Officials of the Department of Labor and Employment in
Central Visayas (DOLE-7) yesterday defended President Benigno Aquino III’s
decision not to approve a P125 across-the-board wage increase.
In an interview, Regional Director Ma. Gloria Tango of
the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE-7) said the
P125 wage increase sought by labor groups is too high and will only discourage
investors from setting up business in the country.
Tango reiterated the government’s stance amid Cebu
Archbishop Jose Palma’s appeal to the Catholic faithful to “work well” and not
be satisfied with mediocrity.
The President earlier ordered the different regional wage
boards to fast track the review of the different wage hike petitions and
conduct public consultations. The regional wage board in Central Visayas
will meet on May 10.
Tango also said the P125 wage increase will prevent
existing companies from expanding their operations and may even result in some
of them closing shop.
The regional DOLE-7 chief also announced that there were
301 applicants who were hired on the spot (Hots) out of 6,064 applicants who
trooped to the four venues of job fairs in Central Visayas last May 1.
The figure only represents 5 percent of the total
registered applicants. Despite this, Tango said she considers the job
fairs successful.
About 30 of them were for overseas employment and 271
were for local employment. There were more available jobs for overseas
employment that reached 24,000 as compared to only 4,000 jobs for local employment.
In his Labor Day message last Tuesday, Cebu Archbishop
Jose Palma urged employees to do their work well. He said work is synonymous
with God and should transform every person into reflecting His nature.
“As we open the Bible, we are immediately introduced to
God as creator, as a worker. As the image and likeness of God, man has a
vocation to work also. Work is something that belongs to the divine,” the
62-year-old prelate said.
Palma’s message was read by Msgr. Cayetano Gelbolingo,
vicar general of the Cebu Archdiocese, during a Mass for laborers and employers
at the University of San Carlos-South Campus last Tuesday morning.
In his message, Palma challenged laborers not to settle
for mediocrity in doing their works saying that God’s will exhorts believers to
work according to His standard and example.
“Laziness and low quality of work is contrary to God’s
will and contrary to man’s dignity. It is sinful. Let us spend our time and
energy only for the work of God,” he said.
The Catholic Church honored St. Joseph, husband of Mary
and foster father of Jesus. Palma said people should draw
inspiration from St. Joseph who worked as a carpenter in Nazareth.
The Eucharistic celebration was preceded by a “solidarity
run” participated by government employees, laborers, and employers from the
cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Talisay. They converged at the USC-South
Campus’ Rudolf Rahman Cultural Center.
After the Mass, a program was held that was participated
by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and representatives from other local government
units.
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MY REACTION
I have two opposing opinions about this
issue. First, is that the government made a right decision not to approve the
P125 wage increase. What the government wants to tell to people is that if they
approve it there would be a massive inflation in our economy because raising
the wages of the workers would increase also their spending power. So, it means
higher spending power would give companies the opportunities to increase prices
of products. If this will happen people will suffer to high cost of goods they
purchase daily. But on the other hand, on the side of the workers increasing
their salaries by P125 would give satisfaction to their lives. Then will be
able to sustain their daily needs. For example if a family have 5kids a P400
per day will not sustain the needs of those kids, and it is not enough to raise
the family. So an additional of 125 in the salaries would lessen their burden
of the family and at the same time you will be able to raise your family.
For me I will go with the decision of the
government, I’d rather to have a low salary than to have a higher one but
prices of goods will have a massive increase on it. What I can suggest on this
issue is that government should have a thorough debates and discussions about
this.
grade: 93%
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