Karapatan stands in solidarity with Ukrainian writer and director Oleg Sentsov, who was sentenced in Russia to 20 years of strict-regimen labor colony on trumped-up charges of terrorism. Today is the 94th day of his hunger-strike and his health condition has dramatically deteriorated, leaving him near death.
Davao labor groups frown on Duterte’s “unfulfilled” promise to protect labor
Progressive labour groups in the Davao region poured into the streets on August 27 to join colleagues nationwide to demand accountability of the Duterte administration over what they said were unfulfilled promises to labor, notably in protecting the rights of workers and better working condition.
Mga manggagawa, nagmartsa sa Araw ng mga Bayani
Nagsama-sama ang libu-libong manggagawa sa Araw ng mga Bayani sa tinaguriang nilang “Martsa ng Manggagawa” noong Agosto 27 mula Welcome Rotonda hanggang sa Mendiola sa Maynila. Panawagan nila na itigil na ang kontraktwalisasyon sa paggawa, ipatupad ang pambansang minimum na sahod na P750, at wakasan ang iba pang porma ng pagsasamantala sa manggagawa. Ayon sa […]
Sigaw
Andres, Ilabas ang sundang! Hasain, hasaing mainam, hasaing mabuti May susuunging labang muli! Tagpasin ang mga sinungaling Tagain ang mga magnanakaw Naglipana sila’t tila dumarami! Sa isang daang milyong bunganga Na maaring gawing bisita— Diyos na mahabagin– Sa araw na kayo’y ginugunita Bakit naman isang dalahira Ang panauhi’t tagapagsalita? […]
Women workers welcome passage of 100-day paid maternity leave at Lower House
Workers from various women’s groups welcomed the passage of House Bill 4113 or the “100-Day Maternity Leave Bill” at the House of Representatives today. Organizations who commended the bill’s passage is Gabriela Women’s Party, Kilusan ng Manggagawang Kababaihan (KMK), Defend Job Philippines, Breastfeeding Pinays, Center for Women’s Resources, Philippine Commission on Women, and Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development, among others.
The groups said that they are fully supportive of the approved and consolidated bill in Congress that will expand maternity leave period from 60 days to 100 paid days. Female workers from both the public and private sectors can avail the leave.
HB 4113 also covers pregnancy, either normal or caesarian delivery, and abortion. Last March 6, 2017, the Senate approved Senate Bill 1305 or the “Expanded Maternity Leave Law of 2017,” which seeks to grant 120 days of maternity leave to expectant mothers.
Reproductive health for working mothers
Before the approval of HB 4113 and the meeting at the Lower House, advocates posed with lawmakers at the plenary hall entrance in time for the resumption of Congress session today.
“The passage of a law that will expand maternity leave is a big and a significant step forward in developing reproductive health for working Filipino women nationwide. This will provide enough time for mothers to regain their strength that they lost during pregnancy up to the actual delivery of the child and before they go back to work,” said Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Emmi de Jesus.
De Jesus added that granting an expanded maternity leave also gives mothers and infants more time for breastfeeding, thus maximizing health benefits for both.
In a press statement, Defend Job Philippines fully supported the initiative of women legislators in the House of Representatives.
“Such move will mean so much to all working mothers in nurturing and being with their newborn babies at the early stage of their development. This will further empower and strengthen our toiling Filipino women’s struggle in upholding their right to maternal health,” said Defend Job Philippines.
Women’s groups, Gabriela and KMK on the other hand said that a law expanding maternity leave is a “clear recognition of the value of working Filipino mothers in giving life not just for industries, but for future generation of the land.”
The group also added that maternal health is distinct and that the state must recognize and ensure the necessity of maternity leaves for women workers.
Penalties
Gabriela said that they will also introduce an additional provision on the measure seeking penalties for employers which will use the pregnancy of the worker to deny promotion or to effect suspension or dismissal.
De Jesus added that capitalists should stop blackmailing the measure for supposedly posing the threat of company losses, as the expanded maternity leave as contained in HB 4113 is not mandatory aside from the fact that majority of Filipino women workers are currently non-regular workers who are already being denied the current 60-78 maternity leave period.
“We warn big capitalists not to use maternity leave as basis for discriminating and pregnant workers from work or worst terminating expectant mothers from their current jobs,” de Jesus said.
The post Women workers welcome passage of 100-day paid maternity leave at Lower House appeared first on Manila Today.
Ang malaking laban na dapat nating harapin
“Labanan ang pasistang atake sa mamamayan. Ito ang malaking laban na dapat nating harapin.”—Atty. Nero Colmenares, chairperson, National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers, at the 5th National Congress of the Karapatan Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights
Pointed messages: Ballpoint art exhibit as piercing commentary
His first artwork as a child was drawing cartoon figures using a ballpoint pen. As handy as it is economical, ballpen has been his frequent medium in his nearly forty-year career as a Davao artist. In his comeback into Davao’s art scene after 14 years, JC Gonzales goes back to these first passions.
‘Ang ibinigay sa atin ay TRAIN’
“Ang mga manggagawa na nananawagan ng pagwawakas ng kontraktwalisasyon para sa nakabubuhay na sahod ay naibigay ba ni Duterte? Ang ibinigay sa atin ay TRAIN. Taas-presyo ng mga bilihin na lalong nagpapahirap at nagpapagutom sa taong bayan.”—Einstein Recedes, Anakbayan secretary general