Duterte’s labor usec vows to stop ‘endo’
DAVAO CITY, Philippines—The former Anakpawis congressman chosen by President-elect Rodrigo Duterte to be an undersecretary in the Department of Labor and Employment vowed to put an end to contractualization in labor.
In an ambush interview after the announcement of his Cabinet appointment at the presidential guesthouse here, former solon Joel Maglungsod said he would talk to Duterte to certify as urgent a bill in Congress that would make contractualization illegal.
Maglungsod said the president-elect had vowed during the campaign that he would stop the practice of “endo” or end of contract and put in place security of tenure for the workers.
“Malinaw yung sinabi ni mayor president-elect na itigil ang contractualization. Immediately, kailangan yung department order na naglelegalize ng contractualization, ibabasura upon assumption of office ni Mayor Duterte,” Maglungsod said.
(The mayor president-elect made it clear to stop contractualization. The department order legalizing contractualization must be abolished immediately upon Mayor Duterte’s assumption of office.)
“Ako sa 14th Congress, representative ako ng Anakpawis party-list, ako nag-author ng Regular Employment bill. Im-mu-mungkahi sa presidente na certify as urgent ito pagkontra natin sa malawakang kontraktuwalisasyon,” he added.
(In the 14th Congress, as a representative of Anakpawis party-list, I authored Regular Employment bill. I would suggest to the president to certify the bill as urgent to oppose the prevalent contractualization.)
Maglungsod also said as Labor undersecretary he would fight for increased wages and coordinate with big businesses to implement a reasonable and just wage hike.
“Tingin ko naman kaya ng mga kapitalista na magbigay (ng wage hike). Ang total labor force, production cost is a little bit 10 percent sa mga kita nila. So kaya nila. Kaya lang, mas tinitingnan yung ganansya, kaya ito problema ngayon,” Maglungsod said.
(I think the capitalists could give wage hike. The total labor force, production cost is a little bit 10 percent in their earnings. So they can give it. But the problem is they focus on the profits.)
“Yung dagdag na sahod, para magkaroon ng economic relief lahat ng mga manggagawa natin ([There should be] a wage hike so all of our workers would have an economic relief),” he added.
Maglungsod will serve as undersecretary with former Justice Secretary and 1-BAP Rep. Silvestre Bello III, who was chosen by Duterte as his labor secretary.
In announcing his appointment Thursday night, Duterte described Maglungsod as a friend and a former New People’s Army rebel.
READ: Duterte names former NPA rebel as labor undersecretary
Maglungsod is the latest among the progressives Duterte included in his Cabinet as recommended by the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. He earlier put former Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano as agrarian reform secretary and activist UP Prof. Judy Taguiwalo as social welfare secretary.
Duterte opened his Cabinet to the Left in a bid to resume the stalled peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines.
Duterte said he would also put a female leftist to head the National Anti-Poverty Commission instead of giving it to vice president-elect Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo, who would have wanted the position. RAM
READ: Duterte: NAPC post for a woman from Left, not Robredo
