Abolish regional wage boards (privelege speech)

Junk wage rationalization, abolish the good-for-nothing regional wage boards
Talumpati sa plenaryo ni Anakpawis Representative Crispin B. Beltran
30 Mayo 2005

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a matter of personal and collective privilege. Again, this representation speaks of an issue that’s very urgent to a big majority of Filipinos and their families: ito ay ang isyu ng pagtataas ng sahod.

Mr. Speaker, honorable members of this house, lumalabas na sa mga pahayagan na naglabas na ang mga regional wage boards sa ilang probinsya ng mga cost-of –living allowance. Noong Biyernes, inanunsyo ng wage board sa Cordillera Autonomous Region at sa Central Luzon na bibigyan ang mga manggagawa sa mga naturang rehiyon ng COLA. Inanunsyo na rin ng Department of Labor at ng National Wages and Productivity Commission na maari nang ilabas ang mga COLA order para sa national capital region at iba pang rehiyon ngayong araw at bukas, Martes.

Bigyang pansin, Mr. Speaker – cost of living allowance o COLA, hindi ito wage increase. Cost of living na sa sobrang liit ay muntik nang maging cost of libing, mas malaki pa dito ang pang-abuloy sa patay, Mr. Speaker.

Ibang-iba ang COLA sa wage increase, Mr. Speaker. Hindi ito makabuluhang pagtataas ng sahod na idadagdag sa araw-araw na sahod ng mga manggagawa at ipapatong sa kanilang iba pang pang-ekonomyang benepisyo.

Mr. Speaker, matibay na iginigiit ng kinatawang ito na ang direktiba ni Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sa mga regional wage boards noong Mayo 1 ay isang tangkang pahupain ang malakas na tulak at panawagan ng mga manggagawa para sa isang legislated wage increase.

Samantala, kailangan ding ilantad ang kahulugan ng bulok at kontra-manggagang RA 6727 o Wage Rationalization Act. Ang traydor na batas na ito na ipinatupad noong 1989 ang siyang lumikha sa mga walang-kwentang regional wage boards. Ito ang legal na instrumento ng gobyerno upang hati-hatiin hindi lang ang sistema ng pasahod kundi pati ang mga manggagawa sa buong bansa, at pawalang bisa ang laban para sa ng isang national minimum living wage.

Mr. Speaker, this infamous RA 6727 adheres to the principle that wages should primarily be determined through collective bargaining between employers and workers, even as less than three percent of wage and salaried workers are actually covered by collective bargaining agreements.

Combined with the repressive provisions in the Labor Code such as the assumption of jurisdiction powers of the labor secretary, "wage rationalization" today merely leaves the vast majority of workers at the mercy of capital.

Mr. Speaker, kailangang malinawan ang lahat ng kinatawan sa kapulungang ito tungkol sa usapin ng sistemang pasahod sa bansa. Ang kasaysayan ng pagtatakda ng sahod sa Pilipinas ay kinatatangian ng pagsasamantala sa paggawa, at ang impluwensya at kapangyarihan ng mga employer at kapitalista upang maggiit sa mga prosesong legislative. Mula nang unang itakda ang unang wage law o RA 602 noong 1951, haggang sa kasalukuyang RA 6727 na ipinasa noong 1989, tiniyak na ng gobyerno na magiging alipin ang lahat ng mga manggagawa. Alipin ng capital, at alipin ng tubo.

Lantad na lantad sa mga manggagawa sa buong bansa na ang Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards ay binubuo ng mga employers, government at dilawang mga kinatawan ng mga umano’y unyon at samahang manggagawa. Hindi sila kailanman naghangad na magbigay ng makabuluhang tulong sa mga manggagawa. Hindi ang kapakanan ng mga manggagawa ang pangunahing konsiderasyon ng mga wage boards, kundi kung ano ang gusto at handang ilimos ng mga malalaking negosyante sa anyo ng COLA.

Mr. Speaker, mula noong taong 2000, 27 na beses nang tumaas ang presyo ng mga bilihin. Ang minimum na sahod sa Kamaynilan ay nakasayad pa rin sa P250, P300 kung isasama ang ECOLA na hindi talaga bahagi ng basic wage. Ang halagang ito ay mas mababa ng 38 porsyento sa umano’y ‘living wage’ na ine-estima n g National Wages and Productivity Commission.

Samantala, kahit doblehin pa ang daily wage rates, kukulangin pa rin ito at hindi aabot sa P663 na kailangan ng bawat isang pamilyang may anim na miyembro upang mabuhay ng maayos at disente.

Dahil sa pagtuloy na pagsirit ng presyo ng mga bilihin gayundin ng singil sa mga batayang serbisyong panlipunan, ang take-home pay ng karaniwang manggagawa ay hindi sapat para sa pagkain ng isang pamilya sa isang araw. Kayo ba, Mr. Speaker, nakaranas na ba kayo at ang inyong pamilya na kumain lang ng sardinas at instant noodles bilang almusal, tanghalian at hapunan araw-araw? Delata at instant pancit canton na ang tinatawag na staple food ng maraming mga Pilipino ngayon. Masyado nang mahal ang presyo ng bigas, karne at gulay, kahit ano pang sabihin ng mga Department of Trade and Industry.

Mr. Speaker, habang ang mga karaniwang pamilyang Pilipino ay dumaranas ng patuloy na lumalalang kahirapan, patuloy namang lumalaki ang kita ng mga pinakamalalaking korporasyon sa bansa. Noong taong 2003 lang, ang kabuuang tubo o kita ng top 5,000 corporations sa bansa ay tumaas ng 66 percent. Naumumuno na dito ang mga telecom giants at mga multinational mining
Corporations. Kumikita ang mga Ayala, halimbawa, ng P1.2 milyon na tubo kada isang oras sa Globe Telecom pa lamang.

Malinaw Mr. Speaker na ang mga multinasyunal na kumpanya at ang mga malalaking lokal na kapitalista ay may kakayanan na magbigay ng mas mataas na sahod sa kanilang mga manggagawa. Sila ang tunay na nakikinabang sa mga patakaran ng globalisasyon, habang ang manggagawa ang nagdudusa at pinupwersang pumili sa pagitan ng mala-impyernong trabaho at mala-aliping pasahod o kawalan ng kabuhayan.

Ito rin, Mr. Speaker, ang tunay na dahilan kung bakit nagkukunwari ang mga malalaking negosyante na sila’y “concerned” para sa kapakanan ng mga maliliit na kapitalista at ang kanilang mga negosyo. Big business is forced to dissemble by claiming to have the interests of small entrepreneurs and their workers at heart when they rail against wage increases. Sa katotohanan, maging ang mga statistics mula sa labor department ang nagsasabing 0.2 percent lang ng empresa ang nagtanggal ng mga manggagawa noong 20003 dahil sa mandatory minimum wage adjustments, habang dambuhalang 34.8 percent ang nagbawas ng manggagawa dahil sa "lack of demand."

Mr. Speaker, surveys of business executives have time and time again pointed to other factors behind the country's "uncompetitiveness." The flood of foreign goods due to import liberalization, a constricted market due to mass poverty, corruption, cronyism and state abandonment of its duties, including the provision of adequate physical and social infrastructure, have rendered domestic production more costly and less rewarding compared with trading, finance and dreaming of stardom.

Mr. Speaker, ang malala at patuloy na sumsahol sa krisis pang-ekonomya sa bansa ay hindi dapat gamiting dahilan upang lalaong pitpitin at pababain ang sahod ng mga manggagawa. Isang hindi-makatao at baluktot na pagdadahilan ito. Sa halip, ang malalang krisis pang-ekonomya ang dapat pa ngang magtulak sa pamahalaan na maghanap ng mga hakbang lung paano tutulungan ang mga manggagawa!

Ito ba ang ginagawa ng gobyernong Arroyo? Malinaw na hindi! Dagdag na buwis ang ipinapataw, at pagbabawas sa mga subsidyo’t budget para sa mga batayang serbisyong panlipunan pa nga ang ginagawa ngayon ng pamahalaan.


Mr. Speaker, distinguished colleagues, bilang panghuli, pinapaalam ng Kinatawang ito na siya’y labis na nababahala sa patuloy na pagtindi at paglala ng matagal nang laganap na kahirapan sa bansa dulot ng pagtaas ng presyo ng langis, bilihin at singil sa kuryente. Nangangamba rin ang Kinatawang ito sa mga bagong pahirap na papasanin ng mamamayan, lalo na ng uring anakpawis bago pa man sumapit ang darating na pasukan.

1. Una, may naka-ambang implementasyon ng P2 dagdag na pasahe sa mga pampublikong sasakyan. Kung may apat na kasapi ng pamilya ang mamasahe ng isang beses, balikan, sa isang araw, ito ay mangangahulugan ng P384 na dagdag gastos kada buwan.

Malaking kamalasan na lang, Mr. Speaker, kung ang manggagawa ay nakatira sa Maynila ngunit ang pinapapasukang trabaho ay sa Valenzuela, Taguig, o Makati. Mas malaki ang papasanin niyang dagdag pasahe.

2. Pangalawa, dahil sa pag-apruba ng Energy Regulatory Commision sa petisyon ng NAPOCOR at PSALM para sa pagtataas ng singil sa kuryente, magsisimula nang singilin sa mga konsyumer ang P1.04 per kilowatthour na dagdag singil sa kuryente, o P52 sa bawat 50 kilowatthour monthly consumption.

3. Pangatlo, tiyak din ang pagtaas ng gastusin ng bawat pamilyang Pilipino dahil sa pagsasabatas ng mga bagong tax measures tulad ng VAT.

Mr. Speaker, distinguished colleagues, dahil sa pagtaas ng singil sa pamasahe at singil sa kuryente, tinatayang lalampas sa P436 kada buwan ang dagdag gastusin simula sa darating na pasukan sa Hunyo. Maaaring sa darating na Hunyo rin maramdaman ang epekto ng mga bagong batas sa VAT. Tinatayang P271 kada buwan ang average na madadagdag sa gastusin ng isang pamilya sa unang taon ng implementasyon ng bagong VAT law.

Sa harap ng lahat ng mga ito, Mr. Speaker, sa ngalan ng uring mangagawa, mariin kong pinananawagan sa lahat ng mambabatas na suportahan ang HB 345 at ang panawagan ng mga mangagagwang itaas ng p125 across-the-board ang kanilang mga sahod. Wag tayong pumayag na palinlang sa mga regional wage boards at wag nating payagang muling linlangin ng mga traydor na wage boards na ito ang manggagawa at ang kanilang interes.

Ito lamang Mr. Speaker, at maraming salamat! #

NR0531:Measly wage hike/COLA pushl labor to demand wage legislation

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 31, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio,Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Measly P25 wage hike in the NCR and smaller hikes in the regions all the more push workers to demand legislation of wages, demand abolition of wage boards

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that the P25 wage increase for the NCR laid down by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) is a small but definite political victory for Filipino workers, "From taking a hardline position against wage hikes, the Macapagal-Arroyo administration's political will was tested and bent by the workers' relentless campaign for a wage increase. The president is well aware of how unpopular she is with the labor sector. Economically speaking, the P25 wage hike in the NCR and the smaller wage hike order in the other regions are measly, but the political gain is tremendous. Workers from various labor groups have become united because of this wage hike issue. This small political victory all the more encourages workers. Workers won't rest on their laurels or ease up on their relentless campaign for the legislation of a P125 across-the-board wage increase. " he said.

"The Macapagal-Arroyo administration was pushed to the wall and forced to order a wage increase because of strong pressure from workers' groups. Workers should not be grateful to Pres. Arroyo for this recent wage hike order. But the fight is far from over. If anything, it's only the beginning because a wage hike order from the regional wage boards essentially count for nothing. The National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) is certain to take its immediate cue and grant exemptions to employers and allow them to be exempted from granting the measly wage hike orders and cost-of-living-allowance (COLA)," he said.

Beltran said that he was prepared all excuses the House leadership is certain to offer regarding their refusal to deliberate over HB 345, or the bill legislating a P125 across-the-board wage increase nationwide. "It's easy to read the minds of Speaker Jose de Venecia and Majority leader Prospero Nograles. No doubt they'll say that since the wage boards have already released wage hike orders, there's no longer any need to deliberate on a legislated wage hike. This is a pathetic and transparently treacherous excuse. Congress has a moral obligation to workers to legislate wage hikes. The regional wage boards should be abolished and so should wage rationalization be scrapped. Congress is superior to the wage boards, and it is to this body that workers are presenting the demand that the wage rationalization law be repealed and wage hikes be legislated," he said.

The veteran labor leader turned lawmaker said that a COLA is not a substantial wage increase. It is not included in the computation of basic pay, overtime pay and retirement benefits. He also pointed out that the wage boards worked double-time to announce additional COLA to impede possible developments in the campaign for legislated wage increase. He said without doubt, Malacanang allies in the House will will use the Labor Code provision stating that wage hikes are allowed only once in every year to block the possibility of a legislated wage. "But economic conditions dictate that legislated and substantial wage hikes necessary, and that a P25 wage increase even with a P50 COLA is far from enough."

"The government and employers collude in using the wage boards to shortchange workers. Wage boards were established to ensure low pay for workers in the private sector. Regionalization of wage determination was brought about by the government's cheap labor policy. They want labor costs to remain low at the expense of local and foreign big businesses."

"The claim of the administration's so-called economic experts that wages increased by 26 percent in past four years is an out and out lie. Wage boards only laid down worthless wage adjustments mostly in the form of Cost COLA."#

NR0531:Corruption in the AFP, GSIS

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 31, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio,Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

If members of the First Family alleged to earn money from jueteng, PGMA said to make GSIS and other state-run funds her milking cow - Rep. Beltran

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that the findings of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) were the most corrupt government agencies in the country were not surprising.

"This is an open secret, and it's a tremendous outrage that instead of addressing the corruption in these agencies, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo coddles the top officials and executives and continues to give them the benefit of the doubt," he said. "GSIS president and General Manager Winston Garcia and his mismanagement and abuse of his position and GSIS funds have long been the subject of investigations, but President Arroyo insists on retaining him," he said. "This alone exposes the truth about the President's sincerity in wiping out corruption."

The veteran labor leader said that the findings of foreign think tanks that the Philippines is the 2nd most corrupt country in Asia did not hit the mark. "The Philippines is probably the most corrupt. It's only here that one can hear the president's own cabinet members calling for the legalization of an illegal numbers game, and the officials of the Armed Forces build multi-million rest houses to keep the troops happy," he said.

Beltran said that today marks the 31st anniversary of the GSIS, and the way Pres. Arroyo lauds Garcia was enough to make one's stomach turn. "Winston Garcia is probably Pres. Arroyo's favorite official. If the First Gentleman Mike Arroyo is alleged to get his illegal wealth from jueteng protection money, President Arroyo allegedly gets funds for her self-promoting projects from siphoned and redirected GSIS funds,' he said.

"As for the AFP, nothing has come out of the investigations regarding another corrupt Garcia, former AFP comptroller Carlos Garcia; and the scams involving infrastructure projects of the AFP continue to be exposed. The AFP top brass remain warm and comfortable in their seats, while their ban accounts fatten," he said.

In the meantime, Beltran said that the allegations that certain former and incumbent members of Congress were 'beneficiaries' of jueteng money paled in shock value to the accusations against First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.

Beltran hails from Bacacay, Albay, and he says that jueteng is widespread there. "Whether the allegations that certain legislators from the said province accept jueteng money are true or not, its up to the constituents to decide; but who will determine the guilt or innocence of the First Gentleman?"

"Mike Arroyo is not a public official, but his ties to the highest official of the land makes him very influential and even powerful. For an ordinary jueteng cobrador/operator such as Wilfredo Cimanis Mayor to make such a forceful accusation against the First Gentleman and presidential son Rep. Mikey Arroyo is no short an act of courage. For the sake of exposing the truth and bringing corrupt officials to justice, we can only hope that Mayor's testimony is credible, and that other operators like him would come forward and give their testimony," he said. #

NR0530:Open Mike's bank records

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 30, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio,Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Mike Arroyo's financial and bank records should also be examined for questionable wealth; Senate investigations should lead to naming of jueteng lords

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that since the First Gentleman has already stated his willingness to testify at the Senate hearings on the prevalence of jueteng, he must also be prepared to present his bank assets and other financial records to show whether or not he has any questionable wealth. He said that FG Mike Arroyo's trip abroad has already been interpreted by many as a delaying tactic, " a move to buy time for the First Gentleman and to enable him and his jueteng contacts to lie low and bury records, erase paper trails and all other linkages between themselves and the jueteng network in the country," he said.

"Now we're getting somewhere," Beltran said. "It's unjust that the small-time cobradors and bet tallyists are the ones being netted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and crucified, when it's their big-time bosses who should be taken into custody and questioned. It's an impossibility for any full-blown gambling network legal or illegal to be established and to flourish in this country without the knowledge and even approval of the authorities, and those include Malacanang," he said.

"The First Gentleman has so far been excused from investigations of other corruption scams and anomalies that he has been strongly accused of being involved in. This time, the scandal involves jueteng and he should not be let off the hook easily , given that the accusations against him persist," he also said. "We can only wait and see if the First Gentleman will make a sacrificial lamb out of their close family friend Bong Pineda and tag him as the mastermind."

Beltran said that the senate should not allow the investigations to end without any decisive decision being arrived at, "Preferably, a few jueteng lords would have been exposed, and the gambling network shut down once and for all. Jueteng is being used as a milking cow of already big-time and powerful individuals," he said.

In the meantime, the veteran labor leader turned lawmaker said that Archbishop Oscar Cruz' statements that he has not so far found any proof linking President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to jueteng does not close the subject or settle the issue. "Again, President Arroyo should take responsibility for any anomalies being perpetrated by members of the First Family, especially since its her own husband, son and brother-in-law who are being implicated. Also, Pres. Arroyo is also being accused of accepting jueteng funds to steamroll her senatorial campaign back in 1997. She also has some explaining to do," he said.

"Archbishop Cruz' crusade against the illegal numbers game should be supported by all those who oppose corruption and the continuing attacks against the livelihood and welfare of the Filipinos," he said. #

NR0527:SC, MTRCB's memo attacking freedom of the press

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 27, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio,Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Solon denounces Supreme Court, MTRCB for memorandum and decision attacking freedom of the press and the people's right to know

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today denounced the recent Movie Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) circular ordering the review and approval of public Affairs Programs, news Documentaries, socio-Political Editorials, and the like. The memorand um circular NO. 07-05 is addressed to television station managers, blocktimers and representatives, informing them of the decision of the Third Division of the Supreme Court dated January 17, 2005, that public affairs programs, news documentaries, socio-political editorials, and all other programs of the same category, are television programs that are subject to MTRCB review and approval in accordance with Section 3 of Presidential Decree 1986. The memo was signed by MTRCB chair Ma. Consoliza P. Laguardia.

Media are being advised to submit materials of their television programs to the Board for review and approval prior to telecast, effective immediately.Failure to comply will result in sanctions as provided for in P.D.1986 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

"This is yet another serious attack a gainst civil rights in the country -- the Fourth Estate is being blatantly reined in and controlled by the Macapagal-Arroyo administration. This memorandum and the Supreme Court decision on which it is based have serious implications not only on freedom of the press, but the general right of the Filipino people to be informed," he said. "journalists are being killed left and right, and now the fruit of their efforts are also being subjected to scrutiny and possible censorship."

"It's highly alarming that the Macapagal-Arroyo administration and its allies in the Supreme Court and the other main branches of government are resorting to measures that curtail freedom of the press. Clearly, the controversial, anomalous and even shocking developments in the country's economic and political workings are getting out of hand, and the national government is stepping in to control the flow and dissemination of information and analysis. TV stations, journalists are being censored. There is no doubt about this-this is state censorship, and its not only unconstitutional, it's a sign of burgeoning dictatorial rule," he said.

Beltran said that SC chief Justice Hilario Davide should be made to answer as to why the SC released such as decision. He said that for such a decision to escape the notice of the chief justice was appalling; but if the decision was made and released with the blessing of the chief justice, "that's another thing, and freedom of the press is without a doubt under siege. Before we know it, newspapers will be ordered to submit their stories for review, editing and approval to the office of the press secretary before anything is printed," he said. #

NR0526:Deteriorating public school education

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 26, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio,Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news


Deteriorating quality of public school education reflection of low quality of life of the country's educators; P3,000 salary increase for government employees and teachers needed

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that the admission of the Department of Education (DepEd) yesterday that the salary of 10,000 new public school teachers has not yet been approved all the more exposes the twisted priorities of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration.

"Taxpayers' money should be going towards improving crucial and basic social services such as health and education, and that includes the salaries and benefits of teachers and instructors in the public school system," he said. "What kind of education will the Filipino youth be getting when their own teachers are not well paid and constantly pro-occupied with economic woes? For all their strong commitment to the teaching profession, our educators will not be able to perform their duties to the best of their abilities because they're constantly plagued by problems of low salaries."

Beltran said that it is only this coming July that the Senate and Congress deliberate on the new 2006 national budget appropriations. "Teachers, as the case with other government employees, have been demanding a much needed salary increase of at least P3,000 for the last five years. The work loads of teachers, specifically, continue to increase in direct proportion to the increase in the number of incoming students. The support systems in the public schools are very weak - as public schools lack facilities and supplies. Many teachers are forced to buy supplies such as chalk, cartolina, writing paper and the like using their funds. They're also forced to ask their students to bring floor wax, floor rags, brooms and other cleaning supplies because the school's own stock of these are often not enough," he said.

He also said that more and more teachers are also 'side-lining' as vendors of longganisa, hotdogs, and other perishable goods, and they sell them to their students. "The low salaries of teachers are simply not enough. The deteriorating quality of public school education in the country is a also a reflection and result of the deterioratring quality of life of our educators,' he said.

The veteran labor leader said that the upcoming school opening will no doubt present many problems, the least of which are the shortage of school teachers, classrooms and textbooks. "President Arroyo is exhorting parents to stick to Divisoria and other public markets when buying school supplies; but the bigger issue is this- do parents have enough funds to buy all the school needs of their children," he said.

Beltran said that he has already filed HB 1064, or a bill legislating a P3,000 across-the-board salary increase for all government employees nationwide. He asked his colleagues in the Lower House to support the said measure and help give urgent economic relief to the over 1.4 government employees in the country.#

NR0526:Labor groups unite behind P125 bill

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 26, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio,Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Various labor groups gather to form plan of action in support of P125 wage hike bill; say lawmakers black-balling wage bill will be exposed as anti-labor

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that workers from the biggest and most influential labor groups have pledged to rally behind HB 345, or the P125 across-the-board wage hike bill now pending in plenary and up for debates.

In a historic gathering this morning at the Andaya Hall of the House of Representatives, workers from the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), the National Labor Union, the United Federation and Solidarity of Workers, the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), the February Six Movement and the Young Christian Workers (YCW) gave a strong message of unity to members of the House Committee on Labor and Employment, led by its chair and principal author of HB 345 Zamboanga del Sur Rep. Roseller Barinaga.

Among the main speakers in the said forum are Beltran, Barinaga, Partido ng Manggagawa R ep. Renato Magtubo who delivered the solidarity message on behalf of the Opposition and HB345 co-author Francis Escudero, KMU chairperson Elmer Labog, Bayani Diwa, president of the UFSW, Dave Diwa, president of the NLU, Leody de Guzman, secretary general of the BMP, church leaders led by the National Coalition for the Protection of Workers Rights (NCPWR). The gathering was attended by officials representing over-all some 2,000 unions, federations and labor associations.

Beltran said that he was overwhelmed to see that labor groups are uniting behind the said proposed legislative measure, and said that Congress should take note of this. "Workers are fed up with the government's excuses that it's up to the regional wage boards to determine wage hikes. Workers demand that Congress take back its responsibility to legislate wage increases and to repeal the wage rationalization law or RA 6727," he said. "They're making note of who the solons opposing the wage bill are and they intend to expose these lawmakers as anti-labor to their respective constituencies."

Beltran said that since the KMU spearheaded the campaign for a legislated P125 across-the-board wage increase in 1999, various other labor groups have enthusiastically followed the lead and put their support behind the same call. He said that the only remaining group not supporting the campaign for wage hike legislation is the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP). "It is tragic that the TUCP continues to put its faith in the regional wage boards instead of mobilizing its mass membership to lobby Congress into legislating wage hikes and bring back a one, single national minimum wage," he said.

The veteran labor leader said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will inevitably suffer a serious backlash if she continues to order Congress to delay HB 345 and kill it in session. "A huge majority of Filipino workers actively support this bill - in the same way they are vehemently against Pres. Arroyo's infamous tax measures that were railroaded in the Senate and Congress by her allies. Workers are committing to a united plan of action to push for the passage and implementation of HB 345, and crippling labor-led protest actions are in the offing," he said.#

NR0525:Jueteng big fish getting away

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 25, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio,Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

PNP picking on small-time jueteng cobradors while the big fish get away; members of the First Family should not be exempt from investigations

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Macapagal-Arroyo administration's crackdown on jueteng cobradors was a pathetic move and weak ploy to cover up for the national government's general failure to stop jueteng operations in the country.

"The PNP is picking on the little people, arresting small-time cobradors while the big fish get away," he said. "The jueteng collectors are far from being the masterminds of the massive jueteng syndicates, but it's them the authorities are focusing on. It's quite possible that the collectors are mostly willing to reveal who their bosses are and the trail will lead to higher offices, but is the PNP making any big-time arrests? We don't see that coming. Clearly, the syndicate heads are powerful enough to be untouchable and beyond the reach of the police," he said.

"Now here we're hearing that the likes of Rep. Mikey Arroyo and first Gentleman Mike Arroyo, both of whom are being accused of being jueteng lords and protectors of jueteng syndicates, are being allowed to leave the country and are essentially being excused from the senate and congressional investigations.

"If they're not guilty, and if they have nothing to hide, then they should not be afraid to attend the investigations and allow themselves to be questioned. The allegations against them continue and worsen because they themselves have not given full explanations to clear their names. They must be reminded that members of the First Family or not, they are not above official public scrutiny," he said. "Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's own credibility is also being put in the spotlight: they cannot simply issue denials and dismiss the matter," he said.

Beltran said that if many poor Filipinos were relying on the illegal numbers game, it's because the national government has failed to provide them with sufficient livelihood and denied them other basic services such as education.

"This is why it's even a greater outrage that rich, influential and powerful individuals within the local government units and even higher offices of the bureaucracy are taking advantage of the people's poverty and making them their gambling foot-soldiers," he said.

Beltran said that church leaders and government officials who are speaking out against jueteng, in the meantime, should be accorded full protection. "For all we know, many witnesses to the proliferation of jeuteng are afraid to come forward and expose those who run the syndicates because their lives are being threatened. These jueteng investigations should not be allowed to conclude without any of the big fish being reeled in," he said.#

NR0525:Malacanang trying to kill wage hike bill

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 25, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio,Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

P125 wage hike bill very much alive, but Malacanang
allies in the House trying to kill it - Rep. Beltran

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today issued a challenge to Malacanang, saying that if it wants to kill the P125 wage hike bill in Congress, then it should issue a public statement saying that it is against the wage hike bill and that it is adamantly against any genuine wage increase for Filipino workers. "That way, Filipinos will know that it's President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself who is adamantly against giving workers the slightest economic relief. The President is totally devoid of any sympathy or compassion for workers while at the same time she extends all assistance to employers and big business groups," he said.

Beltran said that Malacanang and its allies in Congress were putting deliberations on HB 345, or the bill legislating a P125 across-the-board wage increase for workers nationwide, on hold. "The House leadership led by Speaker de Venecia and Majority Leader Prospero Nograles has been issuing statements to the media that the P125 wage bill is already dead. Well, it's not dead --- it's very much alive, but the pro-employer, pro-big business bloc in the House is trying to kill it. Despite the strong public clamor for a wage increase, Congress continues to thumb down HB 345 and refusing to make it a priority bill. "

The veteran labor leader said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's signing of the value-added tax measure yesterday is yet another urgent reason why an across-the-board wage hike is necessary for the Filipino people. "The impact of the VAT law will be across-the-board, sparing no one. Prices will once more increase because of the VAT; this on top of the increases already being caused by the relentless oil price hikes and increases in electricity rates."

Beltran also said that the temporary suspension of a P2 fare increase was a victory for consumers and commuters, but it might not last long. "There is no way that public utility vehicle drivers and the their transport groups will be able to cope with the oil price hikes and so they will still be forced to eventually demand a fare hike, and where will that leave commuters who mostly belong to the laboring sectors? Without a wage increase, a P2 fare hike means heavier economic burdens for many workers and their families," he said.

Beltran said that because of the impending fare hike, the impact of the additional VAT, and increase in electricity rates, Filipinos will need an additional P436 for their needs beginning June 1. Because of the new VAT alone, families will need P271 more a month," he said.

He also pointed out that because of the Energy Regulatory Commission's (ERC) approval of the NAPOCOR and PSALM's rate hike petition, effective June 1, consumers will be charged an additional P1.04 per kilowatthour, oe P52 for every 50 kilowatt hour monthly consumption.

"So what other reasons and justifications does Malacanang and its allies in Congress need to hear? Filipinos need a substantial wage hike now, and not platitudes or excuses. It's not only just an issue of social justice, it's a matter of survival for many Filipinos whose health and general welfare are already seriously under threat because of high costs of living," he said. "The excuses of the House leadership are appalling and heartless. If they want to kill the wage hike bill, let them be the ones to face the Filipino people and accept their judgment," he said.#

NR0524: The president has lied before; on Davide

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 24, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio,Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

The President has lied before and on many occasions; lying about
jueteng should be easy for her - Rep. Beltran

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's statement that she has not received a single centavo from jueteng should not be immediately be believed. "After all, she has lied before, and on numerous occasions," he said. Beltran said that one of the president's biggest lies was when she said in November 2003 that she would not be running in the May 2004 polls. "She has also lied about keeping electricity rates and oil prices down, and providing added income and improving employment for the Filipino people. So it's not really much an effort for her to lie this time about not being a major jueteng beneficiary," he said.

The veteran labor leader turned lawmaker said that it was not possible for the president to not be aware of the jueteng network in the country, given that that its her own husband the First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, son Mikey and brother -in-law Iggy who are purported to be the ringleaders of the network. "Her own cabinet members are also quite enthusiastic to the idea of legalizing jueteng. Clearly, they all know all about how jueteng operates and how much money it generates for those who head the operations. Legalizing jueteng would only ensure that the profits from the illegal numbers game would be even more centralized in the hands of the corrupt in government and their partners in the private sector," he said.

Beltran said that the all moves must be made to ensure that the ongoing senate investigations on the jueteng operations in the country will not be sidetracked, and the results swept under the rug. "Already we can see the struggle between Malacanang allies and those who seek to unearth the truth. There have been many other scams involving members of the first family, but none really managed to take off the ground because of Malacanang's machinations to have the investigations derailed and the results dismissed. The Catholic Church hierarchy and leaders of other religious formations should not let up on their actions to stop jueteng and push for the prosecution of those raking advantage of Filipino's poverty and desperation," he said.

******Push investigations into Supreme Court anomalies******


In the meantime, the activist solon said that the revival of accusations of corruption and opportunism against Chief justice Hilario Davide to point to the conclusion that there are still countless anomalies happening within the higher offices of the Supreme Court.

"The charges against Davide that he mismanaged the judiciary development fund (JDF) were not laid to rest, and Davide was not impeached because he had the support of groups who grew to admire his leadership and conduct during the Estrada impeachment trial. But the persistence of such charges, and the cropping up of new ones, should make the public sit up and think that there may be grounds for these accusations and allegations of corruption and nepotism," he said.

Beltran said that investigations should be made into the status of the JDF, as well as the systems of salaries and special allowances in the SC. "The High Court and its officials are not above public scrutiny. The SC judges including Davide may be the ones interpreting the law, but they are still not above it. The accusations are serious because they affect the welfare of rank-and file employees of the SC and the judiciary, and more importantly the atmosphere of corruption, if it remains unchecked, affects the decisions being laid down by the High Court on cases of crucial, national concern," he said.#

NR0524:Noynoy Aquino's counter-P125 bill

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin BeltranNews Release May 24, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio,Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news


Rep. Noynoy Aquino spearheading plot against P125 wage hike bill and calling for P3.00 wage hike; exhorting Liberal Party members to vote against HB 345

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today blew the whistle on what he termed as a plot of a ranking leader of the House and the Liberal Party against HB 345, or the bill legislating a P125 across-the-board wage increase for all workers nationwide. Beltran said that Liberal Party leader and Deputy Speaker Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III has filed two bills to counter HB 345. He said that Aquino, in a letter he submitted to all LP members in the House, exhorted solons to “maintain a critical stance” on the matter.

“It’s not surprising that Aquino – scion of a clan with an established reputation of being anti-worker and a violator of human rights—should come up with such a proposal with the end of throwing a monkey wrench in the campaign to give relief to the worsening poverty of workers. This kind of measure is to be expected of him. What is most infuriating, however, is Aquino’s determination to convince fellow LP members to vote against HB 345 and oppose the legislation of wage increases,” he insisted.

In the letter, Aquino called on LP members to support his two bills which he filed last May 4, 2005. In HB 4251 (“An act granting an annual productivity incentives to all workers in the private sector, establishing mechanisms for its implementations and for other purposes”), Aquino goes against the call for the legislation of an across-the-board wage increase and instead proposes a measly no less than ten percent (10%) annual productivity incentive bonus gained by any company or business establishment for every fiscal year. The amount of the incentive is to be determined by the external auditors enlisted by the company for such a purpose.

The veteran labor leader said that HB 4251 was nothing but an expression of Aquino’s bogus concern for workers. “The bill is worse than the proposals of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) for a P30 wage hike. In Aquino’s bill, a company employing 100 and earning P1 million annually will only be giving its workers a P3.00 wage increase.”

He also said that in his bill, Aquino was once more giving more powers to the Department of Labor to determine a productivity bonus. “He might as well have not filed a bill for a productivity bonus. Not only is the bonus pathetically small, it’s also premised on the honesty of employers and businesses to report their actual annual profits. DOLE inspectors and auditors are essentially useless when it comes to determining the financial records of employers and business: many of them are even strongly alleged to be in the payroll of managements,” he said.

Aquino’s bill also discriminates against thousands of workers, as it stipulates that house helpers, project employees (who are often casual or contractual employees), seasonal workers, piece-rate/piecework, pakiaw and other non-time workers; workers employed by retail service establishments employing not more than 10 workers; employees or workers in companies/enterprises undergoing receivership/liquidation from being covered by the productivity bonus. “Should this bill be approved, Aquino himself and his relatives and fellow hacenderos stand to benefit. Hacienda Luisita employs hundreds of workers paid on the piece-rate or pakiaw basis,” he pointed out.

In the meantime, Beltran said that he found nothing objectionable to Aquino’s other bill, HB 4252 (An act increasing the penalties for non-compliance of the prescribed increases and adjustments in the wage rates of workers, amending for the purpose RA 6727, otherwise known as the “Wage Rationalization Act”). The bill calls for the fining of employers and businesses who fail to implement any of the prescribed increases of at least P50,000.

“But in no way is this bill and its more notorious brother RA 4253 viable or moral alternatives to HB 345. Workers need higher wages, not just productivity bonuses. Aquino’s anti-labor character and orientation is asserting itself in this bill. No one has forgotten the miserable plight of workers in Aquino’s family-owned Hacienda Luisita where the management pays workers P9.50 a day.” Beltran himself has filed HB 4293 abolishing the regional wage boards, wage rationalization and scrapping RA 6727. He is also calling for higher penalties of not less than P100,000 for employers reported to violate wage orders and minimum wage laws.#

NR0523:Two releases on P125 bill, jueteng

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin BeltranNews Release May 23, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio,Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news


Rep. Beltran assails House leadership for deliberately killing wage hike bill; says Malacanang allies under pressure from business and employers groups

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today assailed the House leadership anew for saying that the P125 across-the-board wage hike bill or HB 345 was all but dead. “It’s not yet dead, but solons allied with Malacanang and big business and employers groups are hell-bent on killing it despite the indisputable truth that a legislated wage hike is well-justified and highly necessary,” he said.

Beltran expressed strong criticism for House Majority Leader Prospero Nograles for generalizing the sentiments of the solons regarding the wage hike bill. “There are still many pro-worker solons in the House, but it’s clear that they are being pressured by Malacanang allies to remain quiet regarding their support for the wage hike bill and have it slowly killed by the House leadership,” he said. “Nograles and Speaker de Venecia are implementing Malacanang’s orders to kill the bill and wait for the regional tripartite wages and productivity boards to announce yet another measly and essentially fake wage hike order. Congress is committing treason against the Filipino workers by ignoring the P125 wage hike bill and turning away from its duty to legislate wages.”

The veteran labor leader turned lawmaker said that workers all over the country should make note whether the representatives of their district are supportive of HB 345 or if they’re against it. “Solons who stand against the wage hike bill should be given the black ball the next elections. During the campaign period, they made various promises to uplift the livelihood and welfare of their respective constituencies, but now when they’re being called upon to make good on their promise by supporting a bill that will give immediate economic relief to workers, they’re opposing it,” he said.

“Pres. Arroyo has clearly made a promise to big business and employers groups that there will be no legislated wage hike during her term. This is an act of betrayal that should further push workers and other progressive and laboring sectors to call for Pres. Arroyo’s ouster.”

Beltran also said that Malacanang is trying to fool the public into believing that a cost of livig allowance (COLA) is the same as as a wage increase. “The regional wage boards’ primary function is to water down and weaken the unified call of workers nationwide for a single figure, across-the-board wage increase. Already there are more than 2,000 wage levels in the country, and at least six out of every seven companies and corporations are guilty of violating minimum wage laws and non-implementation of wage hike orders. A COLA is definitely not a wage increase – most employers easily secure exemptions from granting it from the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC), yet another useless and anti-worker government agency.”

The activist solon also pointed out that along with the national government, local private corporations with foreign business partners employ the majority of regular wage earners affected by the PhP125 wage increase, “And theirs are the corporations that are earning increasing profits every year. The National Statistics and Census Bureau’s data show that private and government corporations earned extracted surplus values (net operating surpluses and indirect taxes) from their workforce amounting to PhP640,899 Millions in 2001, PhP662,169 Millions in 2002 and PhP 729,274 Million in 2003. “Compensation earned by their workers, however, was only PhP200,964 Millions in 2001, PhP216,219 Millions in 2002 and PhP232,655 Millions in 2003. This translates to 319 percent, 306 percent and 314 percent rates of exploitation respectively for the indicated years. This means that for every PhP paid by these corporations to their workforces, they extracted in return PhP3.19 in 2001, PhP3.06 in 2002 and PhP3.14 in 2003, which, in partnership with the state, was appropriated in the form of corporate profits and indirect taxes.”

According to records of the Securities and Exchange Commission (i.e. Philippines Top 5,000 Corporations, 2004 ed.), corporate profits increased from PhP152,724 Million in 2002 to PhP253,509 Millions in 2003 or an increase by 66 percent.

“Despite these very high levels of profitability, these exploiters through their representatives in the ECOP and American Chamber of Commerce and Industry are the most vocal oppositors of a legislated wage hike. Given these facts, it is clear that the Arroyo administration is bent on preventing the just and urgent legislation of a PhP125 wage increase not because this is disastrous to the economy, but because foreign monopoly businesses and their equally profit-greedy local partners refuse to part with even a single centavo from their profits.”#

---

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin BeltranNews Release May 23, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio,Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news


Moves to legalize jueteng emanating from Malacanang itself; Pres. Arroyo can talk the talk but can’t walk the walk because of her family’s alleged involvement in jueteng

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that the fact that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s own cabinet members are supportive of moves to legalize the illegal numbers game jueteng was proof positive that no one was really taking the president’s call for crackdown against the same.

“It’s all just tough talk on the part of the president, but there’s no genuine muscle behind the words. It’s not surprising given the fact that the First Gentleman, a presidential son and a presidential brotherin-law are reportedly at the main receiving end of the illegal numbers’ game,” he said. “Malacanang is determined not so much to clear the issue but to further obfuscate it because those involved are related to the president. Even the president herself is entangled in the mess because she reportedly rode the waves of the 1992 senatorial campaign using jueteng money from jueteng lord Bong Pineda. ”

According to reports, the likes of Budget Secretary Emilia Boncodin, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Interior Secretary Angelo Reyes, and Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane support calls to legalize jueteng.

“Pres. Arroyo’s cabinet members seem to want in on the jueteng benefits,” he joked. “They’re all eager to have the game legalized. With the exception of Sec. Boncodin, the cabinet members who favor the legalization of jueteng all have police and military backgrounds. Baka pati sila talagang tumataya na sa jueteng. The fact that they want to legalize and legitimize jueteng exposes the sordid truth that the game is in fact prevalent in the country and that it continues to go strong because it’s backed by big politicians and other corrupt members of the bureaucracy. It’s all an admission that the Philippine National Police (PNP) has failed – deliberately or not – to put an end to jueteng.”

The veteran labor leader turned lawmaker said that he was against legalizing jueteng, the same way he is against the proliferation of any big-time, large-scale gambling scheme especially those run by the government. “Instead of generating honest-to-goodness jobs for its constituency and using funds to buy-back corporations that are vital to national survival and the people’s welfare, the Arroyo administration wants to rely on the gambling industry. This is a sure sign of a government with twisted priorities and a loser-mentality.”

The activist solon dared Pres. Arroyo to allow the Senate to investigate the First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, her son Rep. Mikey Arroyo and brother-in-law Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo.”
”The President’s commitment to the fight against jueteng is being tested here, and so far she is consistently proving to be insincere. If members of the presidential family are innocent, they will have nothing to fear, and neither will the President.”#

NR0517:Govt aiding foreign terrorists?

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 17, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Are foreign terrorists training with the help of AFP and ISAFP; entering and leaving the country aided by corrupt officials of the Bureau of Immigration?

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that his office has received reports that the Bureau of Immigration is guilty of deporting foreign suspected terrorists, and that elements of the military are working closely with foreign terrorists in training extremists in the country and facilitating their entry and exit from the country.

"On the one hand Congress is rushing the anti-terrorism bill, and the emerging draft has all the markings of draconian measure, threatening the civil and human rights of civilians. One the other hand, there are persistent reports that within the Macapagal-Arroyo administration itself, foreign terrorists and their bombing activities are finding full support and backing to justify the imposition of more authoritarian and even dictatorial measures against the civilian populace," he said. "The anti-terror bill the government is cooking up is directed against civilians, but the real terrorists are getting away with the help of corrupt officials and rightists in the military."

The veteran labor turned lawmaker said there is basis to investigate the bureau and its officials, including former commissioner Andrea Domingo, Associate Commissioner Orlando Dizon, Associate Commissioner Arthel Caronongan and Associate Commissioner Daniel Cueto. According to a case filed at the Office of the Ombudsman case No C-C-04-0258, the former are being charged for the following:1) Allowing the entry of suspected foreign terrorists; 2)Questionable deportation of suspected terrorists; 3) Coddling of suspected foreign terrorists and 4) Issuance of immigration documents to foreign terrorists.

Among the terrorists reportedly deported by the BI are Al Ghafari, Al Dhelain and Al Gabry, all of whom are allegedly working with elements of the Philippine military in training extremists. Former BI Commissioner Domingo has been monitored admitting in media reports that the Bureau along with the police and military authorities have seized some $10,000.00 and P500,000.00 and incriminating paraphernalia from Al Gabry. "But nowhere does the BI or the authorities say where the confiscated money has been taken or what has happened to it," he said.

"The case at the ombudsman was filed August 2004, and so far, despite the gravity of the charges, the office of the Ombudsman led by Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo has yet to come up with specific findings. The likes of Domingo are charged with assisting foreign terrorists by allowing them to be deported despite the fact that several explosives, guns and fake travel documents were found on their persons by government authorities, including officials and employees of the Bureau of Immigration.

"Immigration officers assigned to international airports are also accused of allegedly facilitating the entry of these suspected terrorists, despite the existence of a blacklist order. Foreign terrorists allegedly find it a breeze to enter and leave the country at will because they secure the assistance of corrupt officials of the BI in exchange for huge sums of money. Also supposedly in on this racket are members of the Philippine Army, the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Army, and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP)," he said.

"There are sufficient grounds to investigate and monitor the goings -on in the BI. It seems that the authorities allow the entry of foreign terrorists, but immediately allow their deportation once their illegal activities are discovered. There are serious allegations that the deportation, summary voluntary deportation and exclusion of undesirable foreign nationals are money-making rackets of corrupt government officials on the one hand; and deliberate acts collusion with the AFP, PNP, and the ISAFP. There's a long-standing belief that the military and the government itself are behind the so-called "terrorists attacks" in Metro Manila and Davao that have claimed the lives of scores of Filipinos."

The veteran labor leader said that copies of the affidavits exposing the corrupt dealings at the BI filed at the office of the Ombudsman have also been sent to the Offcie of the President, Supreme Court Justice Hilario Davide Jr., Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, US Ambassador Francis Riiciardone and a handful of solons in the Senate and Congress. "It's surprising that such shocking revelations have not made the headlines, especially given Malacanang's relentless noise regarding the supposed threat of terrorism in the country," he said. #

NR0517:Investigate claims of ex-solon

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 17, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio,Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Solon supports investigations into jueteng operations in the country; says ex-lawmaker should not be afraid to name names

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that the former lawmaker who wished to remain anonymous even as he exposed that he and other lawmakers had received millions from jueteng should not be afraid to come out into the open and reveal what he knows regarding the jueteng operations in the country.

"If a system of corruption is in place and is prevalent, it's inevitable that those who operate within it will also become corrupt; that is unless they are strong enough to resist the corruption and expose it with the intent to help eradicate it," he said. "He should not be afraid of prosecution because what he would be doing is in service of the fight against corruption and illegal gambling. "


"He should name names and give more detailed explanations regarding the prevalence of the illegal numbers game. H e would not be committing a crime by telling the truth: he would be doing his duty," he said. Beltra said that the allegations that First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and other members of the First Family are involved in jueteng operations should also be investigated. "These are serious charges," he insisted.

The veteran labor leader said that he has no doubt that the scope and scale of jueteng operations in the country remains massive. He said that the reports on the prevalence of jueteng persist despite the assertions of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (PNP) that the syndicates have already been busted.

"It's highly likely that in all the regions and provinces, the game of jueteng is still being played and the proceeds go into the accounts of bigtime politicians and their protectors in the police and the military. Unscrupulous officials from local government units that try to wipe out this illegal number games meanwhile are going up against influential political families and the syndicates they run, and the fight is an uphill battle. " #

NR0516:GMA's bogus social reform agenda

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 16, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Solon scoffs at Malacanang's social reform agenda; says PGMA should first help Filipino parents if she wants to protect the children from "culture of violence"

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that President Macapagal-Arroyo's supposed agenda following the railroading of the new tax measures was not to be believed and that it was, at best, lip service to children's welfare. "Pres. Arroyo's next agenda, in truth, in consolidating the ranks of businessmen and foreign investors and have them support her administration's tax reform programs as well as the imposition of politically-repressive measures such as the national ID system and an anti-terrorism law," he said.

Malacanang spokesperson Ignacio Bunye has recently announced that social reform is next in the list of the president's actions wherein, supposedly, the rights and welfare of Filipino children are priority.

"If the president were sincere in fighting the culture of violence and protecting Filipino children, then she would scrap all her economic measures that attack the welfare of Filipino working class parents. To protect the children, the national government must all that it can is to ensure that the parents are securely employed, enjoy living wages, and have immediate access to health services, education and housing," he said.

Beltran said that the new tax measures, most especially the VAT increase, already proves the hypocrisy of the administration's pronouncements on social reform. "The only reform that the Macapagal-Arroyo administration is pushing is the destructive kind. Poverty levels continue to increase while the purchasing power of majority of Filipinos is almost non-existent. The VAT increase, on top of the oil price hikes, the power rate increases and now the transport fare hike will force more Filipino parents to pull their children from school. So much for social reform and protecting the children," he said.

"We don't see the president prioritizing programs granting affordable and socialized health and housing; and unemployment figures continue to hit the roof along with the prices of basic commodities and the rates of electricity, water, and transportation fares. Pres. Arroyo's social reform agenda is bunk - by standing by and allowing the oil cartel to jack their prices and the Meralco and Napocor to increase their rates, it's Malacanang that is primarily promoting a culture of violence against the Filipino people: constant and worsening poverty is one of the worst kinds of violence," he said.

The veteran labor leader challenged Malacanang to prioritize the passage of HB 345 or the bill legislating a P125 across-the-board wage increase for all workers nationwide. "Social reform starts with social justice and alleviating the poor and working people's poverty. Pres. Arroyo should instruct her allies in Congress, primarily Speaker Jose de Venecia and Majority leader Prospero Nograles to order the start of deliberations on the P125 wage hike bill at the soonest possible time," he said."#

NR0516:Congress should investigate Danding and SMC

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 16, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Solon challenges Congress to investigate Danding Cojuangco's exploitative management of San Miguel Corporation; says the latter backed by Arroyo administration

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today turned the spotlight anew on former Marcos crony, business tycoon Eduardo 'Danding' Cojuangco, saying that the man was behind the most anti-labor attacks in recent Philippine history. Beltran said that Cojuangco was virtually rewriting labor laws in San Miguel Corporation (SMC), and he was being allowed to do by the labor department and the Macapagal-Arroyo administration. Over 200,000 workers are reportedly affected by the series of contractualization and union-busting schemes in SMC.

"Danding is constantly expanding his business empire and fattening himself and his executives with gargantuan salaries - all the expense of the SMC employees. Neither has the Macapagal-Arroyo admistration been able to wrest the control of the coco levy shares Cojuangco stole from the coconut farmers and ploughed into SMC. Cojuangco's business practices and his continuing ownership of large shares of SMC should be investigated. The fact that he remains untouchable is a testament to how slow and maybe even hopeless the justice system of the government is," he said.

Stockholders of food, beverage and packaging giant San Miguel Corporation (SMC) will convene tomorrow, May 17 for their Annual Stockholders Meeting; and as they do, employees from the various SMC companies will hold protests against Cojuangco's anti-worker policies in the company, ranging from union busting, labor contractualization and gross violation of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) and finally to imposing a no-wage hike policy during the first year of implementation of CBAs.

SMC workers union Ilaw at Buklod ng Manggagawa (IBM) decried the Cojuangco management's implementation of the no-wage increase for the first year of CBA and various forms of trade union repression including refusal to recognize legitimate workers' unions and refusal to bargain with the SMC Manila Chapter and Monterey Farms.

Beltran said that Cojuangco was running the SMC like his own kingdom were the only rules and laws in place were his. "Cojuangco is getting away with his countless violations of labor laws because he enjoys the patronage and support not only of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) but of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself who is strongly alleged of having entered a multi-million compromise agreement with Cojuangco over the controversial coco levy funds," he said. "SMC is among the country's Top 12 corporations, and Cojuangco himself earns an annual income to P231.5 million in salaries, bonuses and other incentives. For all this, however, SMC workers are among the most exploited and their labor rights the most abused."

The veteran labor leader turned lawmaker said that political compromises and concessions between the Arroyo government and Cojuangco involving the coco levy fund, now estimated to have reached P130 billion, were clandestinely forged since the President assumed power in 2001. In July 2003, Sen. Joker Arroyo also accused that "Malacanang and Cojuangco have come to terms over the coco levy funds, San Miguel and United Coconut Planters Bank."

Beltran called the attention of the House Committee on Labor on the SMC management's comprehensive campaign to negate CBAs in several SMC companies. He said the SMC management is taking back its health benefits for workers as well as other benefits previously enjoyed by SMC workers. Retrenchment of regular workers continue to intensify due to the company's retirement program, contractualization and redundancy.

"Workers have suffered enough under Cojuangco's corporate management. The company is enforcing the most terrible efforts to cut back the regular workforce only to replace with contractual workers who are receiving lower wages and are not entitled to join unions and participate in CBAs. Militant labor unions under SMC endure constant suppression. The management sequestered the union fund of SMC Manila chapter since 2002. Nineteen workers from the Manila Glass Plant and Polo Brewery were arrested at work after they were charged with various administrative and criminal cases by the management," he said.#

NR0512:Congres sshould act on journalist killings

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 12, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Rep. Beltran calls of Congress to act on resolutions, bills calling for the protection of members of the media; help bring journalist killers to justice

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that the Macapagal-Arroyo administration has no right to deny accusations from the international media community that the Philippines is one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists.

"Journalists are being killed left and right, but President Arroyo herself has said nothing definitive in condemnation of these killings. The least that she can do is to support the investigations being conducted by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) into the violent attacks against members of the media, and to order her allies in the House of Representatives to hasten deliberations on bills and resolutions investigating the killings, and affording protection for members of the media."

Beltran challenged the House leadership to also act on the pleas of journalists and the families of journalists killed in the last two years that laws be enacted to protect members of the media, and to help bring the perpetrators of the cold-blooded killings of journalists to justice.

Finally, Beltran said that President Arroyo should also issue an apology as commander in chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the inclusion of journalists groups such as the NUJP in its hitlist. He said that the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) were among the institutions that are strongly alleged to be behind the killing of journalists. "The AFP and the PNP are among the most corrupt and mercenary government institutions and are often the target of the expose and criticism of the more fearless members of the Philippine media. The AFP and the PNP and the rag-tag criminal syndicates that are said to be under their protection in tandem with corrupt public officials are suspects in this shocking wave of journalist executions," he said. #

NR0512:Oppose Duque's appointment to health post

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 11, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Solon to oppose Philhealth chief's new assignation as health secretary

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that in response to the strong opposition of migrant organizations and their members, he will file an affidavit of opposition to the appointment of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation chief Francisco Duque III as Health Secretary at the Commission on Appointments. He said that Manuel Dayrit's replacement was more of a crafty businessman with self-serving political interests tied to those of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's. "Dr. Duque has a questionable record, and his appointment is clearly a reward for services rendered Pres. Arroyo in preparation for the May 2004 presidential campaign. He's a moneyman, not a healer by orientation, and this will simply not due. The post of health secretary should go to an individual who has the physical welfare and health of the Filipino people at heart - not an individual indebt ed to the president."

Beltran said that he has already filed several resolutions in Congress calling for investigations into Duque's manipulation of the funds of Overseas Workers Welfare Adminsitration (OWWA) and the funds' transfer to Philhealth. He said that Duque is being rewarded a higher post by the president because of the unscrupulous moves he made in the last few years to ensure President Arroyo's staying power.

The veteran labor leader said that Duque has many skeletons in his closet and they all have to do with the role he has played as head exec of Philhealth. He said that Duque has not been able to answer charges and clear himself of the accusations that he is the mastermind behind the scheme of distributing PhilHealth cards to community residents with the President's photo as a campaign ploy in the last elections.

In resolutions filed at the House of Representatives, Beltran alleged that Duque with the clear approval of the president facilitated the transfer of P530,382,446 of the OFW Medicare Trust Fund from the OWWA to PhilHealth in March 1. This transfer was made possible by Executive Order 392 issued by the President on December 28, 2004. This order merely amended the controversial E.O. 182 and fast-tracked the anomalous transfer of OFW funds.

Duque has been aggressive in advising the president and conniving with her political tacticians and strategists to release executive orders that would make the OWWA health funds available for use of the president. Duque himself in a memo to Pres. Arroyo in 2003 that said in part "the proposed
transfer will have a significant bearing on 2004 elections and on the President's desire to provide health insurance to 8M indigents by end of 2003."

"If Duque clinches the health secretary post, he will no doubt his powers to further manipulate public funds into the administration's own coffers. This at the expense of taxpayers and the rightful beneficiaries of the public-owned health funds. Duque has yet to clear himself of serious charge,s but now, with this new appointment, the administration is arbitrarily clearing him. He hasn't been able t o explain fully wja happened to the P520 million in losses due to padded or fake insurance claims at the PhilHealth. As the head official of Philhealth, he should take responsibility for these losses."

Duque has also boasted that the P520 million losses constitute only about four percent of PhilHealth's P52 billion earnings, adding that "This is significantly lower than the 33 percent in fraudulent claims under the defunct Medicare, PhilHealth's forerunner. He has offered only the lamest excuses as response to the justified queries into the anomalies in Philhealth and the OWWA."

On February 14, 2003, Pres. Arroyo signed Executive Order No. 182 that mandated the transfer of the Medicare Fund and the medicare functions of the OWWA to the Philhealth. This was devoid of consultations among the migrant organizations and without the knowledge of the OWWA Board of Trustees as two of its members, POEA Administrator Rosalinda Baldoz and Cora Carsola, the only OFW representative in the OWWA Board, had firmly disagreed to the transfer. Ms. Carsola was only informed of the existence of E.O. 182 on June 2003.

Despite formal petitions and protests from OFWs and their families and pending investigations at the House of Representatives, OWWA Board Resolution No. 005 (s. 2004) dated February 2, 2004 proves that the transfer of OWWA Medicare funds to PhilHealth was railroaded by the administration's executives in the labor portfolio - namely Labor and Employment Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas, former OWWA Administrator Virgilio Angelo, and PhilHealth CEO Francisco Duque. In congress, various legislators have already filed resolutions requesting to recall E.O. 182; investigate the use of OWWA funds; and annul OWWA Board Resolution No. 005 (HR No. 552). Despite firm opposition of OFWs and their families and the resolutions filed, however, Malacanang went ahead to issue Executive Order 392 dated December 28, 2004, entitled "Transfer of the Medicare Functions of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to. the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and Amending for the Purpose Executive Order 195 dated August 13, 1994."#

NR0511:GMA has no right to order VAT increase

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 11, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

GMA has no constitutional right to impose VAT rate hike - Rep. Beltran

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has no right to increase the value-added tax or VAT rate. He stressed that the power to impose taxes is beyond the power of the executive. He questioned the provision on the bicameral report on taxes granting the president powers to increase VAT rate from 10 to 12 percent.

"Malacanang has no right to make preconditions, and the pro-VAT senators in the bicameral committee have no right to give power to the president to increase VAT rate. Since President Arroyo was catapulted into power, the country's annual budget deficit estimates to about P200 billion which is already more than 30% of the country's GDP in 2004", said Beltran.

Beltran noted that the two preconditions set by the bicameral committee to give that particular extra power to the president are: 1.) Value-added tax collection as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) of the previous year exceeds 2.8 percent, and 2.) National government deficit as a percentage of GDP of the previous year exceeds 1.5 %."It seems that the bicameral committee doesn't impose a precondition at all. Annual budget deficit due to mismanagement and rampant graft and corruption already exceeds 1.5% of the GDP," Beltran said.

Beltran predicted that the President will impose the VAT rate hike on the date scheduled by the bicameral committee if the said report will be ratified today in the House of Representatives.

"Surely, this will result to escalation in the prices of basic commodities including power rates since the no passed on provision for VAT rate for the power generation companies were removed by the bicameral committee in the original versions of both Houses of Congress", Beltran ended.#

NR0511:Price controls good, but workers need cash

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 11, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Price controls well and good, but an P125 wage increase more
urgent and necessary - Rep. Beltran

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that House majority leader Prospero Nograles and the leadership of the House were evading the real issue at hand regarding the increasing prices of commodities an and the inability of the poor and working people to meet the rising costs of living.

"Price controls and regulating the market of basic goods are all well and good and even necessary; but before we begin heightening the level of debate and looking for bigger measures to help the Filipino people, Congress should prove that it has the will and sincerity to push for the legislation of a P125 across-the-board wage increase and the abolition of wage rationalization," he said.

"Inflation is always on the rise, inching higher and higher on a steady basis ; but it's been five years since the last genuine wage increase. Wages have been rationalized since 1989, and since then wages have been pegged to the floor and the wage levels decrease the farther one goes from the National Capital Region. The quality of life of workers are decidedly worse in the provinces, particularly where the export processing zones and industrial enclaves are located because wages there are even lower," he said.

"Workers continue to bring to Congress' attention the urgent need for a substantial increase of P125 in their wages. This would throw a lifeline to at least 164 million wage workers and salaried employees currently swamped in a storm of endless oil price hikes, tuition fee increases, transport fare hikes, higher power and water rates and rising living costs. This would also benefit non-wage workers, small entrepreneurs and by restoring the purchasing power of wage-earners and, hence, boost demand for products and services in the country," he said.

Beltran said Majority leader Nograles should honor the promise he made to Labor Committee chair Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Roseller Barinaga and the pro-P125 solons led by representatives of Anakpawis, Bayan Muna and Gabriela Women's Party that HB 345 or the bill legislating a P125 across-the-board wage increase for all workers will be deliberated upon at the soonest possible time, bar no more excuses.

"We will not be put off. A shocking P2 increase in fares is scheduled for implementation later in the Month, as well as another increase in power rates this June. How on earth will working class and low-income Filipinos be able to cope with these additional weighty economic burdens?" He said.

Aside from pushing for the legislation and implementation of HB 345, Beltran also said that the House should also support HB 4293 or the bill repealing RA 6762 or the wage rationalization law. He said that these two bills go hand in hand and support one another. "The legislation of nationwide, across-the-board wages will effectively render wage rationalization void. Congress should take back the responsibility of determining wages and abolish the regional wage boards whose main function has been to stop wage increases and to keep workers mendicant. RA 6762 should be abolished and a national minimum wage system be reinstated, " he said.

Finall, Beltran said that while working families experience new depths of deprivation, the share of profits in the national pie has been growing. The gross profit margin of the top 1000 corporations averaged 18.6% in 2001 which was a crisis year. The revenues of multinational corporations in the Philippines top 1000 for example have risen 68% between 1999 and 2001. Labor productivity in industry increased by almost 10% from 1999 to 2003 in real terms yet the real value of the minimum wage has been eroded by over 18% since 1999. Clearly MNCs and the local business elite can afford to pay their workers much more than what they are currently paying.

"That's why big business is forced to dissemble by claiming to have the interests of small businesses and their workers at heart when they rail against wage hikes. But in truth, majority of wage and salaried workers are employed in establishments employing 10 or more employees. Only 37 percent of workers are employed in firms with less than 10 employees (even if such micro-enterprises comprise majority of establishments). More importantly, labor productivity or the value-added created by each worker in establishments with 10 or more employees clearly indicate that their capitalist owners can afford to raise the wages of their workers by a substantial margin and still profit," he said.#

Explanation on VAT vote

Doesn’t matter if it’s the House or Senate version: VAT STAYS ANTI-POOR

Explanation of vote on the VAT bicameral report,
Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran, May 11, 2005


This Representation stands firm that the bicameral conference on the value-added tax (VAT) failed to resolve the fundamental issues of VAT as neither the House nor the Senate version spares the poor from further shouldering the burden of raising revenues for the cash-strapped government.

Mr. Speaker, the Senate version does not pose a better option to the House proposal for a 12% increase in VAT. Despite the assurance of lawmakers of a "no-pass on" provision, Filipinos are still being forced to brace themselves for higher oil price and power rates as a result of the Senate-proposed reforms in the VAT.

My dear colleagues, the Senate cannot ensure a "no-pass on" clause since VAT is a consumption tax, not a producers' tax. As such, Filipino consumers, already reeling from continuous increases in oil prices and electricity bills, will be the ones to shoulder this additional cost.

The Senate version of the VAT bill retains the 10% VAT rate on goods and services, but lifts the exemptions on electricity sales by generation, transmission and distribution firms, and the importation of raw materials for the manufacture of petroleum products. To mitigate its impact on the poor, the Senate version imposes penalties on power companies that would pass-on the VAT costs, while repealing the excise tax on socially sensitive products and reducing the excise tax on gasoline.

But such assurance is meaningless by simply looking at the public's experience under a privatized power sector and a deregulated oil industry, where consumers are battered with continuously soaring electricity rates and oil prices.

Imposing a 10% VAT on oil will actually result in higher pump prices even if the excise tax were repealed or reduced. An excise tax is a fixed amount, which does not increase proportionally with the increase in pump price unlike a 10% VAT which increases in absolute figures every time the oil importation costs increase. In the end, ordinary consumers carry the burden as higher importation costs mean higher pump prices.

Moreover, while a "no pass-on" provision for the VAT on power seems to protect the ordinary people, the ultimate burden will still fall on them. It must be noted that the contracts of independent power producers exempt them from tax obligations, which Napocor shoulders. The Senate's VAT bill thus will further push Napocor and the national government to bankruptcy, further restricting its capacity to fund social services.

In the meantime, this Representation asserts that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has no right to increase the value-added tax or VAT rate. The power to impose taxes is beyond the power of the executive. I question the provision on the bicameral report on taxes granting the president powers to increase VAT rate from 10 to 12 percent.

Malacanang has no right to enter any commitment regarding the preconditions set by the bicameral committee, and the pro-VAT senators and congressmen in the bicameral committee have no right to give power to the president to increase VAT rate. Since President Arroyo was catapulted into power, the country’s annual budget deficit estimates to about P200 billion which is already more than 30% of the country’s GDP in 2004.

The two preconditions set by the bicameral committee to give that particular extra power to the president are: 1.) Value-added tax collection as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) of the previous year exceeds 2.8 percent, and 2.) National government deficit as a percentage of GDP of the previous year exceeds 1.5 %.

Mr. Speaker, it appears that that the bicameral committee doesn’t impose a precondition at all. Annual budget deficit due to mismanagement and rampant graft and corruption already exceeds 1.5% of the GDP.

In the end, lifting VAT exemptions on oil and power, like the House proposal of a 12% VAT, is anti-poor, and will only put more Filipinos deeper in poverty. Anakpawis party-list, on behalf of the Filipino poor and the toiling masses, reiterates its firm stand against this infamous tax measure.#

Bill to abolish regional wage boards

AN ACT REPEALING REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED 6727, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AN ACT TO RATIONALIZE WAGE POLICY DETERMINATION BY ESTABLISHING THE MECHANISM AND PROPER STANDARDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE ARTICLE 99 OF, AND INCORPORATING ARTICLES 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 126, AND 127 INTO, PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 442, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LABOR CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES, FIXING NEW WAGE RATES, PROVIDING WAGE INCENTIVES FOR INDUSTRIAL DISPERSAL TO THE COUNTRYSIDE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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NR0511:Questionable basis for June power rate hike

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 11, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

April 13 order for Power Rate Hike to be implemented upon orders of Napocor's creditors; anomalies in ERC process of granting rate hike petitions questionable - Rep. Beltran

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today questioned the recent electricity rate hike of the Napocor, saying that there were questionable and anomalous issues within the process and considerations taken in the determination of the rate hike. He said that the Napocor and the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corporation submitted inaccurate accounts of their financial status, the formula for the rate increase, and basic premise for their petition for a rate increase. "The primary reason for the increase was because NPC creditors demanded that the NPC's Return on Rate Base (RORB) be steadily pegged at eight percent. The purchased power adjustment cap was previously pegged at a lower rate of 40 centavos per kilowatt hour, and this meant that the NPC was unable to reach the eight percent RORB. This rate increase should be immediately stopped, and the rates rolled back," he said.

On June 22, 2004, Napocor and PSALM filed before the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) an application for the approval of a revised RORB with Time-of-Use (TOU) based Generation Charges for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao Grids, with prayer for provisional authority. The filed petition was accepted by ERC and was numbered ERC Case No. 2004-178.

Before the scheduled hearings, ERC received several letters and pleadings from people's organizations, consumer groups, local government units, distribution utilities and concerned government officials manifesting their comments and opposition to the application filed by the NPC and PSALM. The ERC conducted six hearings from July 31, 2004 to August 31, 2004 in additional to the three hearings conducted by the ERC.

In one of the hearings, PSALM Vice President for Finance Nonito Bernado attested that the Napcor needs to attain an eight percent (8%) RORB to meet its loan covenants. After nine (9) hearings and submission of fifty six (56) comments and position papers on the NPC and PSALM application, ERC issued on September 3, 2004 an order granting provisional authority to implement an average of Php 0.9798/kWh adjustment in NPC power rates which commenced on September 26, '04. The ERC authorized NPC to provisionally impose Php 3.8054, Php 3.0374 and Php 2.0700 average basic generation charges for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao respectively .

Beltran said that many oppositors and intervenors filed their respective motions for reconsideration of the aforementioned order. Different legislative bodies of various local government units also passed several resolutions manifesting their objections. "The ERC, however, denied the said motions for reconsideration supposedly for lack of merit. The ERC did not even bat an eyelash when it waved out all protests to the rate hike petition, regardless of the fact that the protests had very strong grounds," he said.

Beltran said that the NPC has been unable to present justified, reasonable and believabale arguments for a rate hike. The NPC was ordered to prove the following: (1) revenue requirements of the NPC should include costs incurred on plants it operated after the termination of its Build Operate Transfer (BOT) contracts with Independent Power Producers (IPPs); (2) the rationale for NPC's bad debts; (3) the loss on foreign exchange (FOREX) fluctuations should form part of the revenue requirement to rebase said component of the generation rate as of CY 2002; and (4) there are several completed projects that should be included in the calculation of NPC's rate base;

"It was found out immediately after that (1) certain assets included in NPC's rate base were not eligible for inclusion among the reason to justify the rate hike; and (2) that the mismanagement of the assets and the inefficiencies of the NPC were the causes of losses incurred by it. There have also been assertions from the Commission on Audit pointing out more anomalies," he said. "The assets presented by the Napocor were also appraised by an independent company, and it was proven that the contention that the values of the assets presented by the applicants may not be used as fair bases for fixing the rates."

Beltran said that during the March 1, 2005 hearing , Director Jaime P. Naranjo of the COA proved the following points: (1) that NPC has not submitted to the ERC a reliable listing of the assets proposed for inclusion in the rate base; (2) that the values stated by the applicants in their evidence are unreliable and there is a need for an appraisal by an independent appraisal company of the said assets; and (3) that the expenses of NPC were attended by management inefficiencies.

"Despite all this, the ERC was single-minded in its determination to give the Napocor what it wanted. It ignored the contentions made by the oppositors of ERC Case No. 2004-178, and on April 13, 2005 granted an average of Php 1.0354/kWh increase in Napocor power rates. Such a decision is unjust and unwarranted as proven by the petition and position papers submitted by oppositors, different local government units, concerned government officials, consumer groups and people's organizations. Congress should intervene and speak up against the implementation of the Napocor and PSALM's power rate adjustment. The ERC's process of deliberations are also highly questionable and one-sided in favor of the petitioners. It's long overdue that the ERC be investigated for its apparent bias for the Napocor, Meralco and the independent power producers," he concluded.#

NR0510:Solon files for abolition of wage boards

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 10, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
Visit geocities.com/ap_news

Solon fills bill abolishing regional wage boards; says function of setting
wages should revert back to Congress

Less than two weeks after Pres. Arroyo called on the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) to determine a wage increase for workers, Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today led the filing of a house bill junking RA 6727 or the wage rationalization law which he said, is the most notorious and violative of workers' rights to living and decent wages. He said that RA 6727 enacted under the presidency of landlord president Corazon Cojuangco Aquino is at the crux of the very chaotic and highly exploitative wage setting system in the country. Beltran's bill, if passed, will abolish the regional wage boards and the responsibility of determining a national minimum wage will be reverted back to the national government though Congress.

"The exploitation generated by wage laws such as the infamous RA 6727, has reached monstrous proportions. The repeal of these anti-worker, anti-poor wage laws and the enactment of pro-labor laws in their stead can provide temporary reprieve for the working people, and Congress must prioritize the repeal of these measures and legislate laws that will uphold the economic welfare of workers and the rest of the working people," he said. "Congress should start the process of abolishing the regional wage boards and wage rationalization by passing HB345 which legislates a P125 across-the-board wage hike. This will also effectively abolish the wage boards and wage rationalization."

"RA 6727 which was enacted after the ouster of the Marcos dictatorship is a glaring example of a wage law enacted by the government that heightened labor exploitation to unprecedented levels.
It transformed the landlord and business-group dominated yet previously informal wage boards into formal organizations authorized to determine and execute the self-serving judgment and decision of its members from the ranks of big business and employers regarding wages. Wage rationalization was and is a violent and comprehensive attack against the economic interest of workers. The government, through this anti-labor, mercenary law, gives businesses and employers the direct power to determine the ultimate level of exploitation that they can impose on the working people," he said.

"The granting of powers to the regional wage boards also dispersed the battle lines on the wage issue to other regions where, away from the scrutiny of militant public opinion, the landlord and bourgeois comprador classes hold firmer control. The creation of these regional wage boards had the effect of blunting the power of the country's militant labor movement to fight for nationwide and across-the-board wage increases through concentrated political battles in the National Capital Region (NCR) or in other centers of the government's authority and power," he said.

The veteran labor leader turned lawmaker also said that the law also shields the Philippine government from direct accountability for the increased and worsened poverty of workers, correspondent to the increased magnitude of exploitation borne by the law's disastrous effects. "Governments since the Aquino regime have been shrugging off its responsibility of determining a single national wage hike, and pointing workers towards the regional wage boards where workers' demands for substantial and much needed wage hikes are thrown down the garbage chute," he said.

Beltran said that since the 1950s, the productivity of the Filipino people has increased annually and at a steady rate. "Wages paid to direct producers - the workers, however - averaged only to 30% of the wealth produced from 1951 to 1998. The biggest part of the unpaid value workers produced or about 38% is spent to finance the extravagant lifestyles of the rich and ruling sectors of society which constitutes only three percent of the country's population. About 12% is spent to finance the constant deficits in the one-sided colonial trade and to fund government operations: more than 60% of which are either spent on payments of local and foreign debt payments or lost to corruption," he said.

He also pointed out that RA 6727, at the very first instance, ensured that the interest of landlords remained tightly entrenched by pegging the wages in feudal estates such as Hacienda Luisita lower by 34.27% compared to wages of workers in the service and industrial sectors. The law also discriminates against agricultural workers in Metro Manila who receive wages 14.24%-17.85% less than the wages of workers in the other sectors.

Consequently, the disparity between the wage levels for Metro Manila and the provinces, even for workers in the service and industrial levels, widened. Whereas wages for the two sectors throughout the Philippines were equal at P89.00 in 1989, a disparity of P4.81 or 4.5% appeared the following year and increased to P71.17 or 28% by 2001. The wide disparity between wages in Metro Manila and wages in the provinces created by the landlord bourgeois comprador-controlled regional wage boards induced multinational corporations to relocate to the provinces particularly in the export processing zones. #