Militants disappointed with Duterte

CEBU, Philippines —  Members of different militant group in Cebu trooped yesterday to the regional office of the Department of Labor and Employment to express their increasing disappointment with the Duterte administration.

Jaime Paglinawan, chairman of Bayan-Central Visayas and Alyansa sa Mamumuo-Sugbo-Kilusang Mayo Uno, said the government still failed to address the plight of workers, among others.

The labor groups want to hasten the passage of House Bill 7787 or the National Minimum Wage Bill and House Bill No. 6908, an amendment to Presidential Decree No. 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines.

HB 7787 aims to allow workers from all regions of the country to have equal wage and to achieve substantial wage increases based on a P750 daily rate, while HB 6908 seeks to strengthen the security of tenure of employees in the private sector to address perennial problems of labor-only contracting, known as “endo” or end of contract.

The groups also demand for the stoppage of the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.

The two-day event dubbed as “Kampuhan sa Mamumuong Sugbuanon” will conclude today.

DOLE-7 Regional Director Alvin Villamor, in yesterday’s dialogue with the militant groups, assured to check on establishments violating President Rodrigo Duterte’s executive order, which prohibits illegal contracting in workplaces or “endo.”

The labor department also promised to issue an inspection report within the month, according to Paglinawan.

Protests

On the other hand, cause-oriented groups are set to hold a “united people’s SONA” in time for Duterte’s third State of the Nation Address on Monday.

Paglinawan said protest actions will not only be concentrated in Cebu City.

He said morning activities on July 23 will be done simultaneously in three “rallying points” namely, Cebu City, Toledo City and Bantayan town.

The protest rallies in Cebu City will be participated by the different sectors, including urban poor, women, youth, and drivers, among others.

Protest rallies here are part of a bigger nationwide movement – the United People’s SONA – that seeks to demonstrate their opposition of the present administration’s “anti-people” policies and proposals such as Charter Change and federalism.

Paglinawan said the protest will highlight the real situation of the laborers, farmers, drivers, students and other marginalized sector that are seemingly the “victims” of the policies and programs of Duterte’s administration.

"We are united because wala na gyud mi nakauyon kung gi unsa ni Duterte ang pagdumala sa nasud karon," he said. —KBQ (FREEMAN)