KAMANGGAGAWA Partylist Rep. Elijah “Eli” San Fernando expressed strong disappointment during yesterday’s budget briefing of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), criticizing the agency’s lack of clear stance on urgent worker issues such as wages, the status of Lazada and gig workers, and the controversial Labor Advisory No. 10.
San Fernando argued that while DOLE hides behind its “tripartite” mandate, it must ultimately stand with workers whose rights are repeatedly trampled, not with big businesses who ride on the backs of workers.
“Kasi may datos na eh. Throughout the years, real GDP has been increasing, also with labor productivity… But if you’re going to take a look at real wages since 2001, real wages have remained virtually the same or stagnant. So the question is, who benefits from the growth of our economy and the growth of our labor productivity? Madali po nating i-deduce don, Mister Chair. Ang nakikinabang po ay mga malalaking negosyante at hindi ang mga manggagawa,” he said.
He added that statistics are not even necessary to conclude that wages remain grossly inadequate. “Hindi po natin kailangan ng statistics para sabihing barat ang sahod ng mga manggagawa. Hindi sapat ang kasalukuyang sahod para mabuhay ng disente ang ating mga pamilya,” San Fernando stressed.
San Fernando also hit DOLE’s double standards when it comes to labor policies.
“CA decision pa lang, naglabas na kayo ng Labor Advisory. Hindi rin po ako naniniwala at ang aking mga kasama na kayo ay namamagitan dahil malinaw po na ito ay pagkiling laban po sa unyonismo,” he said, pointing out that DOLE immediately issued an advisory when the Court of Appeals released a pro-business decision against SEBA certification, yet refuses to issue guidance when the Supreme Court itself ruled in favor of workers in the Ditiangkin v. Lazada case.
“This exposes DOLE’s bias. They only follow the courts when it suits them and their big business bosses. But when it comes to decisions that favor workers, suddenly it’s case-to-case basis. DOLE does not answer to the tycoons. It answers to the people: our workers and their families. Right now, it is clear they are betraying working families,” San Fernando said.
San Fernando has long been a critic [1] of DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, even before entering Congress, calling him “the Secretary of Employers” and repeatedly demanding his resignation [2].
“As DOLE, your mandate may be tripartite, but it does not mean neutrality when workers are always on the losing end. On every issue discussed, laging agrabyado ang mga manggagawa. Hindi ang mga negosyante ang naaapi. The department should be standing with labor, not hiding behind so-called balance,” he said.
Despite DOLE’s evasions, San Fernando vowed that Kamanggagawa Partylist will continue to hold the department accountable and push for genuine pro-worker policies. “This representation will continue to advocate for workers with an undivided and clear labor stance. The time for ambiguity is over, workers need champions, not neutral referees,” he declared.
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