Labor warns Duterte of Rasputins in his cabinet

CEBU, Philippines - Socialist group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) expressed grave concern that several members of the Cabinet are actively working against the fulfillment of the economic reforms of President Rodrigo Duterte.

BMP spokesperson, Atty. Luke Espiritu in a statement said that the government's economic managers rejected the P125 national wage increase proposal.

Espiritu said that according to the economic managers, such wage increase would push inflation rates to 9.7 percent and spike unemployment by 1.2 percent.

The group identified Secretaries Ramon Lopez of DTI,  Ernesto Pernia of NEDA, Benjamin Diokno of DBM and Silvestre Bello of DOLE as 'obstacles' to the realization of the President's wishes that the BMP said could have made positive impacts in the lives of millions of ordinary folks.

"The alter egos of the president in the economic cluster are clearly on the opposite side of their superior and the heavily taxed ordinary folks who pay for their salaries. The secretaries have been consistently active in countering measures that the president has explicitly declared. More importantly, they are not only defying the president's orders but betraying the trust between him and the nation," Espiritu said.

Among the economic reforms that the secretaries have opposed despite the President's open support, according to Espiritu, is the abolition of all forms of contractual employment, the establishment of a national wage board, a substantial wage increase for the public and private sector as well as the ban on land conversion.

BMP added that they feared that other measures that will substantially raise the quality of life of millions living below the poverty line will receive the similar fate as the wage increase proposal.

He likewise reminded the officials that it is the overwhelming support of working class that catapulted Duterte to power for they believed that the latter can affect the change they seek.

"This government must serve the interests of the many and not of the elite. With the way things are going and not unless they are removed from their posts immediately," Espiritu said.

"If the President really sides with the overburdened workers then he must be on guard at all times from his subordinates and terminate them at the smallest infraction they commit," Espiritu asserted.

The group, last week demanded the president to fire trade Secretary Lopez for his efforts to block the abolition of all forms of contractualization. (FREEMAN)