Wage
hike OK’d for Mindanao workers,
MM in a hurdle
As
workers in Metro Manila waited a little longer for the announcement
of a wage hike, news came from northern Mindanao that workers
will receive a P12-increase in daily minimum wage. Labor representative
in Metro Manila walked out of the deliberations of the Regional
Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) over the issue
on the forms and coverage of tax exemption.
The
soaring prices of basic commodities (rice, canned goods), surging
oil prices, increase in electricity at water bills and the clamor
of workers for wage increase pushed the government to immediately
deal with the matter.
In
a latest survey of IBON Foundation, more Filipinos feel that their
livelihood worsened compared to the previous quarter. The same
survey showed that 7 out of 10 Filipinos can’t buy enough
food, have trouble paying electricity bills, basic costs.
Transport
strike
Transport
group Piston opened the week on May 12 with a transport strike
calling for the scrapping of the oil deregulation law and the
12-percent expanded value added tax (E-VAT) on oil and batting
for the implementation of oil price control.
Jeepney
drivers and operators belonging to Piston joined the transport
strike and vowed to stay off the streets in Metro Manila as well
as in provincial cities nationwide. Piston’s demand came
amid the surging oil prices in the world market which has an adverse
effect in the jeepney drivers and operators in the country due
to unbridled oil price hike by major oil players and distributors.
Transportation was paralyzed in major key cities throughout the
Philippines, reports said.
Farmers
to monitor P12.5bn funds for LGUs
Farmers
belonging to the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) vowed
to monitor and guard the P12.5 billion funds the immediate release
of which was ordered by President Gloria M. Arroyo to local government
units (LGUs) in order to boost food production and avert food
crisis.
“We
don’t want that funds to land on the hands of the corrupt
officials, we don’t want this administration to use again
the farmers to amass profit,” said Rafael Mariano, chairperson
of KMP.
Eastern
Samar Gov. Ben Evardone, spokesperson of the Union of Local Authorities
of the Philippines, said the amount represents the LGU budget
mandated by law which was not released due to the House of Representatives’
failure to approve the budget for 2001 and 204 and the use of
reenacted budget for those years.
Evardone
said the LGUs will spend the funds for fertilizers, certified
seeds, construction of post-harvest facilities and other components
of food production.
Mariano
said the funds “if not properly monitored and guarded by
the people will surely fall into the pockets of corrupt politicians
just like what happened to the P728 M fertilizer funds, P3.1 B
irrigation funds and P5 B swine funds especially now that election
I fast approaching, added Mariano.
