In the other day’s mass rally of the members of the country’s labor sector the participants were demanding an increase in the minimum daily wage of P1,200.00 per day. They claimed that today’s daily wage level is far from being livable and that a government-mandated daily rate of P1,200 is what makes the ordinary wage earner survive the existing economic predicament.
We strongly agree with the labor sector that the present minimum wage rate is far from enough especially with the almost daily increases in prices of prime commodities. But then again, the cost of goods and services is also influenced by the movement in the cost of day-to-day production. The higher the workers are paid also means a major increase in the production processes. Therefore, mandating for the hike in the minimum daily wage could mean two things. One is the downsizing the number of industry or business workers. The other is businesses may opt for the extreme – shut down operation.
Any which way though only the economy and the people are put to the disadvantage. The workingman suffers the most since many will either lose their jobs or retain their old daily wage rate. But if none of the concerned stakeholders will totally close their doors for negotiations, chances are a compromise could be attained and all will be happy. By stakeholders we mean the working men, the businesses and industries, and the government of course.
And by compromise we mean as well that the amount of daily wage hike is beneficial to the labor sector, to the employer firms, and of course to the government which is responsible for seeing to it that the country’s economy remains healthy.
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It is nine more days to go before election. We are certain that by today most voters may have already decided as to who to vote for their governor, vice governor and board members (if they are provincial residents), mayor, vice mayor and councilors (if they are city or town residents). Others however, prefer to withhold their final choices hoping to receive some enticing offers from candidates. The “offer” may either come in monetary form, in-kind “ayuda,” or promises of employment from the candidates.
Of course this attitude by our people did not come just in this particular election. This has been a practice since several elections past and now has evolved into some kind of a culture among us Filipinos. The key players in developing this culture are the candidates and the voters themselves. The politicians mobilize so much resources to be used to procure votes directly with money, or with material things.
The voters too, knowing that there are much to expect from the candidates prefer to forget about principles, integrity and loyalty in exchange of favors. So when the election is over and the winners declared and proclaimed, the latter feels no real obligation to discharge the duties they are supposedly sworn to discharge.
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Now these reports through social media about a raid on the house of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte. We would say that it is the most blatant of misinformation and dissemination of fake news by certain individuals whose motive is for their own vested interest, and for misleading people on the current political situation in the country.
For example, what motivated a particular vlogger to call on the supporters of the former President to rush to the house of the latter at Dona Luisa Subdivision in Matina to prevent the police from raiding FPRRD’s house? His call was posted in the afternoon last Wednesday, and it was also in the same afternoon that Congressman Polong Duterte issued a statement on the supposed raid. And then last Thursday morning there was another post saying that the raid was conducted at dawn of the same day.
It is our take that the first post made by a male vlogger was premised on the report that a number of CIDG and Special Action Force personnel from the head office were due to arrive in Davao City. Apparently, the concerned vlogger took it to himself to interpret that the CIDG and SAF policemen were out to carry implement the mission order of raiding the Duterte residence.
It turned out however, that there was no such raid and it appears that the supporters were literally out there to volunteer as mass security of the former President’s house.
But will a raid be eventually conducted? According to the Police Regional Office XI head his office is not aware of any such mission from higher headquarters. All they know of is the coming of some personnel from the CIDG and the SAF. As to the purpose of their posting in the Davao Region the PRO XI chief said it may have something to do with the forthcoming election which is 9 days away from now.
Well, let us to see (Atong tan-awon).
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