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 24, 2007

 

Congress' threat to recall wage hike bill will rebound on Malacanang's bets in the polls; Solon urges colleagues to let 'the bill be' for the sake of social justice

 

 Anakpawis Representative and political detainee Crispin Beltran today said that Congress should drop its plans to recall or reconsider the passage of HB 345 which was approved on  third and final reading in mid-December 2006 before congress went into its holiday break.

 

"This is one piece of legislation that can be truly said to reflect the sentiment of Filipino workers and to respond to their desperate need for economic relief. Representatives should not negate this one good deed they have accomplished by approving HB 345. With the counterpart bill gaining approval in the Senate, the responsibility to approve or turn down a law legislating a P125   wage increase   for all workers nationwide will now rest with Malacanang," he said.

 

He urged his colleagues in the Lower House to "let the wage increase bill be. Let this measure be counted as the 13th Congress' main achievement when it comes to pro-people measures. Workers have been campaigning for the P125 across-the-board wage increase bill since 1999. It's long overdue that this bill be passed into law and implemented."

 

Beltran, one of the major authors of the said measure, said that if Congress recalls the said measure the immediate backlash will be on Malacanang and slate in the May midterm elections. He said that workers and their unions and organizations will campaign actively against lawmakers and other government officials who stood against the wage increase bill.

 

"One of the major reasons why workers demand Pres. Arroyo's resignation and removal from office is her indifference to the plight of workers and their deteriorating economic welfare. Malacanang should not veto the wage increase bill or do it at its own risk. Vetoing the bill will contribute the resounding defeat the administration slate will suffer in May."

 

"Workers all over the country stand united behind the wage increase bill, and Congress should pay attention to what they are saying instead of ignoring them in favor of the business groups and the useless regional wage boards. This wage increase bill is an  issue of social justice and not just economic relief. Through the years, essentially nothing has been done to help Filipino laborers improve their lot in life and their standards of living. The Department of Labor and Employment has done nothing by way of protecting workers against the abuses and exploitative practices of employers and capitalists, to the extent of lobbying against all demands for a substantial wage increase," he said.

 

The activist lawmaker said that instead of recalling HB345, congress should act on other measures that worsen the economic burden of workers and other marginalized sectors such as the privatization of the electric power industry and the deregulation of the oil industry.  #