Montano Says He Would Regulate Labor Contractualization

Manila–Since contractualization has become a trend in Filipino employment, Senatorial Candidate Cesar Montano said that he would regulate such a trend if given the chance to serve in the halls of the Senate so that he can make situations more favorable to laborers.

He will create and sponsor a bill called the Contractualization Regulation Act. Some key provisions that he is looking at is the inclusion of social service benefits (SSS, GSIS, etc) in the pay of employees. He also wants to regulate this practice to
large, financially-stable companies by setting limits and having these companies declare their financial position before they be allowed to adopt the contractual setup on a temporary basis. Lastly, to put teeth to the law, he seeks to institute financial disincentive and criminal charges to companies found guilty of breaking this law.

He explained that hiring workers on a contractual basis has become a permanent cost-saving measure by companies. “In reality, companies should only adopt contractualization to evade closure due to low income, but now, even the top grossing companies in the Philippines practice this to take advantage of the lack of opportunity and the existing unemployment and
underemployment in the country”, he said.

With contractualization, companies reduce cost by not paying for the employees’ benefits like SSS/GSIS, Philhealth and Pag-Ibig Fund and other infractions. They also do not have to worry about security of tenure of laborers and large labor unions since contractual employees are not allowed by law to join one. The companies also have to abide with less labor
laws with when adapting this kind of setup “In turn, its as if the companies that practice this are having extra sources of revenues. This form of circumvention of our labor laws must be addressed immediately”, Montano added.
Montano said that he is aware that this setup is being practiced by large companies, especially mall corporations. Montano also explained what the employees or laborers feel being under such a setup.

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A Letter From His Sister

I’m Cesar Montano’s older sister and I’m currently one of the Project Managers of Times Media Group here in London.

I do agree that a lot of Philippine movie actors, talented and less talented, have been trying the world of politics, perhaps, either for survival – for continuance of a better life or let me put it this way, to shun misery as we all know that politics is a good business , or to truly serve our country. This fact is indeed a picture of a desperate political situation in the Philippines, and this is really sad. I must say that this is a sign that we we do not have anymore deserving, highly educated and reliable people to serve our land. Indeed a disgusting fact to accept. I wonder what the future holds for our country.

As one of the reasons in writing you, let me tell you something about my family. We seven children 2 girls and 5 boys, were nurtured by a severe and simple lawyer father, a Roman Catholic and a Seventh Day Adventist mother. They always wanted us to lead a simple life and have taught us to be always righteous, to have principles and have our own Godly conviction. In fact, in the 60’s my father who was then a Custom Arrastre Officer in the South Harbour of Manila, refused to accept 1 million of pesos from a Chinese businessman to smuggle out something. That means my father should have let a lorry of items to get out of Gate 1 without paying the duties. He told the other colleagues of this offer and they made a setup to block it. The day after, my father’s photo was in the newspapers holding a plaque for his honesty and few days after somebody tried to shoot him on his way home while driving his motorbike along Roxas Blvd but thank God the injury was not that serious.

I must say that this is the most wonderful treasure that our father had left us before he passed away apart from the hectares of land in Bohol province. My father would always taught us ” my children, my good deeds are the best things that I could leave you and hope you will treasure them”. Cesar for one has followed that. If i remember it right, his manager, Norma Japitana, was telling me one time at a dinner that Cesar has refused several commercials which involved a huge amount of money. His contention was the products are not good for the health of the people, and I am very proud of him!

For your information, Cesar is not only a very good actor ( I can say that many times ), director and producer who has captured the A, B and C clients for his movies, but also a Civil Engineer and very good painter. Actually, he gave me two paintings for my house in italy which he painted only several hours during his stay at my home 5 years ago.

I, therefore, believe that being a man of principles, having Godly convictions, a good christian and charity worker, he will be able to serve our people in a righteous way with our Dear Lord beside him. And, besides, is it not that before one becomes a president or a senator, he or she should be in the office first. Let us take Ramon Magsaysay, he had been a mechanic before he became a President of the Republic of the Philippines and with my knowledge about our history, he has been considered to be one of the best presidents that we have ever had. So please give Cesra a chance to serve our country and do not underestimate him as he is full of talents and a good guy. He has a lot of good plans for our educational and health improvement. I, for one, will also share him the good things that I have seen around Europe for 21 years that we could possibly apply for the benefits of our people. Please do not forget that Cesar himself is a well-travelled man and he has got a hands-on approach in life. he is very pragmatic. Lastly, he has admitted that he has to study a lot in order to remove ignorance on his part, politically wise. I am not saying this just because he is my brother, but because as a sister I know his heart, He’s got a BIG ONE and the Holy Spirit dwells in it. He is a good christian, you know.

Best regards,
Maria Mercedes M. Cantù

Reference:FarFromNeutralNotions

Groundswell for Cesar Montano Confident of Making It To Magic 12

Cebu City—As the campaign for the senatorial race nears the homestretch, veteran and multi-awarded actor-director-producer and senatorial candidate Cesar Montano of Team Unity said he is confident that he will make it to the Magic 12. “It is true that I have no personal fund to spend on lavish campaign gimmicks, even the much needed paid TV ad, but the support I am getting from the ground makes up for these lack of resources,” revealed Montano. He said that from the day he started to hit the campaign trail, he has been mobbed by adoring fans who promised to vote for him on May 14. His wife Sunshine also disclosed that support in terms of campaign paraphernalia kept coming in even without them asking. “Just the other day, our ninong Dolphy, the comedy king, sent a thousand t-shirts for Cesar’s campaign,” disclosed Sunshine during a recent luncheon with media editors, columnists and reporters.

 

It was reported in some broadsheets that some Team Unity personnel are operating to shave the votes from Montano to be delivered to the more favored candidates of the administration. Montano said he is not aware of this. Some of his fans in the provinces are reacting though to the shorter time allotted to their idol compared to the focus given on his team mates in the latest group TV ad of Team Unity. “He is placed last and is almost immediately cut after his short spiel,” one Boholano supporter observed. “Even in the sample ballot given to Bohol for distribution, he is placed at the eight position. Would the Ilocanos accept a sample ballot with Chavit in 8^th place,” asked the same supporter. It was reported that Bohol Governor Eric Aumentado returned the sample ballots.

 

Instead of being affected, the gentleman that he is and like a true trooper and team player, Montano religiously attended all the provincial sorties of Team Unity even to the point of missing some important press conferences in Manila like the one being arranged by movie producer Mother Lily Monteverde. Always made the last to speak in order to keep the crowd from leaving, Montano’s consistent presence all over the country is apparently winning the votes, contrary to what some surveys are saying. Support is also coming from organized sectors like the 18 member-federations of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines(TUCP), the country’s largest trade union center.

Montano Asserts Sovereignty & Pro-OFW Foreign Policies

Davao City- Saying that the latest hostage-taking incident in Nigeria, where eight (8) Filipinos were abducted should not take place again, Senatorial Candidate Cesar Montano said that he will use all legislative means to prevent this case from happening again. “The country should permanently ban the sending of OFWs in danger or war zones like Iraq and Nigeria to avoid these kinds of situation from happening. Yes, I am aware of the financial costs of this, but the risk of abduction is just too high in these areas. There are other countries that can serve as alternative destinations, and we should explore these places as well, ” Montano said in his speech during the Team Unity meeting de Avance yesterday. In this media interview, he lamented the fact that it costs the country much in terms of negotiation and political altercations if a Filipino is abducted abroad. “It is simply time to shift from a reactive to a preventive mode,” he asserted. He also said that he has grown tired of watching negotiations with so-called ‘terrorists’ because he knows this situation could have been prevented.

 

Montano said that issuing bans in certain countries is an unpopular move because of the unemployment, hunger, and poverty existing in the country. However, he said “that if being unpopular is the price to pay in saving lives, then I’ll gladly accept it. “ “It will take a large amount political will to craft this type of policy and a greater amount of resolve in implementing it, but I am looking forward to the ban since this is what’s best for the OFWs,“ he added.

Montano Minaliit Ang Mga Survey, Ipinaglaban Ang Mga Illegal Settlers

Las Piñas City- Sa isang interview ng mga miyembro ng media, sinabi niya na mayroon siyang dalawang pakay sa kanyang ‘cross-country’ na pangangampanya. “Pumunta ako dito para makita ang aktwal na sitwasyon ng mga squatters at urban poor, at para patunayan na mali ang sinasabi ng mga poll survey”, wika ni Montano. Sinabi din niya na bilang “kampeon ng mahihirap na Pilipino at katarungang panlipunan”, nais niyang makita niya mismo ang kalagayan ng ating mga kababayan upang maging mas madali sa kanyang gumawa ng mga batas na magpapagaan sa kanilang mga buhay. Sinabi din ni Montano na ang mainit na pagtanggap sa kanya ng mga tao dito at sa lahat ng kanyang mga napuntahang bayan ay hindi umuugma sa isang kandidatong bumababa ang ranking sa mga poll surveys.

“Ang tunay na sintemyento ng tao ay lalabas sa Mayo 14. Hindi ko naman binibalewala ang survey bilang isang walang kahulugang proseso, pero ang pagdami na mga sumusuporta sa akin hindi lamang sa pagdalo sa aking mga kampanya, kundi pati na rin sa paglalabas ng mga text messages, support statements, at mga materyales sa kampanya, ng kanyang mga kaibigan at ng iba’t ibang sector ng lipunan ay patunay na na sa nasa Magic 12 ako sa puso ng mga tao”, inihayag ni Montano.

Pagkatapos lumapag sa NAIA kahapon galing sa pangangampanya sa Mindanao, diretso na sa pagbisita si Montano sa mga mahihirap na lugar sa buong Metro Manila, kung saan malugod siyang tinangap ng mga tao, na sumisigaw pa ng “Buboy, number 1 ka sa amin!” Kahit matindi ang init at pagod niya, sinabi ni Montano na “Ang mainit na pagtanggap sa akin ng mga tao sa iba’ ibang bahagi ng bansa ang nagbibigay sa akin ng lakas at sigla para ipagpatuloy ang aking pangangampanya hanggang sa araw ng halalan. Hindi nakaapekto ang resulta ng mg survey sa aking determinasyon”.

Tungkol naman sa sektor ng urban poor, sinabi ni Montano na dapat maipatupad ng maayos ang Republic Act 7279 o ang Urban Development and Housing Act. Aniya, ang mga taong nabibilang dito ay biktima lamang ng mga kamalian at kapabayaan ng gobyerno simula pa noong panahon ng mga Espanyol. “Hindi lamang natin dapat ilipat ang mga urban poor at mga informal settlers, kailangan din natin silang isali sa mga programa ng gobyernong naglalayong i-decentralize ang Metro Manila at ang buong bansa, sa pamamamagitan ng paglilipat sa kanila sa mga hindi gaanong mataong lugar na mga probinsya kung saan marami pa rin ang mga oportunidad makapagsimula at makapaghanap ng ikabubuhay”, wika ni Montano. Pero mabilis siya sa pagklaripika na hindi niya layong ilipat ang mga tao sa mga walang taong isla o sa mga hindi maaaring tirahang mga lugar. “Bago sila ililipat, kailangang siguraduhin ng gobyerno na meron na silang mga mapagkukunan ng trabaho, may mapapasukang mga iskwelahan ang kanilang mga anak, at kailangang meron na rin silang tubig, kuryente at iba pa”, dagdag pa niya.

Nais niya ding ipatupad dito ang kanyang ‘work-for-a-house’ policy’ upang mapababa ang gastusin sa paglipat sa kanila. Sa patakaran niyang ito, ang mga benepisyaryo ng proyekto na mismo ang magiging manggagawa sa mga programang pabahay kung saan isang tirahan ang magiging kabayaran sa kanila. “Kung desentralisado na ang ating bansa, magiging balanse na ang paglaki ng ekonomiya nito”, wika niya.

Cesar Montano Aims To Reduce Child Labor

MANILA- In a radio interview last May 2, 2007, Team Unity Senatorial Bet Cesar Montano expressed his sentiments against child labor which has become rampant in the Philippines. Asked of the effect that child labor brings to a child, Montano said, “Child Labor steals the childhood from a child, which is a vital part of growing up. It also brings the child away from education, which can have adverse effects on his future”, he remarked. Lastly, he said that child labor exposes a child to hazardous environments like mines, quarries and even ‘whore houses’ which may either directly take his or her life or take his or her future. He said that his movie Muro Ami opened his eyes on this issue.

“The ties within a Filipino family is so strong that even children do work to help fight their state of poverty and ease their parents of workload”, Montano added, saying that poverty and culture are to blame for child labor. He also said that in a poor country like the Philippines, a child working for the sake of the family is considered ‘normal and acceptable’, but expressed the need to change such a perception.

Montano Pushes For Educational Reforms

Lanao Del Norte– Recognizing that education plays a key role in bridging the gap between the rich and the poor, Senatorial Candidate Cesar Montano announced before an audience of farmers and rural folks in Kapatagan municipality that he will push for education reforms immediately once elected in Senate. “The more educated our population is, the more chances for genuine development in our country. Education is not just an issue of the haves but more so an issue of the have nots, the marginalized like the farmers, urban and rural poor” Montano explained. Montano believes that in our current situation where access to quality education is a prime problem, education has become a major factor in the issue of social divide.

Before he aspired for a Senate seat, his advocacy for the importance of quality education was imbued in his award-winning movie “Jose Rizal.” “Our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal believed that the youth is the hope of the land, and definitely, the Philippines would depend largely on the current youth 15 to 20 years from now, thus, the educational system should be modified to provide the best training for our young students today. We should give emphasis on the students’ outputs each day and at the end of the term and not merely count their attendance in class, so that we can create better and more independent leaders, entrepreneurs, and workforce for our country,” he said.