From the Office of Rep. Crispin Beltran

South Wing Room 602 House of Representatives

Constitution Hills 1126 Quezon City, Philippines

Reference: Rep.Crispin Beltran (+63)9278711080

Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff  931.6615, 09195065269

 

 News Release   Monday, January 15, 2007

 

Malacanang cannot run away from its responsibility to approve wage hike bill; regional wage boards should be abolished

 

Anakpawis Representative and political detainee Crispin Beltran today slammed Malacanang anew for its call that business and labor groups resolve the wage hike issue between themselves.

 

"Malacanang is adding insult to injury by saying that employers and capitalists work with labor ob the wage increase issue. There is no uniting employers and workers when it comes to this matter because businesses are adamantly against wage increases. If they could get away with paying their workers with rocks and stones, they would to that," he said.

 

"Malacanang cannot wash its hands of its responsibility over this issue. Congress has already passed the P125 wage hike bill, and the senate is most likely going to approve its own version of the wage increase bill before long.  Workers, their unions and the national labor groups that represent them have been campaigning for a substantial, legislated and across-wage-increase since 1999, and businesses have long been aware of this. Nothing has been resolved between them, and thus the ball was thrown to congress. Now, the ball is falling in Malacanang's court, but its refusing to take it and telling labor and business to settle the matter between themselves," he said.

 

The veteran labor leader turned lawmaker and now political detainee said that businesses should also lobby Malacanang and demand that electricity and water rates be brought down. He said that production costs increase because of exorbitant electricity rates. "The high level of corruption in government business clearing offices also adds to the burden of small and medium  business already being suffocated by foreign competition. Employers and capitalists should blame Malacanang and its pro-foreign business bias and policies for their business woes," he said.

 

Beltran said that workers will not hear of the wage hike issue being settled yet again by the regional wage boards. "We want these useless agencies abolished because their main function has been to keep wages low and to turn down petitions for more substantial wages increases. There regional wage boards also issue automatic approval for petitions of businesses for exemptions against implementing wage increases," he said.

 

Finally, Beltran said that this coming midterm elections, workers will support candidates who support the wage increase bill and propose a pro-worker agenda.

 

"Workers and other marginalized sectors of Philippine society have yet to see the passage of genuine pro-poor legislative measures because the bills and resolutions that aim to address their need for economic relief are shot down by Malacanang and its more anti-worker, anti-poor allies."#