Hontiveros Meets Workers, Pledges to Push for Anti-Contractualization Law

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“We must stop the exploitation of workers”.

This was the statement of Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday as she met with the participants of the Anti-ENDO Caravan organized by the NAGKAISA labor coalition, Partido Manggagawa (PM) and the Philippine Airlines Employees' Association (PALEA).

In the meet-up at the Senate stop of the said caravan yesterday, the Senator pledged to push for the passage of an anti-contractualization law that will provide “work with dignity to our workers”.

Hontiveros filed Senate Bill No. 217 or the Security of Tenure Bill to protect workers from unscrupulous and discriminatory contracting and sub-contracting.

The Senator also welcomed the directive of the current administration “to end endo”. Endo is the colloquial term for “end of contract”, a system by enterprises and employers that contract workers to 4-6 months in order to avoid regularizing workers and providing them social security benefits.

“We must fight for regular and decent jobs. It is time for a strong policy that will protect our workers from contractualization and other schemes that continue to deprive them of their full benefits, Senator Hontiveros concluded.

Globe Interconnection with Competition Extends to Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran

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Interconnection enables customers to call customers of other providers without long-distance calls.

Globe Telecom said interconnection of its landline service Globelines with its competition continue to expand as the two parties recently agreed to extend the collaboration to include the provinces of Leyte, Southern Leyte and Biliran.

The interconnection enables Globelines customers in the Leyte, Southern Leyte and Biliran provinces to call customers of other telco providers without additional charges as they no longer have to pay for long distance charges when calling one another. The interconnection, which took effect last September 1, will allow customers to realize substantial savings.

Prior to the interconnection, landline customers of Globelines and other telco providers were charged with long distance rate when making phones to one another. With the interconnection, Globe customers can simply dial the seven-digit telephone number to connect with other telco providers and vice-versa.

“As interconnection reduces the cost of connectivity among our customers, Globe will continue to pursue interconnection in line with our commitment to provide affordable and easily accessible ways of communication, necessary to further enhance economic growth,” Globe General Counsel Atty. Froilan Castelo stressed.

Interconnection among telco providers is in line with provisions for compulsory interconnection of authorized public telecommunications carriers under Republic Act 7925. The law aims to create a universally accessible and fully integrated nationwide telecommunications network to encourage more infrastructure investments from the private sector that would benefit the consumers.

In addition to Leyte, Southern Leyte and Biliran, Globe has existing interconnection agreement with its main competition in Metro Manila, Cavite, Iloilo, Batangas, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Leyte, Davao City, Pampanga, Bulacan, Zamboanga, Laguna, Quezon, La Union, Nueva Ecija, Benguet, GenSan/South Cotabato, Tarlac, Davao del Norte, Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Zambales, Ilocos Sur, Capiz, Cagayan, Nueva Viscaya, Iloilo, Bataan, Isabela and Camarines Norte.

Youth to Imee Marcos: Forgiveness Demands Justice!

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Akbayan Youth joined fellow youth and student groups today in conducting the "Honk for Justice" Noise Barrage, Candle-lighting, and Banner Hanging in commemoration of the 44th year of Martial Law (ML) Declaration.

"Our search for justice for the heroes and martyrs who fought the Marcos dictatorship remains elusive, even after 44 years since Martial law was declared. Forgiving Marcos and giving him a hero's burial while justice remains out of reach for many Filipinos promotes a culture of impunity. Forgiveness without justice is an invitation to repeat the sins of the past," said JC Tejano of Akbayan Youth.

The groups said this in response to an earlier call of Imee Marcos to the Filipino people to forgive his father, the late dictator, President Ferdinand Marcos and to have him buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

"Marcos, his family and cronies, still haven't returned the money that they have stolen from us. How can we forgive the Marcoses who not only continues to whitewash their role in one of the darkest moments in our history, but also continues to live off of the money of the people," added Tejano.

The PCGG estimates that the Marcoses amassed a total of USD 5-10 Billion and have yet to return USD 1.4-6.4 Billion to the Filipino people.

The youth groups finally called on their fellow youth to use this opportunity to know more about the Martial Law years.

"The youth must join the search for truth and justice if we do not want history to repeat itself. Those who came before use did not allow themselves to be silenced and spoke truth to power. It is our generation's responsibility to honor their memory by echoing their voices and standing by the truth, especially when the truth is being silenced by those in power," concluded Tejano.