Economic Cancer

ARTICLE

Decision on Metro Manila wage hike out soon

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 04/05/2011 9:55 PM

Source URL: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/metro-manila/04/05/11/decision-metro-manila-wage-hike-out-soon

MANILA, Philippines – Workers in Metro Manila will know on or before May 1 if they will get a wage increase, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said on Tuesday.

Speaking to ANC, Baldoz said the new figures on inflation will be one of the factors to consider before the regional wage board convenes and issues a decision.

She also said that more than 1,000 repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Libya have secured jobs in other countries.

Baldoz, however, said there are still jobs in the Philippines for OFWs who decide to remain in the country.

“We are talking about more than 3,000 OFWs out of total of 8,000 deployed by recruitment agencies who have job orders outside libya,” she said.

“We have 1,200 on the table for processing and for redeployment, the rest we still qualify them for other jobs. We expect them, those who desire to stay here they can, [to find jobs]. We have a mining industry that needs engineers,” Baldoz added.

 REACTION

Truly, everything is connected in the economy! Products, jobs, wages and even life could be affected by any change in the economic flow. It is not just all about money, money, money! But most importantly how money could affect lives most importantly people who are under the pressure of having jobs.

The article above (especially the first line) demonstrates how people, more importantly, the workers need money. For me, it could be interpreted in two ways: First, the statement “Workers in Metro Manila will know on or before May 1 if they will get a wage increase…” would somehow arouse the spirit of despair or shall I say hopelessness for the workers that on the Labor Day, a day to give gratitude to our workers, there ‘could’ be no increase on wages. What if there is no still news before May 1 or the day itself? Will there still be a hope for the workers that the government would grant the increase of wages on the coming days? The second idea for the statement is giving the workers the virtue of patience, faith and even the financial security that on their very day (Labor Day) or before, there would be an announcement that wages would be increased. If this would happen, the workers would somehow enjoy financial security.

Furthermore, this statement awakens the society, the ‘world’ of labor or shall I say the whole economy that because of the uncontrollable increase of prices, especially the important commodities, inflation would take place in the economy. When prices increase, the demands increase, production of goods and services would increase, wages would increase, and if these would happen, there is a tendency that businesses and companies would terminate workers or their employees due to the increase of the demand of wages of the workers since all prices are rising. Higher demand for wages could be asked to balance and sustain the need of the workers to cope up with the increase of the prices of the products.

The article also shows how hard it is to work abroad or to be an OFW (Oversees Filipino Worker). The war in Libya had caused many Filipinos to come back in the country and because of that many had left their jobs. On the other hand it is still relieving to know that more than 1,000 Filipinos had secured work in other countries. Because of what happened in Libya, the rage of the citizens against the government, the whole world was affected because they are also a big source of our products like the oil. Prices had been increasing because of this conflict, that is why inflation had taken place in our country and I believe for other places as well.

How frustrating it is to think deeply of our economy’s status. A single change would be a change for all may it be in the positive or negative aspect. An economic problem such as the word “inflation” is like the disease of cancer. Slowly it eats up your cells killing you every single day. Increase of prices and demands slowly puts away the healthy parts of an economy which is balance or equality. It may not be seen but its pain could be felt at the highest stage. If I am the economy right now who is experiencing inflation, waiting for wage increase grants and other related economic problems, I would definitely shout at the top of my lungs so as to let all the burdens go and to be heard by the humanity.