The Suppression of Workers’ Rights goes against the Will of Heaven

“To defraud anyone of wages due to a lowly worker is a crime which cries to the anger of heaven.”—Pope Leo XIII, ”Rerum Novarum, No. 17.”

“Working for a just distribution of the fruits of the earth and human labor is not mere philanthropy. It is a moral obligation.” – Pope Francis, ”Care for Creation: A Call for Ecological Conversion,” Orbis Books.

Recently, the secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment proudly declared, that comically, the government’s decision to raise workers’ wages in Metro Manila by P85 was “historic.”

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But according to research by the IBON Foundation, this amount is indubitably far from sufficient. Their study shows that for workers to live with dignity—what the Constitution (Article XIII, Section 3) itself calls a “living wage”—a daily wage of P1,300 is required. This is due to the relentless rise in the prices of basic goods and services, which will further be compounded by the ongoing war in Western Asia that will drive the prices of gasoline and other energy prices to shoot up.

The so-called “historic” P85 increase was even divided, and its implementation was delayed for nearly a week. Worse still, just as this meager amount was about to take effect, a “court” suddenly issued an “order” halting its implementation.

This is not only disheartening but truly infuriating. The P85 increase is already a complete pittance compared to the demand for P200, which itself is still a far cry from the P1,300 needed for a poor laborer’s family to live decently and with dignity.

It is beyond the shadow of doubt that the so-called “order” issued by that heartless and utterly idiotic “court” is not only heartless and indifferent to workers, but also blatantly illegal and incontestably immoral!

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The court’s “order” is against the law. Article 126 of the Labor Code of the Philippines is clear, direct, and categorical: no court, tribunal, or entity may issue a temporary restraining order or injunction against the processes of wage determination carried out by the National Wages and Productivity Commission or the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards.

This provision ensures that the actions of wage boards cannot be stopped by regular courts. Challenges to these processes must go through authorized appellate channels, not local injunctions.

Therefore, we firmly hold that the order issued by this judge is void ab initio—it has no legal effect whatsoever.

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Call to Action

Comrades and brothers, we all know the truth, and justice is on our side. That is why we call for greater unity among workers, for no one will help us but ourselves.

Let us show the whole establishment and the powers that be our collective strength and indomitable spirit!

If necessary, let us launch protest actions and more. Further, if the times demand it, let us carry out a mass strike across Metro Manila so that our voices will be heard—the decision is ours to make.

Now, more than ever, unity is needed. The moment demands our collective and united resolve.

It’s now or never! We win or we die!

Mabuhay ang uring manggagawa, ang hukbong mapagpalaya!

Maypagasa!!!

Jose Mario D. De Vega,

Philippine Normal University