Barangay election delay a wise move

Congress has just approved the postponement of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan election to October of next year. I think this is a wise move and I believe most voters would agree. After all, one of the reasons cited for the prudence of postponement was “election fatigue” and this is something I know we all feel, and not just the voters but the Comelec as well. 2016 certainly feels like an extremely heavy year and the presidential election certainly took a lot out of the country. A respite from further elections this year is definitely a good choice.

Plus, postponing the elections will also save us money and give President Duterte the chance to complete the appointments of officials in his new government. After all, among the top priorities of any new president is selecting the best individuals for key sensitive government posts. The president can’t appoint officials during an election period as movement of personnel is prohibited, so another good reason to postpone the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections would be to give the president time to finish his appointments and get his government in place.

It has been, after all, a pretty tough first 100 days for the new government. And while it has only been a short while it already feels like the last administration was another lifetime ago. I suppose this is because the Duterte administration has already been marred with so much controversy. Overall, we all want our president to succeed, since that would mean the success of the Philippines, but we can’t deny that these last few months have been bloody and quite overwhelming as well.

In my opinion, the country has already been through enough this year. We need to give voters time to process all the changes before asking them to make any more important decisions when it comes to their leaders.

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The President has accepted the proposal laid out by his trade and labor secretaries for a win-win way to end the “end-of-contract” or endo system that is currently practiced in our country. Under the proposal, there will be two new set-ups for labor. One is that firms will hire laborers directly and the other is that, due to the seasonal nature of some jobs, firms will hire workers through service providers who will provide them with laborers for their jobs on a per project basis. These service providers, however, will retain these workers as regulars and thereby give them the same benefits all regular employees get such as leave credits, 13th month pay, and other employee benefits.

The proposal was presented by Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez last September 15 at a consultation forum attended by government officials, trade and labor officials, business leaders, and selected legislators. The President has approved this new proposal despite only wanting direct hiring before. At the end of the day I believe that President Duterte just wants to make sure that workers rights are protected and that the Filipino laborers are given the benefits that they deserve.

I fully support this proposed program and I think it is high time for our workers to be protected. One of the many benefits that companies see when it comes to doing business in the Philippines is that labor is good and affordable. However, up until recently that was mostly due to an overly large population. People needed jobs and would therefore accept contractual work despite there being no security because they needed the paycheck. I am hoping that through these new provisions Filipino workers can finally enjoy a little security and added benefits. I know they have earned them.

I remember that job security was one of the promises that President Duterte made when he was still on the campaign trail before the elections. I hope he will continue to make good on this promise and truly help elevate the situation of Filipino workers.

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San Miguel Corporation deserves a huge pat on the back as their president Ramon S. Ang has sought to help ease the congestion of traffic to the airport by opening an initial section of a toll road aimed to help cut traffic in and around the Ninoy Aquino International Airport complex.

We all know how awful the level of traffic has gotten around Metro Manila. Travelers who go to the airport leave extremely early because not only do they have to get to the airport at least three hours before their flight but they also have to make adjustments for the typical two to three-hour commute to the airport too. Hopefully now, with these new access roads to the airport, making our flights will be that much easier.

The NAIA Expressway Project Phase 2 links Terminals 1 and 2 to Macapagal Boulevard while the rest of the toll road which will extend further to Terminal 3 is slated to be opened before the Christmas season when traveling is at its peak. Toll has been waived in the first month of operation but will be implemented thereafter. It is a small price to pay to ensure you get to the airport in a timely and less stressful fashion.

SMC also operates the Metro Manila Skyway and South Luzon Expressway. These two roads have greatly alleviated traffic in the South. Here’s hoping for more progressive and helpful infrastructure projects in the months and years ahead.