Employers buck P100 wage hike

By Nidz Godino

“With the wage increase, they will be affected by the increase in prices, but they won’t be among the beneficiaries of the higher pay,” Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP)  president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said

Senate bill seeking a P100 increase in the daily minimum wage for private sector workers nationwide is facing opposition from employers who say this will hurt micro and small businesses and dampen investors’ appetite.

ECOP said the proposal will hurt micro and small enterprises, bring another round of inflation and scare away foreign investors.

 “This is unfortunate since inflation has already gone down. If you raise wages, prices will go up by two percent at least,” he added.

Ortiz-Luis pointed out that micro businesses, which comprise 90 percent of enterprises in the Philippines, could no longer afford to pay higher wages.

The proposed wage hike is also disadvantageous to farmers, fisherfolk, market vendors and other workers in the informal sector that account for 84 percent of the labor force, he added.

Foreign investors will also be turned off, he said.

“Congress established the tripartite wage board only to replace it,” Ortiz-Luis noted.

The regional tripartite wages and productivity boards are mandated to determine and fix minimum wage rates in their respective regions.

 Ortiz-Luis said the regional wage board remains the most objective in wage setting as it is equally represented by labor, business and the government.

 The new round of salary increases would also mark the country as having one of the highest wages in the region, which would kill investors’ appetite, he noted.

Senate Bill 2534, which pushes for a P100 minimum wage increase for private sector workers, has already reached the Senate plenary. 

It is sponsored by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, chair of the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources development.

“After consideration of the existing socio-economic conditions and positions of various sectors, it is incumbent upon us to propose a daily pay hike to help alleviate the burden of Filipinos in the face of soaring prices of basic commodities and rising cost of living. We cannot turn a blind eye to the injustice to and the economic conditions of our workers, who are considered the lifeblood of the economy,” Estrada said.

TODAY’S GOD’S MESSAGE

1 Corinthians 13:6-7

⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Traffic jams a challenge to be resolved

By J.Lo

“Traffic is always a challenge… every single time we do the Hop-on Hop-off we make sure the bus makes the rounds in two hours, that is the maximum rolling tour time,” Department of Tourism-National Capital Region (DOT-NCR) director Sharlene Zabala-Batin told reporterst raffic jams potentially spoil the experience of tourists while they visit attractions in Metro Manila.

Zabala-Batin said as the agency gradually rolls out the routes of the Philippines Hop-on Hop-Off Travel by the Hubs bus tours program road congestion is one of the “challenges” the DOT-NCR office “wants to overcome” this year.

So far, the Hop-on Hop-off bus tours could “manage” bringing tourists to Metro Manila’s attractions amid vehicular traffic, she said.

Batin joined DOT Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco in opening the “Entertainment Hub” of the Hop-on Hop-off bus tours last Feb. 8, a route that will feature entertainment and shopping centers in the cities of Pasay and Parañaque.

The Entertainment Hub stops are the SM Mall of Asia, Luxe Duty Free, Newport World Resorts, City of Dreams, Ayala Malls Manila Bay and Okada Manila.

The Entertainment Hub of the Philippines Hop-on Hop-off Travel by the Hubs bus tours will become available to the public on Feb. 16, according to Batin.

It is the third “travel hub” of the bus tours, following the launch of the “Business Hub” in Makati City and the “Culture Hub” in Manila in the second half of 2023.

Tourists can book the tours through a mobile application produced by the program’s implementor, Positive Exposure. A do-it-yourself tour valid for 24 hours costs P1,199, while curated tours are also offered.

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Legarda: Senate-House impasse to settle soon

By Nidz Godino

“Zubiri and Romualdez have been friends for a long time, they have been working together for a long time, this is just a little misunderstanding and I am sure that is fine,” Senate President Pro-Tempore Loren Legarda expressed confidence that the impasse between the Senate and the House of Representatives over efforts to amend the 1987 Constitution will soon be settled.

Legarda said Senate President Miguel Zubiri and Speaker Martin Romualdez might be talking now to settle the issue, which stemmed from the alleged fake people’s initiative reportedly initiated by some members of the House of Representatives pushing for Charter change, with Congress voting as one and jointly, diminishing the power of the 24 senators against 315 congressmen.

 “In fact, maybe by now, they are talking. I was there in almost all meetings, as requested by SP Zubiri, to help explain to the House that we share the same causes, and there is so much work to do to help our people,” she added.

The Senate has started discussing Resolution of Both Houses 6 (RBH6), seeking to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution, particularly public services, the education sector and the advertising industry.

Zubiri and Legarda, along with Sen. Sonny Angara, authored RBH6 as agreed by Romualdez in the presence of President Marcos.

Legarda is optimistic that the impasse will be settled before President Marcos’ State of the Nation Address in July, where the senators and congressmen will have to jointly hold a session.

P100 minimum wage hike

By Nidz Godino

“To me, this P100 minimum wage increase might be a good Valentine’s gift to our kababayan,” Sen. Nancy Binay senators are hoping to approve this week the proposed P100 increase for minimum wage earners as a Valentine’s gift to Filipino workers.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and other senators are supportive of the proposal to provide a P100 increase for minimum wage earners, Binay said.

 “Let’s see, this might be approved this week,” she added.

Considered one of the top priorities of the Senate, the proposed measure is estimated to benefit over 4.2 million minimum wage earners.

“Like the Senate President said, this is a priority measure that we want passed. In a survey, this P100 minimum wage increase is the number three concern of our kababayan on how to increase their income so they can have funds for their needs,” Binay continued.

She expressed belief that the business sector is amenable to the proposed measure, which will exempt small and medium enterprises.

She noted that the business sector will not be burdened, as Congress has already passed measures on decreasing corporate taxes. “It’s the time for them to make sacrifices.”

The senator, however, could not say whether the proposal has a counterpart in the House of Representatives. Under the procedure, before a bill becomes a law, both Houses must pursue a similar measure, then their representatives will meet in a bicameral conference to harmonize conflicting provisions then forward it to the President for signature.

Last Wednesday, the Senate panel endorsed to the plenary the proposed measure seeking a P100 daily minimum wage increase for private sector workers in the entire country.

Zubiri, the principal author of the wage increase, enjoined his senator-colleagues to support the passage of Senate Bill 2534, which was co-authored by Binay, Senators Bong Revilla Jr., Loren Legarda, Bong Go and Jinggoy Estrada.
“Ever since we filed our bill for a P150 across-the-board wage increase, our compatriots have been asking me every day, ‘Senator Migz, when will be the wage increase that you were saying before?’” Zubiri said in his co-sponsorship speech.

“Calls for wage increase became louder right when the issue of the people’s initiative for Charter change began heating up,” he said. “Many are asking, why not just prioritize the wage increase instead?”
Zubiri said that “here in the Senate, there have been rallies with the cry, ‘No to Cha-cha, yes to wage increase’.”
In his sponsorship speech, Estrada said the goal of the labor committee – and the collective conscience of the Senate – is to update the minimum wage by P100 for workers in the private sector.

Under this measure, Estrada said all employees in the private sector in the entire country, whether agricultural or non-agricultural, are entitled to a P100 minimum wage increase. This would guarantee an increased daily pay for around 4.2 million minimum wage earners.

TODAY’S GOD’S MESSAGE

1 Corinthians 13:4-5

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Teves now undocumented alien

By J.Lo

“His right to travel can be impaired as his case involves public safety…his actions as well as of his group indeed created fear and intimidation of the local population and government of Negros Oriental, undermining public safety,”   decision read, Manila court has ordered  cancellation of  passport of expelled Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr., who is wanted in the country for multiple murder.

Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 51 Judge Merianthe Pacita Zuraek issued  order, saying  prosecution had established  Teves “is  fugitive from justice,” Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed.

Court  said there is basis for  Department of Foreign Affairs to cancel Teves’ passport.

In 14-page decision,  RTC denied Teves’ motion to oppose  prosecution’s motion to cancel his passport, saying hat he is “not entitled to relief from  court” as it has not yet acquired jurisdiction over his case.

Teves is facing murder charges over  assassination of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo on March 4, 2023.

He is also facing several other charges in connection with  series of killings in 2019.

DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla reiterated  government’s commitment to uphold  rule of law and ensure  “all individuals, regardless of their status, are held accountable for their actions.”

Remulla had earlier said Teves is in Timor-Leste and is believed to be seeking asylum, although his chances are not good.

Teves’ legal counsel Ferdinand Topacio  would exhaust all legal remedies to reverse  court ruling

Komedya o komida

Ni Derek Jorge

Komedyanteng peryante

KOMEDYANTE talaga itong mga sindikato ng sugalan, lalakarin daw na magkaprangkisa ang color game at drop ball. Shout out muna kina Chairman Alfredo Quiambao, Admin Ricardo Sta. Ana, Secretary Michelle Santos, Treasurer Con Adato, Caretaker Pepito Nicandro, Kagawad Alexander Malvar, Rorielou Cando. Kiwal, bulati kong kikiwal-kiwal, prangkisa kasi ang kailangan para maging legal ang operasyon ng ngayo’y ilegal na sugalan. Hindi masaya ang mga sindikato sa naging pagdinig ng senado, binusisi kasi ang kotongan at kikilan sa pasugalan ng perya, P10 milyon daw ang lagay. Sabagay mismong si gambling lord Rogelio Mistica Jr. alias Jun Mistica ang nagsabing hindi sya makukulong, sayang na lang ang milyones na regalo nya kay Gen. Torre. Nakatapat ka Jun Mistica, naasikaso kita, tanggal pwesto mo sa Cubao. Pero tuloy pamamayagpag mo sa Kasiglahan, Rodriguez at Angono, Rizal, maaasikaso rin kitang damuho ka. Tata, saan ka naroon ngayon makaraang masibak sa Meycauayan City, Crame ba, ano kaya’t maging Chief PNP ka, tyak mamumunini ka, ang laki ng utang na loob mo sa akin. Yung props na ipinakita mo kay pope, kung dinala ko kay Gen. Acorda, ipinatawag kita at ipinabulatlat ko ang pinanggalingan noon, tyak may paglalagyan ka. Pope see you in Baguio City, resolbahin natin kung may problema ka man sa akin. Derek Kim, see you in 5 days. Masarap nga ang exotic Chichaworm mo Kuya Roldan Rodriguez, pero bitin. Titser Gina, huwag mong piliting ikorte kita, hindi mo magugustuhan, makipag-usap ka na lang.   

BIR vs Ever Bilena over P1.6B tax liability

By Nidz Godino

“RAFT Task Force will run after big fish , big companies using illegal schemes in evading taxes. ..Ever Bilena has P1.6 billion in total tax liability,” Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said BIR has filed criminal charges against popular cosmetics brand Ever Bilena for allegedly failing to settle at least P1.6 billion in tax liability.

Complaint  was filed against Ever Bilena before  Department of Justice on Feb. 1, according to Lumagui.

Lumagui said BIR Run After Fake Transactions (RAFT) Task Force discovered  cosmetics firm had been using receipts from several ghost companies.

“This year, we will continue to file criminal cases against tax evaders,” Lumagui added.

BIR said Ever Bilena, through its corporate officers and certified public accountants, is facing complaints for tax evasion, failure to supply correct and accurate information in Income Tax Return and Value-Added Tax Returns, perjury and making falsified records or report under  National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.

Lumagui launched  RAFT program in 2023 against businesses using ghost receipts to evade tax payment.

Govt workers for 10 yrs may earn civil service eligibility

By J.Lo

“We are mindful, however, of  need to uphold meritocracy in  hiring process and to ensure  quality of government service will not be compromised…therefore,  conferment of CSE-PR will go through  meticulous process so that only those who are truly qualified may avail of this privilege,” Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chairman Karlo Nograles said job order (JO), contractual, casual and co-terminus employees who have been working in the government for at least 10 aggregate years may now apply for civil service eligibility.

Resolution No. 2301123 promulgated on Dec. 7, 2023 covers  “JOCOSC6” workers, or those under  JO, Contract of Service, Casual, Contractual, Coterminous status holding Category III and Category IV positions and career service employees with first level eligibility who may now apply for Career Service Eligibility CSE-PR).

To qualify, applicants need to have accumulated  minimum of 10 years of service in the government as JOCOSC6, along with  performance rating of at least very satisfactory or its equivalent in  two most recent rating periods before  application date for eligibility.

Moreover,  JOCOSC6 workers interested in availing themselves of  CSE-PR must take  scheduled civil service examinations beginning March 3 and thereafter, at either professional or sub-professional levels must obtain  general rating not lower than 70.

Under the resolution, those who are granted  CSE-PR, shall have 10 points automatically added to their failed civil service examination ratings of at least 70 to achieve  passing rate of 80, thereby qualifying them for career service professional or sub-professional eligibility.

Lastly,  application for  grant of CSE-PR must be filed using  appropriate application form with complete requirements within six months from  date of release of  results of civil service exam taken.

Nograles clarified  individuals can only avail themselves of  CSE-PR grant once.

Complete guidelines on grant of CSE-PR can be accessed on CSC website, http://www.csc.gov.ph.