Aspiring solon to push ‘regularization’ of job order employees

CEBU, Philippines - To craft a bill that will give regular status to job order employees who have rendered six continuous months of service is what Lapu-Lapu City congressional aspirant Junex Doronio plans to push if elected.

Doronio, a mediaman working as Cebu correspondent of the Manila-based broadsheet The Standard (formerly Manila Standard Today), said the bill will help recognize the “tremendous sacrifices” of JO workers in local government units and government agencies.

As an example, he cited the case of Lapu-Lapu City government where JOs reportedly only receive meager salaries, which may have forced some of them to get involved in illegal trade. He said two JO workers in the city were arrested in February and March for allegedly peddling illegal drugs.

“It is but hypocritical for this present administration (of Aquino) to announce that the country’s economy has improved, yet the JOs are not recognized and deprived of benefits due them, just like the other government employees,” Doronio said.

Doronio pointed out that there is an urgent need to review, if not repeal, Article 106 of the Labor Code of the Philippines that allows contractualization of laborers, which he said has been abused over time.

If elected to the 17th Congress next year, he said he will also push for wage increases of the ordinary workers, public school teachers, nurses, policemen, soldiers and other government employees.

Doronio added that business owners should learn to “moderate their greed for profit” and appreciate that without workers, no society can be fully developed.

To recall, Doronio ran as an independent congressional candidate in Cebu City’s north district in the 2013 elections on the platform against political dynasties and pork barrel but he lost to Representative Raul del Mar.

For five years, Doronio was president of the Journal Employees Union which started during the administration of President Corazon Aquino when the Philippine Journalists Inc. was sequestered on suspicion that it was a chain of publications supporting President Ferdinand Marcos. He served until the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos.

Doronio has since transferred residence to Barangay Pusok in Lapu-Lapu City and intends to run under a national opposition political party.

Aileen Radaza currently represents the lone district of Lapu-Lapu City in the Congress while her mother, Paz Radaza, is holding office as the city’s chief executive.

The Radazas have earlier expressed support to the ruling Liberal Party.