3 MIN READ

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — As prices of basic commodities and social services continue to soar, the workers really need to fight for their right for a livable wage to cope up with the expensive cost of living said Social Welfare Employees Association of the Philippines-Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (SWEAP-Courage) Cordillera President Ricky Gascon.

Various workers organizations and associations from the public and private sector push their demand for a national minimum wage monthly of P16,000. Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Cordillera Regional Coordinator Vicente Dilem said that it is the right of the workers to receive decent wages or salary that can help them and their families survive.

He said they have all the right to demand such as much as they are indispensable to the country’s economic survival. “Gapu kadagiti bannog da ket bimmaknang ken dimmakkel dagiti negosyo ken dagiti negosyante,” (Because of their sweat, the business and the businessmen got richer and bigger) he said.

Gascon said that it is already three long years since the government employees last tasted a salary increase. He said that Salary Standardization Law 3 which was passed in 2008 ended in 2012. He said this was implemented in a staggered form which did not even really help the workers. The prices of goods and other necessities continue to rise almost monthly.

He said that while it is true that a salary increase is being proposed by Senator Trillanes, they will not support it. He said that what they need is a one time hike. He compared the proposal to the SSL 3 passed in 2008 which he said will only widen the gap between ordinary employees and high officials.

He reiterated the need of a P16,000 monthly minimum wage nationwide both for the private and public sectors. He said that according to government’s data, a family with six members need P32,490 a month or P1,083 a day to survive. He said that ordinary workers of the government receive merely P9,000 a month. “Paano naman sila mabubuhay niyan?”(How can they live with that?) he asked.

He said the private workers meanwhile are receiving daily wages much lower than a family should have to eat for a day.

He said that the amount they are asking for is not even half of the government-provided data about the P32,490 for a family of six needs to live for a month.

Dilem said to attain a national minimum wage, the Regional Wage and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) must be abolished. He said that for 25 years, the regional wage boards did not serve the workers but instead made their lives harder as they deliberately defeat the demand of the workers for a national living wage by determining wage hikes according to regions. He said that because of the Wage Rationalization Law and SSL, there are over 1,000 wage levels in the country. According to KMU statement, these are modus operandi to maintain the pegged wages.

Anakpawis Cordillera Regional Coordinator Michael Cabangon meanwhile said that they also call for the end of contractualizaton both in the private and public sectors. He said that such scheme is a crime against the workers. He said that the objective of contractualization is to further squeeze the workers and the government employees of their sweat to accumulate more gigantic profits.

Courage National President Ferdinand Gaite in a statement said that as the employees hold a national action for national monthly minimum wage, they also join the call for President Bengno Aquino III to resign. “A living wage for workers and employees is not a reality under a puppet, corrupt and callous government unless we unite, show our strength and fight hard for it,” he said. He said they cry enough of PNoy, stop impunity, criminal neglect and injustice. # nordis.net