LABOR LEADERS gunning for senatorial seats pushed for labor reforms to address economic concerns and improve the lives of workers and farmers as they kicked off their campaign on Tuesday.
Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (WPP) senatorial aspirants Jose Sonny G. Matula and Sultan Zubair G. Mustapha seek to address problems of low wages, job insecurity, and inadequate education opportunities for the children of workers and farmers.
Mr. Mustapha, a Moro leader, highlighted the need for decent job opportunities within the Philippines to keep families intact; while Mr. Matula, a labor leader, urged government support for the education of the children of workers and farmers.
“The solution? Strengthen our agriculture and industries, improve digital infrastructure, increase wages, and provide permanent jobs for our workers so they don’t have to leave their loved ones,” Mr. Mustapha said in Filipino.
The duo pledges to advocate for a living wage and national minimum wage to ensure workers earn sufficient income to support their families without seeking employment abroad. They also committed to ending contractualization by abolishing exploitative employment schemes and securing stable jobs with full benefits.
Strengthening workers’ rights is also a priority, with a focus on protecting the right to organize and engage in collective bargaining without fear of retaliation.
To ensure access to quality education, they propose comprehensive scholarships for the children of workers and farmers, covering tuition, books, transportation, dormitory accommodations, and daily living expenses.
Lastly, they emphasize support for small businesses and cooperatives by promoting agri-modernization and industrialization to create local job opportunities and stimulate economic growth.
Campaign period for national posts started on Tuesday and will last until May 11. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana
