The TROs issued against the ₱85 NCR wage increase have
become a direct challenge not only to workers but to the labor chief and his
entire department. The true test now is whether Labor Secretary Francis
Tolentino can reclaim the lost ground, or he will simply allow the process to
stall the wage order in favor of few employers.
As Labor Secretary, Tolentino carries far greater responsibility
than any trial court judge in protecting workers’ rights. The Secretary is
mandated by the Constitution and the Labor Code to promote workers’ welfare and
exercise primary jurisdiction over wage policies. A judge merely resolves the
case before the court. The Labor Secretary must defend the order and ensure
that lawful wage increases are not defeated by legal maneuvers.
PM therefore calls on Secretary Tolentino to personally
lead DOLE’s legal effort to immediately lift the TRO and vigorously defend the
₱85 wage order before the courts. Passivity will only embolden employers to
weaponize TROs against every future wage increase.
If wage orders can be suspended so easily, then
workers are left with rights only on paper, while the NWPC-DOLE ends up making
the P85 wage hike story history rather than “historic”.
Secretary Tolentino must prove that DOLE is not a mere
issuer of wage orders but their strongest defender.
Workers need a Labor Secretary who will fight for
their wages—not simply administer the process.
Bawiin ang P85 sa kamay ni Judge at ibigay agad sa
manggagawa.
Do this and history shall be our judge.
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