Jinggoy: P456 daily minimum wage for

metro workers not enough

MANILA, Philippines - Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada on Tuesday strongly urged
regional wage boards to immediately review and eventually grant the salary petitions of workers.
The senator saw the need to increase the salaries of workers due to the rising prices of basic goods and
services.
Estrada noted that no petition for wage increase may be entertained within the 12-month period from the
effectivity of the wage order. In the case for the National Capital Region (NCR), a wage order was issued last
June 3, 2012.
Estrada, nonetheless, argued that wage boards are not prohibited from reviewing the need to increase wages
even before the lapse of the prescribed period.
Estrada, chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resource Development, noted
that the current P456 minimum daily wage is no longer enough for a worker in Metro Manila to pay the
increasing power and water rates as well as health, transport, and education costs.
He said a salary adjustment would send a strong message to the world that our economic gains are starting to
trickle down.
"This would be one of the brightest spots in our economythat our daily wage earners can keep pace
with the rising cost of living, Estrada said in a statement.
The senator earlier batted for a P125 across-the-board daily wage increase for all workers. He said his
proposal addresses the plight of the working class by bringing them closer to the State's assurance of a
decent wage.
Estrada has filed a bill, where he noted how the labor sector criticized the Regional Boards for their
delayed action on petitions for minimum wage increase.
This prompts the labor sector to demand Congress to revert to the old system of legislated wage
increases.
The senator also recommended that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) inspect the
payroll and other financial records kept by a company or business to determine whether the workers are
paid the prescribed across-the-board wage increase and other benefits granted by law.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/04/30/936694/jinggoy-p456-daily-minimum-wage-metro-
workers-not-enough

COA questions release of P4.5 B for
MRT 3
MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) released P4.5
billion in government funds to the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) for the controversial Metro Rail
Transit (MRT) 3 expansion project in 2011 a move that the Commission on Audit (COA) finds
questionable.
The money was eventually returned to the agency in October 2012 after a memorandum of agreement
(MOA) between the two, the basis for the fund transfer, was cancelled, according to a COA report.
The 2011 report, released only last month, said the DOTC also released more than P5.6 billion to the
LRTA and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) to finance the MRT 3 System Capacity
Expansion Project and the rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1.
State auditors said the funds were given to the two government-owned and controlled corporations
despite the absence of Programs of Work (POW) and Cost Benefit Analysis.
The POW is an indispensable requirement that indicates the scope of work to be done,
equipment/materials/items to be procured, the total project cost and the basis of the Approved Budget for
the Contract, the COA report explained.
State auditors also said that a Cost Benefit Analysis was supposed to have been conducted by the DOTC
management in order to ascertain that the project will be beneficial not only to the government but also to
the passengers of MRT 3.
The audit team noted that the project cost should have been determined first by the DOTC, LRTA and
MIAA as the procuring agencies prior to the transfer of funds as required under the rules.
The DOTC management told COA that as far as the MIAA is concerned, the scope of work to be done for
NAIA Terminal 1 is contained in a memorandum to President Aquino.
Moreover, the preparation of the actual POW is currently being undertaken by both DOTC and MIAA
technical personnel, after which it will be presented to the DOTC secretary for approval and provided to
COA after completion.
As for the P4.5 billion that went to the LRTA for the MRT 3 expansion project, the audit report mentioned
no explanation issued by the DOTC.
In addition to the lack of POW and Cost Benefit Analysis, state auditors said the release of government
funds to LRTA for the MRT 3 expansion project lacked Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB)
guidelines to implement the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 the
Procurement Law for a negotiated procurement, which is the mode to be carried out under the MOA.
Pursuant to the aforesaid provision of RA 9184, a procuring agency may resort to a Procurement Agent,
following the guidelines issued by the GPPB to implement the above provision. The guidelines stated
above have not been issued, per inquiry with the Technical Support Office of the GPPB and research
made on the GPPB website, by the Audit Team, the COA report explained.
In the absence of the guidelines to implement the provision of Section 53.6 of the IRR of RA 9184, it may
be inferred that the procuring entity cannot resort to the procurement through a Procurement Agent, the
audit report pointed out.
The COA report also noted that non-compliance with procurement procedures affected the validity of the
MOA between the DOTC, LRTA and MIAA.
It called on the DOTC to observe the required procedures... and enforce strict compliance with applicable
laws, rules and regulations prior to the transfer of funds.
The DOTC later told the audit team that the P4.5 billion transferred to LRTA was returned due to the
cancellation of the MOA between DOTC and LRTA and the revocation of the designation of the LRTA as
procurement agent for the MRT 3 Capacity Expansion Project, without explaining in detail.
Meanwhile, Malacaang reiterated yesterday that Czech Ambassador Josef Rychtar should cooperate in
the probe on an alleged $30-million shakedown in connection with a train supply contract for the MRT 3.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda also said Ballsy Cruz, eldest sister of President Aquino, is
prepared to face those accusing her and her husband Eldon Cruz of demanding $30 million from Czech
railway firm Inekon.
Rychtar had earlier cleared the Cruz couple and said DOTC officials were the ones involved in the
alleged shakedown in July 2012. He said the demand was later lowered to $2.5 million. With Delon
Porcalla
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/08/01/1037441/coa-questions-release-p4.5-b-mrt-3