Changing of the guard
Top two leaders of ALU step down after 58 years, are replaced by their sons
Under their leadership, the labor federation will expand membership, improve services to members, lobby for fair labor laws, among others: Michael Mendoza, Gerard Seno ALU ‘to support’ Governor Garcia’s senatorial bid in 2013
FOR the first time in 58 years, the Associated Labor Union (ALU) has changed leadership after Atty. Democrito Mendoza and Atty. Cecilio Seno stepped down as president and national executive vice president, respectively, during the group’s 14th Supreme National Congress yesterday.
The gathering takes place every five years and is attended by delegates from all over the country. It sets the labor federation’s directives for the next five years.
Mendoza was replaced by his son Michael, and Seno was replaced by his son Gerard.
Michael and Gerard said that under their leadership, the group will expand membership, improve services to members, lobby for fair labor laws, and campaign to ban asbestos, which can cause cancer, among others.
Qualified
Gov. Gwen Garcia, who delivered the welcome remarks, said ALU has been instrumental in the democratic unionism of the country’s workforce.
After her speech, the elder Mendoza announced that ALU and its members will support her senatorial bid in 2013.
This caught ALU’s policy advocacy officer Alan Tanjusay off guard. He said the matter will have to be brought up to the ALU leadership for discussion.
Gerard said Garcia has good qualifications to become senator.
“We are looking not only at her being a Cebuana, but at the substance of the candidate and her advocacy. ALU promotes and supports candidates who are friendly to labor,” he said.
The elder Mendoza, in his speech, said some quarters are saying unionism is dying out.
Raison d’etre
“As long as there is an oppressed worker; as long as there is someone who does not get a fair return of his labor, the unions will be there. ALU will be there,” he said.
He recalled how ALU leaders were persecuted during the administration of former president Ferdinand Marcos.
“We went against the business giants of Cebu. Rain or shine, we manned the picket lines. We scuffled with the scabs and the police. We did not surrender,” he said.
Former congresswoman Cynthia Villar, who also spoke at the gathering, said the government and ALU must protect workers because business and industries will not survive without them.
“It is sad to note that poverty in the country is still classified as a major problem, and 55 percent of the population is living below the poverty line, higher than our Asian neighbors,” she said.
Another guest speaker, House Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr., said the House of Representatives will ensure that the rights of workers are protected.
Belmonte said the growth of the economy by 6.4 percent during the first quarter of 2012 exceeded the market’s expectation of 4.8 percent.
“Despite improvements matumba (The gunman fired at Corcordio even when he was already on the ground),” the police officer said.
The gunman, who wasn’t wearing a mask, immediately fled the scene.
Police have yet to determine the motive for the attack. Buendia, who was a councilor then, petitioned the court to defer the exercise.
Buendia had questioned the inclusion of Rosalina Village, where he resides, in the new barangay, saying that it infringed on his right as a voter and resident of Labangon.
Buendia also opposed the split as it would reduce Labangon’s territory.
However, the court in March 2011 dismissed Buendia’s petition, for lack of merit. The court’s decision then to our economy… there remain significant challenges. Poverty remains high, and we see its face in the present unemployment and underemployment rates,” he said.
Belmonte said official statistics from the Department of Labor and Employment shows that as of last April, more than six percent, or 2.8 million of the labor force, are unemployed.
A higher percentage of the labor force, 19 percent, or 7.3 million, are underemployed.
“While the problem of unemployment already poses a challenge, the greater challenge is addressing the higher figure of underemployment,” Belmonte said. became final and executory.
RA 9905 was filed by Cuenco on Sept. 30, 2009. It was signed into law by then president Gloria Arroyo in January 2010.
“Di gyud mosugot ang Birhen sa Guadalupe nga mabulag ang anak (Banawa-Englis) sa iyang inahan (Guadalupe) (The Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe would not want the child to be separated from its mother),” said Cuenco, after learning the plebiscite’s results.