No surprise gifts for workers on Labor Day

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has no more surprise gifts for both minimum wage earners and state workers as the labor sector marks today’s Labor Day with protests.

As in previous years, labor leaders were disappointed after a dialogue with the President failed to address their demands for a wage increase.

“I think the President has met with labor leaders on Tuesday and discussed with them measures that should be taken,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda told journalists at a press briefing.

Lacierda believes the President was able to share his views with the labor sector, noting the 26 dialogues the labor groups had last year with Cabinet officials, including Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz and Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares, among others.

Tuesday’s dialogue, he said, was a frank exchange of concerns and views between the labor sector and the President.

“The President was very upright, forthright about what we can do for labor,” he said, noting Cabinet members concerned were given tasks to study.
Lacierda said there would be a sit-down talk and an ongoing discussion with the labor sector.

He said a bill that Aquino wanted passed by Congress was also discussed during the meeting – the Security of Tenure bill.

Meanwhile, Vice President Jejomar Binay said Labor Day is about honoring all Filipino workers who he said form the backbone of the nation.

Binay said the country continues to enjoy economic progress through the workers’ hard work.

He said Labor Day is more than just a holiday, but a day of remembrance and appreciation for all Filipino workers here and abroad.

Labor Day protests

Instead of celebrating, thousands of workers are taking to the streets today to mark Labor Day.

Allan Tanjusay, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines spokesman, said some 30,000 workers would march to Mendiola to voice their disappointment over the government’s failure to act on their demands.

As early as 7 a.m, workers will gather at Welcome Rotonda and proceed to Mendiola for the protest action.

“Although it is Labor Day, there is no reason for workers to celebrate, but more reasons to demonstrate,” Partido ng Manggagawa chair Rene Magtubo said.

The other day, Magtubo said labor leaders went home dismayed after a meeting with Aquino at Malacañang.

Labor leaders said Aquino dishonored workers by failing to respond to the important issues they raised.

Since assuming the presidency four years ago, they said Aquino has not taken any action to address unemployment, contractualization and the continuing increase in power rates and prices of basic commodities.

They said only businessmen have benefited from the Aquino government.

After two years of engaging in discussion with labor leaders, the Aquino government still failed to provide tax breaks to workers, the labor group said.

They asked for the creation of a presidential task force on power to solve the high cost of electricity, yet they said Aquino has not given them concrete response to their demands.

The militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) is joining the protest action to pressure the government to act on labor issues, as well as to push for the junking of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.

The KMU said similar protest actions are also set in Ilocos, Cordillera, Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Panay, Northern Mindanao, Southern Mindanao, Western Mindanao, Far South Mindanao and Eastern Mindanao.

At least 1,000 militant drivers will march to Liwasang Bonifacio to join calls for the government to grant the P125 across the board wage hike and protest the recent oil price hike.

George San Mateo, national president of the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON), said they condemn the Aquino government for the latest 30-centavo increase in diesel and 20-centavo hike in gasoline prices.

San Mateo said the latest round of oil price hikes is the third this year, as he blasted the Aquino government for not putting in place contingency measures.

He described as ridiculous the claim of the Department of Energy that the price hike was due to the prevailing tension in Ukraine.

The militant group is also demanding a P6 discount for all public utility vehicles in all gasoline stations nationwide.

MPD on alert

The Manila Police District has been placed on red alert in preparation for the rally today.

The alert took effect at noon yesterday, said MPD district director Chief Superintendent Rolando Asuncion.

“All city policemen are on duty or inside the camp to make sure they’re available should we need them,” Asuncion said.

He said 2,600 police officers from MPD and other units would be deployed in different parts of the city, including the Chino Roces Bridge in Mendiola, US embassy, and Liwasang Bonifacio.

“We are expecting not less than 5,000 rallyists,” Asuncion said, noting these are mostly militant and leftist labor groups.

P135 across-the-board wage hike

Workers are seeking a P135 across-the-board wage hike to help them cope with the high cost of power rates and other essential commodities.

TUCP, the country’s largest labor group, announced plans to file a petition seeking wage increase for all workers nationwide.

“We will file a petition before the Metro Manila seeking a P135 wage hike for workers in the region,” TUCP executive director Louie Corral said.

If granted, the wage hike will push up the current daily minimum rate in Metro Manila to P466.

Corral said labor groups would also file similar petitions before the other wage boards to seek wage increase for workers in other regions.

The TUCP said their demand for a P135 wage increase was based on the March 2014 consumer price index.

The group said the purchasing power of workers has eroded due to the continuing increase in power rates and pries of other basic commodities.

Corral said the TUCP and the other members of the labor coalition Nagkaisa would also push for a legislated wage increase.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), ruled out the possibility of a wage hike as a gift for workers.

Baldoz said the law provides that minimum wage adjustments must come from the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) and there should be no successive wage increases within a year.

She reminded employers to comply with the pay rules and grant holiday pay to workers who are reporting for work today.

Tax relief for workers

Aquino was urged yesterday to support measures seeking to give tax relief to workers.

Valenzuela City Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo, author of one of the measures, said an endorsement from the President would hasten approval by the House and the Senate.

Gunigundo said he and his colleagues in Congress, including Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara, are seeking lower income tax for individual and corporate taxpayers in order to raise the take-home pay of workers and allow corporations to give more benefits to their personnel.

“More income for our people means more money to spend on essential and non-essential goods and services. More spending will stimulate the economy,” Gunigundo said.

His House Bill 4099 seeks to exempt workers earning up to P180,000 a year (P15,000 a month) from paying any income tax.

“The bill will add more than 2.4 million families to individual taxpayers who are exempted from income tax. At present, the law exempts minimum wage earners from paying any income tax,” he said.

The lawmaker said the additional tax-exempted individuals would include government personnel under Salary Grade 8, such as policemen with a rank of police officer 1 and soldiers with a rank of private, who both receive a basic pay of P14,834. – With Mayen Jaymalin, Jess Diaz, Non Alquitran, Jose Rodel Clapano, Evelyn Macairan, Aie Balagtas See, Christina Mendez, Eva Visperas, Roel Pareño