It's the Department of Public Works and Highways' (DPWH) is obligation to improve the salaries and working conditions of construction workers contracted under government infrastructure projects, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano told the agency.
During the DPWH Senate budget hearing on Thursday, Oct. 13, Cayetano emphasized that since the Marcos administration intends to pursue its “Build Better More (BBM)” infrastructure program, it must take steps to improve the conditions of workers employed by the program.
“May I request that you look into it, if DPWH can have a monitoring system, or mag-submit under oath yung mga contractor na eto yung ginamit naming tao sa project na ito, o may checklist na bayad ang kanilang SSS, PhilHealth, etcetera (or if contractors can submit–under oath–the workers employed for a project and a checklist to see if their SSS, PhilHealth, etcetera, were paid for),” Cayetano told the DPWH.
He added that the DPWH should enter a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Constructors Association (PCA) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to offer mentorship and skills development programs to construction workers.
“Because these are big contracts, at dahil kumikita naman yung kontratista, baka (and because the contractors are earning, maybe) we can inject a little bit more – I’m not saying walang (they don’t have) nationalism – baka (maybe) a little bit more nationalism in them, na meron din silang social obligation di ba. Kasi nga (that they can have some social obligation. Because) the contract is public, not private,” he explained.
“If we level the playing field in terms of the laborer agreement, then what’s left na lang is yung (is the) monitoring. Sa P800 billion na budget ng (From the nearly P800 billion budget of the) DPWH, 25 percent of that is P200 billion, so that will go so far pag-address ng (in addressing) underemployment among construction workers,” Cayetano explained.
He also cited an executive order enacted by US President Joe Biden in which construction workers hired for federal projects would see higher salaries and job quality.
Cayetano urged the Marcos administration to consider a similar measure given its “BBM” initiative.