LABOR UNIONS have called on Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna to suspend the enforcement of Manila Ordinance 8793, the city’s sanitation and disinfection code, expressing their readiness to take legal action if their request is ignored.
In a statement on Sept. 6, the Organisasyon ng Nagkakaisang Empleyado ng UST (ONE-UST) reported on developments from a dialogue on Aug. 29 between the Education Industry Tripartite Council-NCR (EITC-NCR) and the City Legal Department of Manila.
During the meeting, lawyer Frankie Comia advised the EITC to direct its concerns over the ordinance to the City Council, as it is responsible for reviewing and amending local laws, instead of pressuring Lacuna.
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“Since the ordinance is currently in effect, it is presumed valid, and any changes must be reviewed by the City Council, under the oversight of Vice Mayor Yul Servo [Nieto], who manages the legislative process,” the statement read.
The meeting included UST Faculty Union president Emerito Gonzales and Samahang Manggagawa ng UST president Dan Patricio, and representatives of the Council of Teachers and Staff of Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (CoTeSCUP).
“He (Comia) expressed support for the proposed amendments from CoTeSCUP and ONE-UST, particularly those addressing the exclusivity of an accredited laboratory of the Manila Health Department and the financial burden placed on workers,” ONE UST said.
The ordinance has a provision stating that tests needed to obtain the certificate should be done at the Manila Public Health Laboratory. Applicants are charged P625 for the certificate, which must be obtained annually.
The Manila Health Department, responsible for issuing the health permit required under Ordinance 8793, had sought legal opinion to resolve the issue swiftly, so as to avoid “unnecessary court proceedings,” Comia was quoted as saying.
ONE-UST argued that Lacuna possessed political influence and executive authority, which the mayor could use to halt the enforcement of the health mandate.
“We believe the mayor should take a direct role in resolving this issue, rather than deferring it to the relevant department,” the statement read. “The mayor also has the power to temporarily suspend the problematic provisions until the City Council can review and clarify them.”
Should their calls remain unanswered, “ONE-UST, CoTeSCUP, and other affected groups will pursue legal action and petition the courts to halt the ordinance’s implementation.”
Objections to Manila Ordinance 8793, passed in late 2021, surfaced following its implementation in UST, with workers’ groups claiming it is unfair and inconsistent with existing national laws, specifically the mandatory drug test.
Lacuna and Nieto have both commented on the issue, with the mayor attributing the situation to a “misunderstanding” by UST, and the vice mayor asserting that UST was the only educational institution raising complaints.
READ: ‘Misunderstanding’ by UST caused Manila health permit issue — Lacuna
The Manila Health Department has invited members of the EITC for a dialogue on Sept. 9 to discuss the city’s health permit requirement. Amanda Luella A. Rivera
