NOY: P125 WAGE HIKE WOULD SCARE INVESTORS/
INAUGURATES PAGASA RADAR SYSTEM
[PHOTO - President Aquino
distributes his personalized baller bands to residents after leading the
inauguration of the weather bureau's new Doppler radar station (in background)
in Bato, Catanduanes yesterday.]
BATO, CATANDUANES, MAY 4, 2012 (PHILSTAR)
By Delon Porcalla – President Aquino defended here yesterday his
administration's refusal to give in to organized labor's demand for a P125
legislated wage hike, insisting that wages should be kept low in order for the
country to attract more job-generating investments.
He pointed out that a P125 or roughly $3 increase – as proposed by militant
groups – would translate to $13 (P546) minimum wage as against the current $10
or P420 minimum wage.
He said such difference is likely to scare off investors.
Aquino expressed fears the country might lose its competitive advantage over
neighboring countries with regard to cheap labor.
He cited as example Cambodia, where the minimum wage is only $2.
"Our competitors are our neighboring countries like Cambodia where the
minimum wage is $2. Theirs is $2, ours is $13, but if work is the same why would
investors go to us?"
He pointed out that the Philippines' advantage over South Korea, Taiwan and
Singapore is its cheaper labor rates.
Aquino also warned that a P125 legislated wage hike would only complicate
government efforts to provide a million jobs each year to new graduates.
This does not include the 2.9 million Filipinos who are either jobless or
underemployed.
He added that higher wages might force more companies to shut down or lay off
employees.
"Instead of improving the situation, it will only worsen the condition of the
workers whose interest they claim to protect. So we really have to closely
examine their proposal," Aquino stressed.
Secretary Ricky Carandang of the Presidential Communications Development and
Strategic Planning Office, meanwhile said that Aquino's projection that a P125
minimum wage hike would cost the economy P1.43 trillion was based on the
assumption that salaries of other workers would also be adjusted.
Aquino has drawn flak for making such a forecast, which was based on an
assumption that there are 40 million minimum wage earners. There are only 15
million wage earners.
"It's different because when you adjust wages at the bottom there's a
tendency for wages on upper levels to also seek an adjustment. It's true we
don't know exactly how much the impact will be on the economy. There will be
different opinions but, I think, the President was outlining an example to
illustrate the case that some solutions which sometimes look like they are good
over the short-term could have negative impacts over the long-term," Carandang
said.
"So we can argue about whether it's 40 million or 35 million or 15 million
but there is a tendency, empirically, that when you adjust the minimum wage,
there will naturally be adjustments among higher wage earners. So it is
difficult to quantify how much," Carandang said.
He said that in the past, minimum wage adjustments affected other salary
levels. – With Aurea Calica, Paolo Romero, Christina Mendez,
Mayen Jaymalin
Noy inaugurates Doppler radar system By Delon
Porcalla (The Philippine Star) Updated May 03, 2012 12:00 AMComments (5)
[PHOTO - President Benigno Simeon Aquino III converses with Catanduanes
Governor Joseph Cua, Albay Governor Jose Salceda and Catanduanes Lone District
Representative Cesar Sarmiento after leading the Inauguration of the Solong and
Hitoma 1 Hydroelectric Power Plants and the PAGASA New Radar Tower Station at
the Barangay Buenavista, Bato, Catanduanes Wednesday May 02, 2012.
The Solong and Hitoma mini-hydro plants are the first ever to be
developed by a a private entity, the Sunwest Water and Electricity, Inc. in the
small island grids covered by the Special Power Utilities Group (SPUG) of the
National Power Corporation.
While PAGASA's new Doppler radar station in Catanduanes is expected to
mitigate the impact of devastating typhoons in the country as the weather bureau
effectively predicts incoming typhoons. (Jay Morales / MPB /
NPPA Images).]
BATO, CATANDUANES, Philippines – President Aquino inaugurated yesterday the
latest state-of-the-art Doppler radar system that will help determine the volume
of rainfall and warn off the occurrence of massive flooding that may affect not
just this province but other areas as well.
He thanked the Japanese government, through deputy chief of mission Motohiko
Kato and Masanori Kurisu of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),
for providing P1.7 billion in funds to help the government mitigate effects of
calamities.
"I would like to express our sincerest gratitude to Japan and JICA for this
modern weather monitoring facility which is now operational," Aquino said in his
speech.
Kato said the total amount is for the installation of three Doppler radars –
the first of which is in this province, the second in Aparri in October (this
year) and the last in Guiuan in Samar, all areas that have been serially hit by
typhoons.
"This will help us predict the effects of weather patterns and gather more
information about the direction, impact, and intensity of weather disturbances
approaching our country. This means that we'll be better prepared – that fewer
Filipinos will be victimized by the vagaries of weather," the President noted.
The island-province of Catanduanes, composed of 11 towns, faces the Pacific
Ocean from which 95 percent of typhoons (20 to 24) hit the Philippines yearly
and devastates not just the Bicol region but the rest of Luzon and some portions
of Visayas as well.
"It is the government's responsibility to do everything in its power
to be ready for these natural disasters. We must continue focusing more of our
resources in creating a system that will better warn us, and our people, about
possible typhoons," Aquino stressed.
"We can assure the people here that our administration is readier than ever
to respond to these threats, and to help our people recover from potential
damages," he added.
Governors Joseph Cua of Catanduanes and Joey Salceda of Albay expressed
optimism that the presence of the equipment would help their officials come up
with disaster risk reduction plans and activities.
"This is a dream come true for us to get very accurate weather forecast from
PAGASA for our disaster risk reduction," Salceda said during the inauguration,
referring to the state weather agency Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration.
The P580-million Doppler radar station that sits on top of a mountain is
expected to mitigate the impact of devastating typhoons in the country as the
weather bureau effectively predicts incoming typhoons.
"With this Doppler radar in place, weather forecasters would have longer lead
time of at least six hours to determine the amount of rain a tropical cyclone
carries, giving us ample time to implement our evacuation procedures," Salceda
added.– With Cet Dematera, Celso Amo
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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