Wage hike in installments

By J.Lo

“Such  method would considerably weaken  potential economic stimulus that  one-time increase could achieve,” Federation of Free Workers (FFW)  Women’s
 Network vice president Arta Maines said stressing  need for  one-time significant wage increase to effectively stimulate  local economy FFW has rejected  proposal by some legislators and  business sector for  installment-based legislated wage increase.

FFW is pushing for  P150 legislated wage increase for all workers, as it noted  critical to boost  purchasing power of  workforce and delivering  immediate uplift to economic activities.

Some legislators are proposing  gradual increase of P100 over three years for  National Capital Region (NCR), Calabarzon and Central Luzon , P40 in  first year, P40 in  second and P20 in  third year.

A P35-P35-P30 increment is being eyed for other regions.

“This is lower than some of t wage orders promulgated by the RTWPBs which unions earlier criticized as insufficient,” Maines said, referring to Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards.

She said the installment-based increase diminishes the immediate impact that a signifi[1]cant wage boost could have on the economy.

“It’s crucial, now more than ever, for our workers to receive this adjustment to handle  rising living costs and to kickstart economic activities from  grassroots,” Maines pointed out.

She said  substantial wage hike implemented on May 1 would convey  strong message of support for  country’s workforce and aid in  swift recovery of local economies.

She added  studies have shown  positive correlation between worker morale, effort and wage satisfaction.

Maines  cited as  effective precedent  P25 wage increase in 1989.

“Despite substantial wage hikes and  political unrest following coup attempts,  feared massive job losses did not materialize…instead, GDP ,gross domestic product growth soared to 5.8 percent from that period until  Asian financial crisis in 1997,” she said.

Maines noted  proposed P150 wage increase represents 24.59 percent of  current P610 daily wage in  NCR, compared to  39.1 percent legislated increase in 1989.

In Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,  daily wage is P341,  increase would constitute 43.99 percent.

Employers and other business groups are against  legislated wage hike, preferring to leave wage setting to  Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards as mandated by law.

Retail price of gg down by P50/kilo

By J.Lo

“At present, all areas are open after we implemented  closed fishing season. Visayan Sea, Zamboanga peninsula and then northeastern Palawan for galunggong fishing, all these areas are open,” Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) spokesman Nazario Briguera  said retail price of round scad or galunggong has gone down by P50 per kilo with  peak fishing season.

Briguera said commercial fishers are allowed to operate in Visayan Sea, Zamboanga peninsula and Palawan after  closed fishing season ended on Feb. 15.

He pointed out that  closed fishing season was necessary as  spawning period of mature sardines peaks during  months of October to January.

“If you go to  markets, you can see  increase in  unloading of tamban as  closed fishing season ended in Zamboanga peninsula…’’good news… fish is cheaper now…in fact, galunggong prices declined by P50 compared to  closed fishing season,” Briguera said.

He noted  movement in retail prices of fish is only expected during  entire observance of Holy Week as many Catholics avoid meat.

“Based on our experience on law of supply and demand, if  demand is high, there is an increase in retail prices but it should only happen during  Holy Week itself… important is we have sufficient supply,” he stressed.

According to Briguera, country only imports fish when there is a fishing ban.  Volume  of fish import this year is 29 percent more compared to  25,000 metric tons allowed by DA in 2022.

“Volume of imported fish is only limited, based on  supply gap,” he concluded.

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HEADLINES

P500 monthly grocery discount for Srs, PWDs any time

By Nidz Godino

ANY time this month of March Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will raise  monthly discount cap on groceries and prime commodities for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWD) to P500.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez said DTI is set to order  discount increase  raising  maximum discount for groceries and prime commodities to P125 weekly or P500 a month.

Current rules allow senior citizens and PWDs to enjoy  5% special discount on  groceries, with  total discount limited to P260 per month or P65 per week.

Romualdez, met with DTI Undersecretary Carolina Sanchez and other officials , said  DTI will commit to implementing  discount hike before end of March.

Sanchez said  joint circular from  DTI,  Department of Agriculture and  Department of Energy enforcing  increase will be issued even as consultations with stakeholders are still ongoing.

Discount  covers only basic goods and prime commodities, such as rice, corn, bread, meat, fish, chicken, eggs, cooking oil, sugar, vegetables, fruits, onions, garlic, as well as fresh and processed milk, except medical grade milk.

Also covered are manufactured goods, such as processed meat, sardines, and even corned beef, although premium brands are not.

Senior citizens and PWDs also stand to enjoy additional discounts on basic construction supplies, like cement, hollow blocks, and electrical supplies, including light bulbs. 

Premium items, including non-essential food such as cakes and pastries, are exempted from additional discount, Sanchez said.

This comes after  hearing by  House commitees on senior citizens, persons with disabilities and ways and means on February 13 where lawmakers urged officials to raise  discount cap on groceries in light of food inflation.

House ways and means chair Rep. Joey Salceda (Albay, 2nd District) said  when adjusted for inflation,  total discount should be around P126.31 per week.

TODAY’S GOD’S MESSAGE

Joshua 1:9

⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

PNP informed of potential hideout of ex-Palawan Gov in journalist’s murder

By Nidz Godino

“Information provides all the keys to finding and arresting Reyes. It is now DOJ and PNP responsibility to immediately arrest the former governor and bring justice to the journalist’s relatives, 13 years after this shocking crime,” Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Asia-Pacific Bureau Director Cédric Alviani said

 international coalition supporting press freedom provided information to Philippine authorities this week about the location of former Palawan governor Joel Reyes.

Reyes is linked to the 2011 assassination of radio broadcaster Gerry Ortega.

The coalition, named “A Safer World for the Truth,” includes RSF, Free Press Unlimited (FPU), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP). They met with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Manila, urging the arrest of Reyes.

During the discussions, the coalition shared information into Reyes’ hiding place. DOJ Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano IV vowed swift action, and PNP Chief Benjamin Acorda Jr. committed to implementing the arrest warrant against Reyes, according to RSF.

The NGO coalition, operational since 2020, identified deficiencies in the judicial procedures related to Ortega’s murder.

Alviani voiced concern during meetings with Philippine officials about Reyes trying to move the trial to the Quezon City Regional Court, potentially delaying the process.

He lamented that numerous legal rulings have prolonged the case, leaving Ortega’s family without justice and exposing them and key witnesses to security risks.

Alviani, along with RSF Advocacy Officer Aleksandra Bielakowska and JTI Regional Officer Liangwei Huang, has met with various government organizations, including the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS), Philippines Information Agency (PIA), representatives from local media organizations, and members of the media and foreign correspondents.

They also organized a workshop introducing media outlets from Metro Manila to the Journalism Trust Initiative, a global project establishing international standards for journalistic best practices with the aim of rebuilding the public’s trust in the media.

Over 3K fires recorded in first 2 months-BFP

By J.Lo

Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) disclosed more than 3,000 fires have been recorded in the first two months of the year, causing over P1.3 billion in damage.

A total of 3,044 fire incidents were recorded in January and February, a 25-percent increase from 2,424 fires recorded in the same period last year.

Fires claimed the lives of 69 individuals and injured 213 more, the latest BFP data showed.

Smoking was the top cause of fires, with 191 incidents.

A majority of the fires were accidental in nature with 1,704 incidents, but there were also 20 intentional fires and 29 natural fires recorded for the period.

For the full year 2023, the BFP said that electrical fires were the leading cause of incidents, comprising 40.72 percent out of the 16,433 incidents.

The BFP kicked off the observance of Fire Prevention Month yesterday with a civic parade of fire trucks, emergency vehicles and other equipment.

Fire incidents usually occur most in the months of March and April as it coincides with the warm and dry season in the country.

The BFP advised the public to have their electrical connections checked by licensed professionals every two years.

It is implementing its Oplan Ligtas na Pamayanan, its flagship program in fire prevention, by immersing firemen in communities and providing fire safety education and pre-fire planning.

66 rapped for illegal recruitment to So Kor

By Nidz Godino

“We are already on track and, hopefully, in the near future, the national to national government agreement that we want may materialize,” Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) officer-in-charge Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac said at a news forum in Quezon City

at least 66 people were slapped with criminal complaints for their alleged involvement in an illegal recruitment scheme targeting “Seasonal Work Program” (SWP) participants.

The Philippines is seeking a binding agreement with South Korea for the protection of Filipinos hired under SWPs.

He said they have filed cases of illegal recruitment and estafa against the suspects before the Department of Justice.

Cacdac said unscrupulous individuals would act as brokers, demanding fees ranging from P20,000 to P100,000 from Filipinos hired as workers in farms in South Korea.

“They demand fee from the worker before they leave, and if the worker is unable to pay, they would be in debt to whoever this broker is,” he said.

The brokers in the Philippines, Cacdac said citing insider information, also have counterparts in South Korea who claim to facilitate arrangement between the South Korean farm owner and the local government units (LGUs) where the workers come from.

A seasonal worker, Cacdac said, earns about P80,000 a month for a contract for about three to five months, with a possible extension to three months.

He said there are 67 LGUs in the country with sisterhood agreements with local governments in South Korea. He said he finds the arrangements odd, as these types of deals should be about cultural exchanges, tourism and trade-related endeavors.

Cacdac explained the so-called broker system is illegal, as the workers did not go through the DMW or a private recruitment agency.

There are around 3,400 Filipino seasonal workers in South Korea whose applications did not go through the DMW.

The DMW has also received about 160 labor complaints, such as violations of the contract as well as uncomfortable or undesirable living or working conditions in farms in South Korea.

With a binding agreement from the South Korean government, Cacdac said Filipino seasonal workers would be assured of protection from unfair practices.

“The South Korean government itself said they will protect (the seasonal workers), the same as they do factory workers. They will give them protection,” he said.

The Philippine government has an agreement with South Korea for an employment permit system covering factory workers since 2002.

The first batch of Filipino seasonal farm workers bound for South Korea has already left the Philippines, according to the DMW.

In a statement, the DMW said the farm workers underwent “Interim Pipeline Processing” (IPP) procedure that guarantees their rights and welfare under the SWP.       

“Under the IPP, overseas Filipino workers are provided contracts, decent working conditions, and insurance coverage as members of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration,” the DMW said.

The SWP forms part of the sisterhood agreements between local governments of the Philippines and South Korea.

The SWP offers agricultural work to farmers from other countries for three to five months to “address chronic labor shortages” in South Korea.

The Philippines is among the countries that have signed a memorandum of agreement with partner local government units to participate in the SWP. 

35K fines CA justice’s driver over road rage

By J.Lo

“Court employees have been enjoined to adhere to the exacting standards of morality and decency in order to preserve the judiciary’s good name and standing as a true temple of justice,” the high court’s press release showed

 Supreme Court found a Court of Appeals (CA) associate justice’s chauffeur guilty of vulgar and unbecoming conduct, along with simple misconduct, due to a road rage incident in April 2022.

In a press release by the high court Gerardo Manganaan, the driver of CA Associate Justice Carlito Calpatura, was fined a total of P35,100 as he “demonstrated arrogance” “unbecoming of a public servant.”

 “The Court En Banc reminded that judiciary employees should be circumspect in how they conduct themselves inside and outside the office,” it said. 

The case stemmed when Manganaan repeatedly cut through the convoy of the National Defense College of the Philippines and demanded from Sgt. Rex Gagelonia to give him a chance to pass through the road as he was using a government vehicle. 

The court said that Manganaan also pointed a finger at Gagelonia before returning to his vehicle. 

In addition to the fine, the Supreme Court stated that any future repetition of the same or similar acts will be punished more severely.

TODAY’S GOD’S MESSAGE

Isaiah 55:8-9

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

FMJ eyes Basilan as food, fisheries production center

By Nidz Godino

“Basilan’s new role is now the war against hunger. You have a land area twice the size of Singapore, blessed with a rich soil, above all more or less typhoon-free, which makes you an ideal bulwark in our fight for food security,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said during  a peace offering ceremony held at the Kasanyangan Monument in Sumisip town.

President Marcos wants to transform Basilan – a province once wracked by violence and terrorism – into a food and fisheries center of the country.

 “When your agri-fisheries potentials are unlocked, the whole country, not only Basilan, not only BARMM (Bangsamoro Administrative Region in Muslim Mindanao) but the whole country will benefit,” the President said.

 “Your future and fate are therefore intertwined with the nation’s. Please be assured that we will play our role as partner of Basilan’s great leap forward,” he said.

Basilan is home to rubber plantations. Copra and rice are also the province’s major produce and farmers’ main source of income.

The President also vowed more assistance to rebels, including livelihood and housing, to convince more of them to return to the fold of the law.

During his visit to Basilan, Marcos also witnessed the ceremonial destruction of 400 illegal firearms and distributed eight motorcycles donated by the United Nations Development Program to support the livelihood of former members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, Abu Sayyaf Group, and civilian gun owners.

Marcos said the province and its partners have facilitated the surrender of more than 400 firearms in exchange for livelihood opportunities, the documentation of more than 4,000 high-powered and small weapons, and the processing of almost 200 license to own and possess firearms, all through the Small Arms and Light Weapons and Assistance for Security, Peace, Integration and Recovery for Advanced Human Security in BARMM program.

At the signal of the President and Basilan Gov. Hajiman Hataman-Salliman, a road roller crushed the loose firearms that were laid on the concrete road at the foot of the peace monument.

“We are still trying to bring those who are still fighters to come down from the mountains and to join society,” the President said in a media interview when asked if the illegal weapons destruction conducted in Basilan would be replicated in other parts of Mindanao.

“And we, for our part, will continue to support everything that they need in terms of housing, in terms of livelihood, in terms of schools, in terms of infrastructure. And that’s the role that we will play,” he said.

Marcos met with the governors of BARMM to formalize an alliance to ensure continuous support for the region.

The Chief Executive declared that Basilan, once tainted by violence and terrorism, is now a zone of peace “made possible not by military might but more so by people saying no to violence.”

Marcos described the destruction of firearms as a testament to the commitment of all stakeholders to peace.

“I’m the first President to be able to come here because this was ground zero in the time of the fighting. And so, it is a very clear landmark on the progress we have been making in bringing peace to the Southern Philippines,” he said.

Marcos cited an ongoing process under the auspices of the United Nations, the European Union and other international organizations to continue the decommissioning of weapons.

Marcos recognized the peace efforts of the provincial government of Basilan, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity; Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police; as well as community, religious leaders and volunteers.