TAKE CARE OF WORKERS, VP NOLI APPEALS TO EMPLOYERS
May 15, 2008

Vice President Noli 'Kabayan' De Castro appealed to employers to take care of their workers, especially those who are vulnerable to the difficult times that the country is facing at present.

Speaking during the 29th National Conference of Employers at the Manila Hotel the other day (May 14), De Castro said he understood that employers are also affected by the country's problems but he urged them not to forget the welfare of the workers.

De Castro made the appeal as he noted that both Filipino employers and workers are not facing a very bright future at this time.

"The number of poor Filipinos continues to grow, the global economy faces many challenges and the future appears to be full of uncertainties. I know that you are affected by these problems but please, take care of your workers," De Castro said.

On the other hand, De Castro said he was pleased that members of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) were willing to provide wage increase and that no one raised objections among the various representatives of the industry to the impending wage hike.

"On behalf of the government and the workers, I thank you for this," he said.

Likewise, De Castro thanked the Philippine Chambers of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) for heeding the call of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to help cushion the effect of the current crises to the workers.

PCCI is mulling on the option to immediately grant special allowances to the workers, he said.

"I know that this matter about additional benefits for the workers will not be difficult to hurdle because you from the business sector, we from government, and the labor sector continue to work together as responsible stakeholders for genuine development," he added.

Meanwhile, the Vice President cited ECOP for pushing issues related to promoting sustainable enterprises for sustainable communities. He said he was glad that the idea came from the business sector.

He explained that before, matters involved in social development are considered cost or expenses that are forcibly placed on the shoulders of the productive sectors such as business and manufacturing.

Today however, such concept has vanished and replaced with the idea that businesses are only further strengthened when it is within a stronger community.

The concept of doing business has eclipsed the more parochial concerns of operating costs, revenue and profits, he said adding that factors such as environmental management, social protection, and political stability have become key ingredients in defining stakeholder accountability and investment returns.

"Today, the promotion of sustainable enterprises goes beyond the corporate foundation and into the mainstream issues of employment planning, strategic management and sustainable development," he said.

Meanwhile, De Castro reiterated the need to deregulate the business environment which according to him is his advocacy in good governance and doing business.

“As I have been saying in every chance I could, perhaps it is about time that we re-think our entire policy on regulations and issuance of permits,” he said.

Instead of regulation, he said standards that businesses should follow should be set up and be known to all.

“Let us stop this system of using permits as a way to implement rules and regulations,” he said.

However, De Castro stressed that sanctions should be strictly implemented against those who err and that violators of the rules and standards should be punished based on what the law dictates.

“I will not get tired of saying that there will no sacred cows,” he added.

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