Ecop chiefs keep posts for 2020

By Elijah Felice Rosales, Businessmirror, 2 January 2020

The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (Ecop) will keep its highest officials in power for this year after its members voted to maintain Edgardo G. Lacson as chairman and Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr. as president.

In a statement last week, Ecop announced Lacson and Ortiz-Luis received fresh mandates as chairman and president, respectively, of the organization. Ecop members voted to maintain the two as their heads for 2020, in a meeting last December.

Earlier, Lacson and Ortiz-Luis were reelected for another two-year term as governors of Ecop, along with Antonio H. Abad Jr., Renato B. Almeda, Roberto C. Amores, Oscar S. Reyes and Alfonso G. Siy.

They will serve as governors of the employers’ group from 2020 to 2021. Joining them are George T. Barcelon, Francis C. Chua, Federico R. Marquez Jr., Ranulfo P. Payos, Diana Pardo-Aguilar, Ancheta K. Tan and Jesus B. Varela, whose terms are set to expire on December 2020.

Lacson and Ortiz-Luis were the leaders of Ecop at the time it was opposing the passage of the Security of Tenure (SOT) bill, which was one of President Duterte’s campaign promises.

In 2019, the SOT bill hurdled the House of Representatives and the Senate. However, the President, in an unprecedented move, vetoed the measure that would have provided workers protection from different forms of contractual employment.

Lacson is currently director of the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), and was formerly president and honorary chairman of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He was also previously president of Ecop from 2010 to 2016, before transferring the leadership to the late Donald G. Dee, who was succeeded by Ortiz-Luis. Lacson’s business interests is mostly in maritime services, serving as president of MIS Maritime Corp., Safe Seas Shipping Agency, Marine Industrial Supply Corp. and EML Realty.

Prior to his current presidency of Ecop, Ortiz-Luis served as head of the organization between 2007 and 2009.

Aside from leading Ecop, he is president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. and is a founding director of the International Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. His business affiliations include being director of Philippine Foundation Inc., Waterfront Philippines, Manila Exposition Complex Inc., Lasaltech Academy, BA Securities, Rural Bank of Baguio, Acesite Hotel Philippines Inc., and Forum Pacific Inc.

Ecop is the country’s recognized representative and organization of employers. Established 45 years ago, its objective is “to unify employers and employers’ organizations in order to safeguard and enhance employers’ interests in all areas of labor-management relations, including social and economic policy matters affecting such relationship, and to promote industrial harmony, social justice, and national growth.”