The Aquino Administration's Labor Policy

Past the initial 100 days and we see that things are more "manageable" now for the administration. No big scandal except that stupidity caused by a rambling idiot-writer who tried to portray herself as a wine connoisseur. No big news against any government official. It's all business as usual for a government which still grapples with centuries-old problems of graft and corruption. 


There were, however, insinuations that Aquino would try to re-shuffle his cabinet. I heard from the grapevine that DILG secretary Jesse Robredo is on his way out. And who, do you think would replace him? 


Sources say its either Felicito Payumo or former Cavite governor Ayong Malicsi who is being eyed to replace Robredo. Malicsi, it seems, has many friend backers in the Aquino administration. Allegedly, Malicsi has been bruiting his strong ties with the Aquinos and his possible assumption of the office anytime soon. 


I don't know about you, but Malicsi is no change agent. He is part of the traditional elite groups with links with jueteng, as alleged by many in Cavite. Curiously though, investigation into jueteng seemed to have died a natural death. Again, no one faced the gauntlet. No one was even jailed. It seemed that its again business as usual.


This is the big problem of this administration. It won when it manipulated the feelings and emotions of the masses about change. There was a dominant call for real, meaningful change and it reflected in how the masses voted last elections. This administration won when it deftly positioned itself as a leader in the change movement. It won when it promised that it would eradicate poverty by combatting graft and corruption. 


When it assumed power, the Aquino administration presented a weird combination of personalities in its cabinet. If you looked closely though, there is a big proportion of appointees who serve as stooges of Big Business. 


Big Business reared its ugly head when it appointed the likes of Singson, Henares, Purisima and Alvarez to positions of power. There are several more appointments done quietly and silently but reflects what really is the very nature of this administration---a government which is backed strongly by Corporate Interests. 


I will describe this government as pursuing not change, but CORPORATISM. Corporatism is a strange creature, which essentially means a policy of pursuing capitalist interests over and above the interests of the masses.


This romance with Corporate Interests has been shown with how the Aquino administration treated the current labor row between a thousand employees of the Philippine Airlines and the Tan management.


Imagine the stupidity of even the President announcing that the Department of Labor and Employment, the very agency tasked to protect the interests of Labor, is allowing the Management of PAL to effectively fire a thousand protesting employees and replace them with robots, err, new applicants willing to lick the asses of PAL's capitalist bosses.


Look at how stupid the Labor secretary Baldoz looked when she announced that government is siding with PAL management. 


Is it because Lucio Tan is a strong backer of Chiz Escudero, a self-proclaimed Kingmaker in this administration? Is it because Tan has strong links with personalities running the show inside Malacanang? Why protect Tan, who has shown his unpatriotism as a big-time tax evader and one of the biggest unfair labor buster and inhumane employer in this country?


Instead of siding with the toiling masses, this administration decided to side with Big Business, with Big Money. Is this the way to treat Labor?


We, as a People, must resist this government. 


We, the People, must show this government who really is the "boss".


IN his inaugural address, Aquino told us that, we, the Filipino Masses, are his "boss". Now, we know better.


Aquino is no different from Arroyo. He is an ass-licker of Big Business. 


I call on all labor unions and labor leaders to resist the Aquino administration's attempt to legalize the illegal labor practice of the Philippine airlines. 


I call on all labor organizers to unify behind the popular movement against the Aquino administration. 


Let us, for once, set aside our ideological differences, and unite against the growing anti-labor front now being represented by the Aquino administration. We are fighting for the rights and welfare of our ranks. We are fighting against this manipulation being undertaken by this corporatism practised by the Aquino administration.


Resist corporatism. Unify for the Upliftment of Philippine labor.