Message of TUCP President Atty. Democrito T. Mendoza at the 1st National Summit on Labor and Employment 27 April 2011, SMX Convention Center, Pasay City

Message  of TUCP President Atty. Democrito T. Mendoza at the 1st National Summit on Labor and Employment
27 April 2011, SMX Convention Center, Pasay City

Madam Secretary ROSALINDA DIMAPILIS-BALDOZ,
Honorable NEDA Secretary CAYETANO PADERANGA
ILO Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific SACHICO YAMAMOTO
ECOP President EDGARDO LACSON
honored  guests
colleagues from the employers sector
fellow trade union activists
ladies and gentlemen,

On behalf of the TUCP, its leadership, members and families
I manifest full support for the Philippine Labor and Employment Plan for 2011-2016 (PLEP)!
I manifest TUCP’s renewed collaboration with our partners
to make the Plan work, and make it work for all!

The TUCP is strong believer and advocate
of decent work and inclusive growth!
Decent work and inclusive growth
are two of our important reasons for being!

We have said many times before
that inclusive growth should mean shared growth!

Simply put:
kung may real growth in GNP,
dapat my growth sa lahat
–kasama ang wages, earnings at iba pang benefits
para sa mga manggagawa.
Hindi pwedeng yung income lang ng employers (profit)
at government (taxes) ang tumataas
gaya ng kasalukuyang kalakaran.
MAGBAGO NA TAYO!

Workers have not shared in economic progress in real terms.
Slow are the processes and actors
who are entrusted with powers to ensure
that growth is shared,
not among and within a certain sector only, but for all sectors.

Exponentially faster are increases in prices of commodities, utilities, and services.
And fastest are the sectors and their supporters
that denounce calls for wage increase
branding them untimely and counter productive!

Workers and their families are burdened with inflation.
Yet, not all sectors will acknowledge
that we cannot afford to let this situation persist any longer.

If the Plan has to have meaning,
It must have a radical effect on sharing of incomes and wealth!

It cannot be that: “Sila lang ang mga anak ng Diyos!”

The labor sector hopes
that the Plan becomes an efficient vehicle
to bring about desired results for all sectors,
–formal labor, workers in the informal economy,
including domestic workers, workers in public services,
OFWs, employers, and government.

We hope that the Plan
that we carefully and collegially put together
brings an end to years and years on unshared growth.

We note that the Plan is far from perfect.
But we know that DOLE, with the tripartite sectors,
will continue to improve it
with wide-ranging consultations
and sustained dialogue with constituents.

Let the Plan’s overarching objective
of inclusive growth and decent work
be our singular and collective goal
for the tripartite partners and for the country as a whole.

Shared growth and decent work
are what we should have, NOTHING LESS.

We support productivity and competitiveness.
After all, we jointly, I repeat, JOINTLY,
are responsible for productivity and competitiveness.
Although, the fruits need radically better sharing.

The Plan would be only as good as its results.
It is what comes after it that matters most.

We believe as others, that the PLEP will be a living document,
subject to regular review, monitoring and improvements.

A living document does not run by itself.
The constituents are the engines that will make it run,
run well, and run for everyone!

In closing, we reiterate what we have said in October 2010
at the opening of the MTPDP consultation for workers.

“Gawing nating bahagi ng Planong ito
ang pag-create ng Tripartite Team,
to very regularly, monitor, assess, and evaluate our progress.
A continuing tripartite dialogue will be the only assurance
that revolutionary inclusive growth and real decent work
would be the RESULTS of this PLEP exercise.”

Maraming salamat!
Magandang umaga sa ating lahat!