CBCP social action arm to gov't, biz: Initiate concrete actions for workers

As the world observes Labor Day on Friday, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines' social action arm called on the government and the business sector to initiate just and concrete actions to alleviate the condition of  Filipino workers.

CBCP's 55-year-old National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA), or Caritas Philippines, said in a statement that this year's observance of Labor Day, coming under the tyranny of the coronavirus disease 2019 crisis, has exposed more clearly the injustices against our labor force.

File Photo: Laborers call for the ending of contractualization in one of the mobilization rallies supported by NASSA/Caritas Philippines in front of DOLE office in Intramuros, Manila.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed even more the unjust treatment of Filipino workers, and our inability to effectively come to their cause. For only a span of one month, over two million workers have been displaced, with no assurance of getting back to work when the crisis is over," said Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, NASSA's national director.

"Indeed, this year’s Labor Day is yet another frustrating commemoration" of a landmark recognition of the rights of workers, he added.

On the occasion of Labor Day, which also falls on the feast day of St. Joseph The Worker, NASSA expressed  its gratitude and salutation to all Filipino workers.

"Thank you for the great service and dedication you have always given our country and the world," NASSA said, also asking for prayers for the workers.

Also, NASSA pointed out  that a week ago, the Department of Labor and Employment stopped accepting applications for the COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP), as DOLE claims that its funding is already very close to depletion.

“While we recognize and appreciate the efforts of the government to provide relief packages to our workers at this time, we also see that these are fill-gap measures only and provides no actual solutions to our labor problems,” Bagaforo said in the statement.

“We need to see our government and business owners initiate just and concrete actions for our labor force. To show compassion for our workers is a must. To show that we care is imperative,” the prelate of Kidapawan added.

Thus, Bagaforo called on the government and business conglomerates to:

• implement just policies and inclusive compensation packages (10,000 pesos or minimum pay every month during the quarantine period) particularly for informal workers;
• ensure safety, provision of equipment, transportation, temporary shelter, full meals and hazard pay to medical workers, including the Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) and Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS); and
• guarantee emergency employment assistance to stranded Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)

“Rerum Novarum, the first social encyclical reminds us of the Catholic Church’s teachings on labor which enjoins us to protect and respect the dignity of labor, encourages equitable participation and just compensation, and challenges the capitalist norm with generosity and kindness. COVID-19 is presenting us the perfect opportunity to do justice, and to promote genuine solidarity,” he added. —LBG, GMA News