UNA inaugurates first headquarters in Cebu Province

CEBU, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay inaugurated yesterday the United Nationalist Alliance Party headquarters in Cebu.

The first UNA headquarters in the vote-rich province is located along Plaridel Street in Barangay Alang-Alang, Mandaue City.

Binay, who is the party’s standard bearer in the coming elections, was with senatorial candidates Alma Moreno, Princess Jacel Kiram, retired general Getulio Napenas, Rey Langit, and Allan Montano during the inauguration.

The headquarters was sponsored by “Friends of Binay” including Parañaque Representative Gus Tambunting, who owns a janitorial services company in Mandaue City.

Tambunting said he believes in the capability of Binay to govern the country. The coordinators of the "Friends of Binay" said there will be more headquarters to come soon.

During the inauguration of their headquarters, the UNA candidates asked the Cebuanos to try them.

"Try us for a change of government," said Napeñas, former director of the Special Action Force.

Lawyer Allan Montaño said he will work on ending the abusive contractualization in the labor sector.

Montaño, national president emeritus of the Federation of Free Workers, said that the law on job contractualization has to be amended to give justice to the working class.

Montaño said that the law on job contracting has to be amended that will require job contractors to have sufficient capital "and" investment.

"Kasi under our present law, job contracting requires sufficient capital or investment. Kung papalitan yung or to and, more than 50 percent of these placement agencies mawawala yan. Yung hindi mga lehitimo at mga fly-by-night placement agencies na talagang dumudugas sa mga manggagawa," he said.

But Montaño added that he is against total abolition of job contractualization, especially among seaman.

     "Imposible ang total abolition of job contractualization. Lalo na sa mga seamen natin, mamatay yan kung walang kontrata," he said.

Former TESDA chief Joel Villanueva said that job contractualization is something to look at considering that most of the victims are TESDA graduates and skilled workers.

"Sa negosyo side kung ang kanilang pakay ay tumulong lang at magbigay ng pansantalang hanapbuhay sa ating mga kababayan siguro ibigay pa natin sa kanila yan," said Villanueva.

Villanueva said that those who have the skills and certified by TESDA with competence and knowledge should be more than just a contractual employees. —(FREEMAN)