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Lepanto dupes Visayan workers

MANKAYAN, Benguet (July 1) —The labor dispute between the Lepanto Employees Union (LEU) and the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company (LCMC) is far from over, and, the more than 27 contract workers of Paramina Technologies Inc. rendering contract works to LCMC are already worried about going home.

Most of these workers came from as far as the cities of Cebu and Iloilo in the Visayas, where LCMCo personnel went to recruit them. The recruiting agents told them that the strike in Lepanto was over and that the workers were already going in and out of the mine gates. Some of them had no idea about the problems in Lepanto, as they were not informed at all.

These workers arrived at the mine sites nearly three weeks ago, and were hoping to work immediately upon arrival. The hiring agents promised them a daily wage of P300. However, upon seeing the picketlines at the Lepanto gates, they began to worry as most of them borrowed money for their fare going at Lepanto, and were bothered about paying off their debts.

“Akala namin, magandang kapalaran ang mahihita namin pagpunta namin dito sa Lepanto. Iyon pala, para kaming isinalang sa apoy ng alanganin,” (We thought we were fortunate when we arrived here at Lepanto but we were wrong. We were thrown to uncertainty) lamented one of the workers.

Another worker said that his family back in Iloilo City is expecting him to send them money. He added that he is sending his two children to school.

“Hindi ko na alam kung papaano na sila ngayong hindi sigurado kung may maipapadala akong pera sa kanila, baon na baon pa man din kami sa utang,” (I don’t know how they’re going to be now that there is no certainty that I will be able to send them money; we are even much indebted) he sighed.

The workers are complaining that they have no money for fare to go back home. Their food supply is not enough for the coming weeks or months, with only two cavans of rice left.

“Hindi na namin alam kung ano na ang kakainin namin pag naubos ang suplay na bigas,” (We don’t know what we will eat if our rice supply will be consumed) one of them said.

They said that had they known what was going on at the mining company, they would not have allowed themselves to be fooled.

“Ang hirap kasi ng buhay, kaya nung nakarinig kami ng trabaho, madali kaming naengganyo”, (Life is so hard, thus when we heard of jobs, we were easily convinced ) they added. # Aldwin Quitasol for NORDIS

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