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OPINYON
PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN
BIYERNES, SETYEMBRE 13, 2013
Nickel-and-Dime The workers could almost hear the clink of coins thrown at their feet. Yet Metro Manila labourers should be grateful for even a measly wage hike—or so this government would like us to think. Amid the ongoing P10billion pork barrel scandal and exposés on Benigno Aquino III’s own pork largesse, the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board of the National Capital Region announced what has to be the most recent of this administration’s cruel japes on Manila’s workers: a P10-wage hike. Effective November, the nominal increase will bring the NCR minimum wage level from the current P456 to P466—still far below the required family living wage for decent living estimated by independent think-tank IBON at P1,051 as of August 2013. “[We have] determined the need to enable [workers] to cope with the rising cost of living without impairing the viability of business and industry,” read the RTWPB wage order—
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PHILIPPINE COLLEGIAN 2013 - 2014 Punong Patnugot Julian Inah Anunciacion Kapatnugot Victor Gregor Limon Patnugot sa Balita Keith Richard Mariano Patnugot sa Grapiks Ysa Calinawan Tagapamahala ng Pinansiya Gloiza Rufina Plamenco Panauhing Patnugot Piya Constantino Margaret Yarcia
RD Aliposa
hauntingly consistent with Aquino’s official press release template which unmasks this government’s bias for local big business and foreign investors who profit at the expense of the Filipino worker’s cheap labor.
Editor’s Pick
The Philippine Collegian republishes distinguished photographs from its past issues that captured its YEARS tradition of critical and fearless journalism.
In 2009, Rey Reduccion, 42 is one of the 73 workers who were terminated because of the picket-protest they held to fight for wage increase under Arroyo’s administration. Four years hence, under Benigno Aquino III’s presidency, labor groups were still dismayed with the P10 wage hike for the minimum wage earners.
STALLED VICTORY Photo by Chris Imperial February 6, 2009
Such a bias is founded on the perverted logic that bringing salary levels closer to the P125 across-the-board wage hike demand by labor groups will only further drag the labor force into unemployment and that plans to further raise wages are thus better shelved. Never mind that according to the government’s own statistics, rates of labor productivity growth in the NCR has consistently risen throughout the past decade. The cruelty of the joke is even magnified by the fact that the P10 wage hike comes at a time when the national budget is expected—yet again—to suffer drastic cuts in spending for basic social services while devoting large chunks to ineffective programs such as the Conditional Cash Transfer scheme. Yet this blatant disregard for the rights and welfare of ordinary working Filipinos hails from the more farreaching policy of the recently implemented Two-Tiered Wage System in the country. Under this scheme, wages are nailed at current levels, while any so-called “productivity-based” incentives shall be at the discretion of private employers.
Mga Kawani Mary Joy Capistrano Ashley Marie Garcia Kimberly Ann Pauig Jiru Nikko Rada Emmanuel Jerome Tagaro
Further, the dismal labor situation is hardly limited to those who earn a pittance in Pinansya Amelyn Daga exchange for their invaluable contributions to the economy. As of July, official Tagapamahala sa Sirkulasyon Paul John Alix government estimates place the unemployment rate at Sirkulasyon 7.3 percent, higher than the Gary Gabales seven percent rate in July 2010 Amelito Jaena when Aquino first assumed Glenario Ommamalin the presidency. Indeed, Aquino has never Mga Katuwang na Kawani forgotten to remind the public Trinidad Gabales that the economy is on a Gina Villas fast track towards economic development and “inclusive Kasapi growth”—a shameless act UP Systemwide Alliance that repeatedly attempts to of Student Publications and Writers’ fool the public into turning Organizations (Solidaridad) a blind eye to dire economic College Editors Guild of the Philippines conditions: rising prices (CEGP) of basic commodities and utilities, fare hikes, continued Pamuhatan landlessness, homelessness, Silid 401 Bulwagang Vinzons, and the inaccessibility of Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, Diliman, even the most basic of Lungsod Quezon social services. Halfway into Aquino’s term, Telefax it is thus easy to predict the fate 981-8500 lokal 4522 of this regime. For whenever Online there is continued oppression, pkule1314@gmail.com there is dissent. And where www.philippinecollegian.org there is dissent, those who fb.com/philippinecollegian perpetrate the social injustices twitter.com/kule1314 that breed unrest must tremble with fear of the people’s Ukol sa Pabalat historical ability to reveal their Dibuho ni Mar Rios collective strength. ∞