Scrapping contractualization “not feasible” – Angara

CEBU, Philippines - Abolishing contractualization is not that feasible as not all industry needs to have regular employees, especially those businesses that are seasonal, said Senator Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara.

"For example, if you have a factory, dapat 'yung mga employees mo, regular 'yan. Pero if your business is seasonal lang, you cannot have regular employees in that case. So dapat, hindi all compassing 'yung contractualization. It should be a case to case basis," he said.

Angara, the current Senate chairman on labor committee, was in Cebu yesterday for donation and groundbreaking activities benefitting students here.

 The Senator also said he will continue to push for the reduction of income tax for the workers.

He said that this is to increase the worker's take-home pay.

Angara added that he is against the increase of the 12 percent value-added tax to 15 percent.

"Kasi mas lalong kawawa 'yung mga workers at consumers 'pag tinaasan mo pa 'yan. I am against it," he said.

Through his efforts, over a thousand educational books for elementary and high school students were turned over to four schools in Cebu yesterday.

Recipients of the Angara's book donation program dubbed as "Libro sa Pagbabago, Karunungan para sa Kabataan," were Pajo Elementary School and Mactan Air Base Elementary School in Lapu-Lapu City and Bagong Lipunan Elementary School and Mabolo National High School in Cebu City.

Aside from serving as a learning tool, the donation is also one of the government's ways to help students have a better opportunity for education, said Angara.

The students and pupils promised to the read the books.  

The donated books, which comprised of Mathematics, Science, English, Language, among others, will be put at the library of the respective schools for everyone to read.

Angara said that so far, he has donated various books in 20 different schools nationwide.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza thanked Angara for his generosity.

Meanwhile, what started as a promise made years ago became a reality last Wednesday in Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City as Angara led the groundbreaking of the two-storey Pajo Daycare and Livelihood Training Center.

"... 2016 na po, andito po kami, bumalik kami dahil nais naming tuparin ang aming pangako sa inyo," the Senator said in his speech.

Pajo barangay captain Junard "Ahong" Chan said the building will cost around P5 million and it was Angara who facilitated the release of the amount to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

"Today will be imprinted in the history of Barangay Pajo forever," declared Chan in his speech of gratitude.   (FREEMAN)