Bishop appeals to abolish contractualization of workers

Bishop Broderick Pabillo. Photo from his Facebook Page

Manila Auxillary Bishop Broderick Pabillo has one wish on “Labor Day.”

Abolish contractualization of workers.

In an interview with the Manila Bulletin, Pabillo, who is the executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines National Secretariat for Social Action Justice and Peace said, “Since it’s Labor Day today, I hope the workers receive a gift from the government by improving their working conditions and their pay.”

He underscored that the contractualization of workers is against the labor code, so it should be addressed accordingly.

During the “Kapihan sa Senado” press forum recently, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV presented the committee report on his Senate Bill 1689, also known as the proposed Salary Standardization 4.

The bill seeks to increase the monthly pay of all government workers led by the President whose measly P120,000  monthly wage will rise to P1 million, inclusive of allowances.

Civil servants including members of the Cabinet and Congress are not covered by the pay hike.

The bill added that it will only become effective after the 2016 presidential elections.

Trillanes stressed that a higher monthly pay for government workers will fight corruption.

Create more jobs

More jobs for Filipinos.

Senators appealed to the Aquino administration to create more jobs by coming up with necessary programs.

Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, for one, said that Aquino should focus in ensuring that new graduates will have many job opportunities.

“As the government has successfully posted remarkable economic growth in the past years, what needs to be done is to ensure that the growth trickles down to the people and the masses as real benefits such as jobs,” said Estrada, chair of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources.

“This is again consistent with the administration’s pursuit of inclusive growth, one that leaves no one behind,” Estrada added.

Senator Grace Llamanzares Poe, meanwhile, stressed the need to pass Senate Bill NO. 2162, the measure which seeks to amend Republic Act 10022 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Act of 1995.

The bill will benefit illegally terminated OFWs by allowing them to receive their remaining salaries for the unserved periods of their contracts violated by their employers, which will also include reimbursement of placement fees with interest.

On the other hand, Senator Ma. Lourdes Binay aims to uphold women’s rights in the workplace while providing them better benefits.

“Long ago, workers demanded and got an eight-hour workday as well as just wages from their employers. Today, Filipina workers are still fighting for equal opportunities and benefits, and against discrimination and harassment in the workplace,” Binay said.