Luisita 13th month pay slash just the tip of the iceberg – KMU

Just the tip of a huge iceberg.

This was how labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno described the reduction in the 13th month pay of Central Azucarera de Tarlac (CAT) workers since 2004 which a unanimous July 26 Supreme Court ruling declared a “badge of bad faith,” coming as it does in the wake of the workers’ strike.

The SC in its decision also ordered the CAT management to honor its long-standing formula for computing workers’ 13th month bonus. 

“We welcome the recent SC decision on Luisita. The issue of 13th month pay, however, is just the tip of a huge iceberg, one among the many acts of bad faith and injustice committed by the owners of Luisita. The issue of inhumane daily take-home pay of farmers in the Cojuangco-Aquino estate, which is only P9.50, is a clear example,” said Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU chairperson.

KMU said the workdays of Luisita farmers were also cut to just one day a week, putting the take-home pay of farmers for the entire week to just P9.50.

“We ask the Supreme Court to act on pending cases related to Luisita in a manner that is speedy and in favor of farmers and farm workers there. Justice delayed is justice denied. We demand justice for the poor and not the wealthy,” Labog said.

“The next step for the Supreme Court is to revoke the Stock Distribution Option (SDO) being implemented in Luisita. The inhumane wages being received by Luisita farmers is a direct result of this deceptive scheme,” Labog added.  

The SC has yet to decide on a pending petition for a temporary restraining order filed by the Hacienda Luisita Inc. against a 2005 Department of Agrarian Reform directive ordering the distribution of the 5,000-hectare plantation lands to Luisita farmers.

“The HLI’s petition for a TRO should be junked and the distribution of lands should be carried out immediately. The DAR’s directive is correct in arguing that ‘land reform,’ as it is implemented in Luisita via the SDO, has not improved the lives of farmers and farm workers. Land distribution in Luisita is long overdue,” said Labog.