Working for the Workers

It seems to be going the right direction.

The Malabung Partylist which represents the working class might just have its one leg already in the House of Representatives for the next Congress.

Its advocacies and specific programs are not only timely but are also part of everyone’s wish, particularly its call to more than double the minimum daily wage.

It is is deadest on improving workers socioeconomic conditions, starting with moves to increase the minimum daily wage all over the country, from the average of P420 to P1,000.

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We may soon be seeing incumbent Pampanga 3rd District Board Member Ferdinand Labung, the party’s first nominee, don that House button on his collar. He is nailing the mission to alleviate workers living conditions right on the head.

“The cost of living is entirely different now. The (current) minimum wage law is no longer applicable, it is outdated. It needs to be amended. Kawawa ang mga workers,” Labung said at Balitaan last week. The media forum is organized by the Capampangan in Media, Inc., in cooperation with Clark Development Cor por at i on.

With weekly oil price increase for many months now, we cannot agree any better with hi m.

“Yun pung kinakain nang milyunaryo dapat yun din ang kinakain ng mga mahihirap at mga manggagawa. Bakit po sa ibang bansa nangyayari po yun? Kailangan po dito sa Pilipinas ganun din,” Labung said.

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Aside from doubling up the daily wage rate, Labung, an engineer by profession, would also want two things for the hard working employees – sustainable education and sustainable livelihood.

As a contractor himself who employs workers in many of his projects, he makes sure that his own staff have reasonable amount of take home pays – something above what the minimum wage law requires. This, especially for skilled workers.

After all, Labung once faced the fangs of hunger during his younger days.

He experienced dipping rice with salt, walk miles and miles to school, wear wornout clothes. He was not born with a silver spoon. He definitely knows the real meaning of poverty and suffering. And he dreams of being an instrument to help end all that.

Whatever state he may be in, whatever comforts he may now have were the fruits of his hardwork back in the day.

He knows how to turn the tide in favor of the manggagawa. Galing sa kahirapan. He wants government spending for the poor.

“Government funds must be appropriated and used well for all especially for the poor like tricycle drivers and farmers. These people must have the privilege and their education must be funded by the government,” he said.

Labung, also the national president of Provincial Board Members League of the Philippines, said that there should also be more livelihood opportunities for Filipino families where government must also ensure their produce and whatever products that micro entrpreneurs and backyard family businesses.

He is also calling for end to contractualization known as Endo (end of contracts) that has hampered workers’regularization in the companies they work for.

For the 120,000 workers in Clark, he said he will explore measures and propose for a scheme where dividends or profit sharing between companies and their employees.

Labung is also the treasurer of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, the umbrella organization of all leagues of local government units and locally elected government officials of the country. Way to go to the House. Way to go for workers benefits.