Good news on Labor Day

Philippines Twitter—There will be “good news” for workers on Labor Day, Malacañang.

According to presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, the government’s economic team will be firming up on Wednesday the recommendations it would be making to President Benigno Aquino III on measures the government could undertake to help the people, including workers, cope with the high oil prices.

Malacañang also earlier said the economic team was looking into the possibility of extending the fuel subsidy to farmers and fishermen, who are also heavy users of fuel.

Lacierda told a Palace briefing that one of the options being considered was a wage increase, citing what Trade Secretary Gregorio Domingo recently said that “there is a certain level where the economy can afford a wage hike.

Lacierda, meanwhile, said the economic managers were not too keen on the proposal that Mr. Aquino consider imposing price controls as part of the workers’ package of benefits for Labor Day.

“There is some hesitation with respect to imposing price controls because it will cause hoarding, it will cause temporary shortages,” he said, stressing that the government was closely monitoring the prices of commodities, including the price of rice.

“We’re making sure that the prices are reasonable but in terms of price control it is something that we would not do because it would create more problems for us. And that’s the reason why we are looking at other options which would not further strain the economy,” he said.

Bayan Muna has accused government officials of being the protectors of oil companies because the government supposedly was not going after the oil firms for pricing abuse.

Lacierda said the Department of Energy had already asked the oil firms to explain why they raised their prices beyond the DoE’s computations, and that transport groups like Piston were being given information on what makes oil prices go up and down.

50 braided black-and-yellow ribbons to the gates to dramatize their clamor, which they said represented how Mr. Aquino was slowly killing the Filipinos.

The members of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and Anakpawis called their protest a small victory for workers after they were able to get near Gate 7, some 150 meters from the Don Chino (formerly Mendiola) Bridge, and tie the ribbons to the closed Mendiola peace arch gates.

Mata said the bill, if passed into law, would plug the loopholes in the Labor Code and help prevent the spreading practice of hiring contractual workers in the private sector.

He said these loopholes had allowed employers to abuse subcontracting arrangements to intimidate workers and keep from exercising their rights, including their right to form unions.

Mata said the APL had been trying to bring up the matter with Mr. Aquino but had never had the chance to get a meeting with him.

“But we have been asking him to include this among his priority bills. Unfortunately, he has yet to do this,” he said.

Fortunately, Congress itself has set this as a priority bill, Mata said.