Rep. Edcel Lagman's Solidarity Message to 8th BMP National Congress

SOLIDARITY MESSAGE

(of Rep. Edcel C. Lagman on the occasion of the

8th National Congress of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino)

The benefits due to the marginalized Filipino workers must be prioritized by the Duterte administration.

As the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) celebrates its 8th National Congress, it must remain in the forefront of progressive labor advovacies and campaigns.

This is to memorialize the legacy of Filemon "Ka Popoy Lagman", the founder of BMP.

As the Congress of the Philippines legislates the security of tenure bill, the passage of the following must be assured in the Bicameral Conference Committee deliberations:

(a) An honest-to-goodness abolition of the pernicious practice of "endo" by plugging possible loopholes in the bill;

(b) Provisions protecting workers from illegal dismissal must include constructive dismissal like a transfer to an inferior position;

(c) Project employees who are repeatedly re-hired must be considered regular workers consistent with Supreme Court decisions;

(d) The jurisdiction to award moral and other damages to illegally dismissed workers should be with the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) or the competent regular courts, with the aggrieved worker exercising the option where to file the claim because the NLRC, in most cases, fail to award damages; and

(e) In addition to a fine, appropriate imprisonment must be imposed on errant employers based on malum prohibitum under special penal laws, not on malum in se or malice under the Revised Penal Code.

Warmest congratulations, and more success in your steadfast advocacies!