Palace: Wage hike up to regional boards

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang is leaving the decision on the pay hike petitions submitted by labor groups to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards. 

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo yesterday noted that the decision on whether to increase workers’ pay would depend on the prevailing conditions in each region. 

“The wage boards will determine whether (the wage hike) is needed. It depends on the circumstances surrounding whatever petition they have in mind,” he added. 

The administration is also unfazed about plans of militant groups to stage Labor Day rallies. 

“It’s their right to protest. You can even join them,” Panelo said. 

President Duterte is expected to lead Labor Day events today in San Fernando, Pampanga while thousands of workers are staging simultaneous protests nationwide.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said the President is attending the groundbreaking ceremony of the first Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) Hospital and Diagnostic Center.

Alan Tanjusay, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) spokesman, said their members were invited to attend the events in Pampanga, but they have opted to stage mass actions in Manila.

“Since the President will be there for the groundbreaking ceremony and not to talk about our demand for wage increase and stop contractualization, we decided not to attend the event,” Tanjusay said.

But part of the May 1 commemoration would be the signing of the implementing rules and regulations for the Expanded Maternity Leave law and forging with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority of a memorandum of agreement on skills training and certification for returning OFWs.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III will sign the joint guidelines on the issuance of work and employment permit for foreign nationals.              

Bello will also open the job and business fair in the province.

DOLE reported that job and business fairs will be held simultaneously in 29 other areas nationwide.              

The DOLE said employment in government offices is among 204,000 job openings to be offered during the government-initiated job and business fair.

Wages and tenure

Sen. Joel Villanueva has urged the government to look into the supervening conditions to determine whether there is a need for another increase in daily wages.

But DOLE Undersecretary Ciriaco Lagunzad said workers should not expect much from the petitions for wage increase since it should first justify a supervening condition that would merit a second wage hike in less than a year.           

It may be a race against time, but workers are not losing hope that they will succeed in their fight for the passage of the Security of Tenure (SOT) bill after the midterm elections.

Sonny Matula of labor coalition Nagkaisa yesterday said trade unions will continue to lobby for the Senate to approve the SOT bill, even with only nine days before the 17th Congress ends.

TUCP president Raymond Mendoza yesterday urged President Duterte to order the DOLE to lobby for the passage of the SOT bill.

Members of Nagkaisa and the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno are marching to Mendiola to press for the passage of the SOT bill and the granting of salary increase for workers nationwide.

Partido ng Manggagawa secretary general Judy Ann Miranda said they support all initiatives to augment the income of workers, including TUCP’s petition for a P710 across-the-board wage hike or a legislated salary increase for all workers. 

Meanwhile, the Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura yesterday accused Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde of “conditioning the minds of the public to harass and prevent May Day protest actions from happening.”

For their part, Rep. Neil Abayon of party-list Aangat Tayo urged the public to avail themselves of the vacant positions in the government while Rep. Mikee Romero of party-list 1-Pacman said under the latest four-year salary adjustment program in the bureaucracy, government compensation “is comparable to, if not better than, the pay private companies can offer.”

The two party-list lawmakers also urged agencies to recruit from the ranks of end-of-contract or “endo” workers.

Security

As this developed, the PNP urged members of militant groups who will hold rallies today to shun violence or face the full force of the law.

PNP spokesman Col. Bernard Banac added that participants of mass actions should not destroy or vandalize government property.

“The police are ready to respond to the welfare of the general public,” he said.

Banac also urged protesters to maintain cleanliness and not leave their garbage on the streets.

The 28,000-strong National Capital Region Police Office said they are set to secure the Labor Day commemoration today.

The Manila Police District (MPD) Traffic Enforcement Unit will implement road closure and re-routing today for all vehicles.

The MPD said the public should expect heavy traffic congestion at Morayta, Mendiola, Intramuros, Plaza Miranda, Liwasang Bonifacio and the US embassy.

All motorists are advised to take alternate routes.

The MPD said all vehicles coming from Legarda will turn right to Bustillos to their point of destination.

Vehicles coming  from P. Casal will turn left to C. Aguila, while vehicles utilizing the eastbound lane of C.M. Recto will turn left or right to Rizal Ave.

Vehicles coming from the westbound lane of Kalaw intending to utilize the southbound lane of Roxas Boulevard will turn left to M. H. del Pilar. 

Vehicles intending to utilize the southbound lane of Roxas Boulevard will turn left to P. Burgos. 

The MPD said the closing and opening of the affected roads will be based on actual traffic condition. – With Mayen Jaymalin, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jess Diaz, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Ding Cervantes, Emmanuel Tupas, Non Alquitran, Rey Galupo, Ric Sapnu