LUNCH BREAK PICKET | A noontime protest is being staged by workers of the state-owned Clark Development Corp. in this photo taken on Jan. 20, 2023, as they fight for the restoration of their allowances, benefits, and incentives that were discontinued as a result of the new compensation system approved by then President Rodrigo Duterte just two months before he stepped down on June 30, 2022. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
CLARK FREEPORT — Leaders of the union representing 465 rank-and-file employees of the state-owned Clark Development Corp. (CDC) have appealed to Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma to lift his escrow order on some P493 million in allowances, benefits and incentives (ABI) due them to help pay debts or medical expenses.
Removing the escrow would allow CDC to resume giving the ABI, which average P5,200 monthly per employee, after it stopped coming since January, according to Randy Gomez, chair of the Association of Concerned CDC Employees (Acces).
Laguesma has placed the ABI on escrow in January when he assumed jurisdiction of the labor issue that arose from the Compensation and Position Classification System (CPCS) imposed by the Governance Commission for Government-owned and Controlled Corporations (GCG), which no longer recognized the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between Acces and CDC.
‘Signs of depression
The CPCS excluded the ABI that were enjoyed by the rank-and-file workers through terms in their CBAs with CDC since 1996, a set of documents showed.
The ABI were enjoyed by the employees before then President Rodrigo Duterte approved the creation of GCG under Republic Act No. 10149 and issued Executive Order No. 150 that approved the CPCS two months before his term ended in June 2022, according to Acces president Edsel Manalili.
Union leaders made the appeal to lift the escrow at a press briefing on Sunday when their meeting with Laguesma on March 31 was canceled due to health reasons. Laguesma had previously declined to comment on the case, saying it was still pending.
Gomez said many of their members had been buried in debts to pay for the educational expenses of their children and for their own medical bills, adding that “a number of them are showing signs of depression.”
‘Alarming’
In a statement on Monday, CDC said it was respecting the legal process under Laguesma’s office, noting that the labor chief had assumed jurisdiction “to prevent a strike from damaging Clark’s reputation as a premier investment destination.”
“The strikes, as well as the general assemblies and marches during lunch break, create an alarming impression that a strike has already been declared against CDC. It is important for CDC to take the necessary action to avoid deterring potential investors from investing in Clark,” CDC said.
It said it remained committed to resolving its labor disputes in a “peaceful manner” by bringing the matter to the attention of the national government.
“We are also maintaining transparency with Acces by updating them on the status of our actions,” CDC said.
Laguesma said he gave the assumption jurisdiction (AJ) order at the petition of the CDC following the notice of strike by Acces.
“So far, it is the first known AJ that came with an escrow on funds,” Gomez pointed out.