of prohibiting short-term and unprotected temporary work arrangements, and remains committed to ending the unfair practice of endo—or letting go of contractual workers before their sixth month to avoid regularizing them.
However, Roque admitted that a total ban on contractualization cannot be done through an executive order because only Congress can do that by amending the provisions in the Labor Code.
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said that if President Duterte signs the EO drafted by labor leaders, he will be the new modern-day hero to the Filipino working class.
“On [the other] hand, if he signs the EO drafted by business and employers’ groups, he will be forever condemned. Nobody would believe him anymore,” TUCP spokesman AlanTanjusay said.
If he tries to merge the two contrasting drafts to come up with a hybrid EO, the working class will perceive him as a compromised leader, Tanjusay said.
“So, it’s now or never and take it or leave it for Mr. Duterte as far as the workers’ sector is concerned,” he added.
Meanwhile, various labor groups warned Duterte that permanently banning the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait would only create chaos, as the President would not know what to do with the 260,000 Filipino workers there.
Labor groups also scored the administration for closing Boracay and displacing thousands of workers, and for passing a tax reform program that raised costs prices and led to the layoff of 900 workers in Coca-Cola.
Some 600,000 college graduates and thousands more of K-12 graduates are still jobless, they said.
Various leftist groups are expected to stage rallies nationwide to denounce rising unemployment, the deployment ban in Kuwait, the rising cost of basic commodities, continued contractualization and low salaries.
As part of the buildup for the massive Labor Day indignation rally, the Partido Manggagawa, Kilusang Mayo Uno, TUCP, Bukluran ng Manggagawa and other labor groups will hold simultaneous rallies in Liwasang Bonifacio, Quezon Circle, Mendiola and Plaze Miranda to air their grievances.
The labor groups slammed the President for his broken promise of ending endo. Aside from Manila, PM chapters in Cebu, Bacolod, Davao and General Santos are mobilizing for the nationwide Labor Day commemoration. The labor groups also called for the government to drop Charter change and focus instead on regular jobs and a living wage.
“Where are the jobs for the 260,000 OFW’s deployed in Kuwait, the 27,000 registered and unregistered workers displaced in Boracay, the 900 workers laid off by Coca-Cola due to the TRAIN law, the 600,000 college graduates and thousands more of K-12 graduates,” Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary-general, said.
The group expressed alarm over rising inflation together with worsening unemployment. Economists predict that inflation will hit 4.6 percent this April. Inflation has steadily climbed every month from just 2.9 percent in December.
Miranda cited a recently released report by the World Bank about the lack of quality jobs in the country and the worsening inequality as a result.
“And if these young and old workers are lucky enough to find a job, will it be regular and pay a living wage? We all know that the reason OFW’s go abroad is because of lack of decent jobs in the Philippines. So why will Kuwaiti OFW’s fly back home when nothing has changed in the jobs situation in the Philippines?” Miranda said.
“President Duterte is again making a personal promise, this time of providing jobs for OFWs. But he has yet to deliver on his campaign promise two years ago to end endo the moment he assumes the presidency. Mr. President, not another broken promise,” she said.
The Philippine National Police on Monday cautioned groups holding Labor Day rallies to ensure that their ranks will not be infiltrated by members of violent terror groups such as the Rajah Solaiman Movement.
The warning came after the arrest of two alleged Islamic radicals last week and who were presented to newsmen by the PNP Monday.
PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde presented the two, Jimuel Velasco Dizon, alias Amir; and Eddie Boy Alejo Bermejo alias Abdullah, both of whom are Balik Islam converts and former RSM members.
They were arrested in separate operations in Cabuyao and Sta. Rosa City, Laguna and were identified as members of the Suyuful Khilafa Fil Luzon.
The military’s Joint Task Force-National Capital Region announced that two platoons are on stand-by to assist in ensuring security during the country’s observance of Labor Day on Tuesday.
This was disclosed by JTF-NCR head Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado in an interview late Sunday.
He added that the JTF-NCR has yet to receive any request for assistance from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) for securing Labor Day activities.
These two platoons are being supported by an Explosive Ordnance Disposal-K 9 team and another team from the military’s Emergency Medical Recon.
Senators Richard Gordon, Nancy Binay and Joel Villanueva paid tribute to Filipino workers and their contribution to the country’s economic development. With Macon Ramos-Araneta, PNA
