Bishop ‘Disappointed' as Gov't Allows Mass Layoff

MANILA, Nov. 4, 2010-Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said he is "disappointed" by the government's decision to allow the Philippine Airlines' planned mass layoff of some 3,000 employees.

Pabillo said the recent decision of the Department of Labor and Employment will deprive the workers the just share of the fruits of their labor.

"This clearly shows that the policy of the present administration is to favor the capitalists than the ordinary workers," he said.

Pabillo chairs the National Secretariat for Social Action- Justice and Peace (Nassa), the social action arm of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

According to him, it also means that it is a policy of the Aquino administration to continue the labor-only contracting arrangements and "casualization" of labor in the country.

The prelate said that the dignity of work comes from the laborers themselves and not from the capital which is controlled by capitalists.

In line with the thoughts of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines, Pabillo stressed the "priority of labor over capital."

"The capital is needed but labor should have the primacy. Let's give more importance to the workers," said Pabillo.

"But in the case of the PAL Employees' Association (Palea), it seems that profit is more important for the government than the dignity of people," he lamented.

Last week, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, in a written directive, has allowed PAL's planned retrenchment and contractualization.

With the decision, Baldoz also affirmed the previous order of then acting labor secretary Romeo Lagman giving the green light on PAL's plan to outsource three non-core operations and lay off workers.

Like Lagman, Baldoz said that it is PAL's "management prerogative" to reorganize its corporate structure for the viability of its operations.

The decision, however, earned the ire of the Palea members. On Monday, workers who will be affected by the mass lay off staged a protest rally in front of DOLE's main office in Intramuros, Manila.

The demonstrators also vowed of more protests to come if the government will not withdraw its decision in favor of the PAL management. (CBCPNews)