MANILA, Philippines – A laborers’ group on Wednesday hailed the labor-friendly initiatives and bills passed by Congress but questioned the compliance of employers and business firms and the government’s enforcement of such laws.
The 17th Congress has passed four laws concerning labor: The Telecommuting Act (RA 11165); The Expanded Maternity Leave (RA 11210); The Social Security Act of 2018 (RA 11199) and The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Law (RA 11058).
“Unang-una, labor-friendly ang daming bills, ang daming policies na nagawa. Ang tanong, nagco-comply ba? Nagco-comply ang ating mga employers? Naco-comply ang mga businesses? Ine-enforce ba ng ating gobyerno yung mga regulations na ito?” Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum
Tanjusay further asked: “Pero ang tanong, sumusunod ba? Kumakalinga ba? Ini-inspect ba? Nai-implement ba?”
“So at the end of the day, kung titignan natin yung quality ng pamumuhay ng mamamayang Pilipino, dun natin masusukat kung ang mga legislations natin na ito ay nakakatulong ba talaga sa mga kababayan natin,” Tanjusay pointed out.
The ALU-TUCP filed a petition for a P710 daily minimum wage increase in Metro Manila workers, which meant raising the current minimum wage from P537 to P1,247.
READ: Labor group files petition for P710 wage hike
Meanwhile, Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce Industry Inc. president Henry Lim assured that as long that there are such laws, companies will comply.
“Pero ayun nga, of course there are small establishments na siguro hindi kaya i-comply,” Lim noted.
“Yung iba, may mga sampu lang empleyado, mahihirapan sila.”
He, however, noted that he cannot speak for big companies in terms of compliance.
“Mga 75 percent compliance, dapat masaya na rin kayo doon,” Lim said. /gsg