March 15, 1999

Distinguished representatives, I rise again before you to fulfill my obligation to the working class. I rise to present the extreme concern on an ominous attack on the rights and welfare of the Filipino worker.

The Filipino workers are apprehensive of the recent proposal to scrap the minimum wage law. Although belatedly clarified that the proposal would apply the minimum wage exemption only to select industries, we are gravely troubled that the safety net of a minimum wage is to be scrapped.

Even more troublesome is that this is the latest in a series of public statements and actions made by the Estrada Administration on labor in the span of less than a year.

First among these actions was the pressure made on the PAL union to suspend their collective bargaining agreement for ten years. This was immediately followed by President Estrada’s endorsement of a strike ban. And the latest is the proposal to scrap the minimum wage law and to amend the Labor Code. The president also created a Presidential Task Force on Labor Policies to identify amendments of the Labor Code.

These executive actions make the Filipino workers seriously question what the presidential slogan "Erap para sa mahihirap" really means. I am personally inclined to believe that President Estrada favors more the capitalist than labor.

In the light of the above mentioned executive actions and statements, the labor sector foresees an impending serious attack to undermine the various rights and benefits won through years of struggle not just by the Philippine labor movement but by workers throughout the world.

Distinguished representatives, the Filipino workers will fight against the elimination of the minimum wage. We all know that the minimum wage is an instrument to provide protection to workers against exploitation.

The Filipino workers are opposed to any form of prohibition on strikes. The right to strike is a means to defend other rights and benefits that accrue to the workers. The right to strike is the sole weapon by which workers may counteract the hegemony of capital.

Undeniably, the proposals that would in effect retract the gains of the labor movement are due to globalization. Apparently the rights and welfare of workers are considered to be requisite sacrifices for the emerging new world economic order.

The truth of the matter is that these proposals are premised on reducing labor costs and increasing capitalist profits. As the competition amongst capitalist enterprises intensify, so does the pursuit of profit become more difficult.

The minimum wage in fact can not cover the daily cost of living of a family of six. For areas outside of Metro Manila, the minimum wage is in the range of P131 to P188 per day while the computed daily cost of living is almost P350 per day. For Metro Manila, the minimum wage is less than P200 per day while the cost of living is more than four hundred pesos. Despite this, the historical record on the implementation of the minimum wage standard indicate that 20% of establishments violate the law.

The Filipino workers therefore are not just opposed to the scrapping of the minimum wage. We expeect and desire that the state give life to the constitutional mandate for a living wage as provided for in paragraph 2, Section 3, Article XIII of the Constitution.

As to our right to strike, workers have to pass through the eye of the needle before this may be exercised under the current provisions of the Labor Code. Labor in fact desires the removal of various provisions that restrict their right to strike.

Fellow Representatives, if the Labor Code were to be amended, the direction and intent must be to provide even greater protection to the workers. As it is, the current Labor Code is in fact riddled with flaws disadvantageous to workers.

Should the Labor Code be amended, there is no need for a Presidential Task Force. In fact, such a task is in the ambit of legislative action. Furthermore, we should instead implement Joint Resolution No. 31 creating a Congressional Commission on Labor.

Joint Resolution 31 which originated from the House as Joint Resolution No. 15 authored by Rep. Edcel C. Lagman was passed by the 10^th Congress in 1997. It was signed into law on February 9, 1998 by then President Fidel V. Ramos.

The Congressional Commission on Labor is tasked to assess the state of Philippine labor due to the implementation of the APEC’s Manila Action Plan and such other effects of globalization. It is further tasked with recommending the necessary legislative and executive measures pursuant to its findings.

It has been more than a year since the adoption of Joint Resolution 31. It is now imperative for us to identify the members of the Commission. Let us also urge the executive branch to implement the mandate of Joint Resolution 31.

Distinguished representatives, beyond the expectation that we constitute the Congressional Labor Commission, the Filipino workers hope for Congress to stand by them. The people expect Congress to oppose any proposal that exacerbate their impoverishment and defenselessness.

Resulting from the vicious negative effects of globalization, our people hope that we resolutely uphold our obligation, as representatives, to defend their welfare.

Fellow representatives, the challenge before us is to stand as representatives of the majority, the working class.