Excluding workers from crisis committee will fail the nation—labor group

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said a crisis committee without worker representation would be inadequate in responding to the escalating Middle East conflict.

TUCP Party-list Representative and House Deputy Speaker Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza said workers in transportation, logistics, and minimum-wage sectors are disproportionately affected by oil price shocks, yet have no representation in the crisis committee.

“If workers are not in the committee, who will speak for the true state of the nation?” Mendoza said in Filipino.

The TUCP representative also said workers’ concerns are being overlooked, citing delays or lack of action on proposals such as legislated wage increases, VAT removal, and subsidies.

“What more if they are excluded from the very committee tasked to respond to this crisis? A crisis committee that fails workers will fail the nation,” Mendoza said.

Following the Palace’s “no supply crisis” announcement, the labor group questioned the value of available supply, citing its high cost and limited accessibility for consumers.

“What is the worth of [oil] supply if the people cannot afford to buy it? And what security is there in supply if it is tied to the course of a war? This is not merely a supply crisis but a survival crisis of access and affordability,” Mendoza said in English and Filipino.

Mendoza added that the government must not only monitor the situation but also consider the impact on affected sectors.

He also said workers should be included in the crisis committee and cited proposed measures such as emergency cost-of-living allowances, emergency loans with payment moratoriums, and expanded free public transportation.

Meanwhile, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed that the President had ordered the formation of a crisis committee, with the final document still being prepared.