Good governance is the best gift to all workers on Labor Day, says Villar

Nacionalista Party-Team PNoy senatorial candidate and former Las Pinas Rep. Cynthia Villar today said the firm commitment to good governance that will pave the way for the delivery of fresh investments and job opportunities would be the best gift government can give its workers on Labor Day.

At the same time, Villar thanked the labor sector for declaring its support for her senatorial bid, saying the expression of confidence would prompt her to work harder to propose pro-labor measures when elected into the Senate.

Villar said she was humbled by the support extended to her and seven other senatorial candidates by the Philippine Trade and General Workers Organization (PTGWO) under the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), the biggest labor confederation in the country.

The workers’ group, which boasts a membership of 110 labor unions, declared its support for Villar and the other candidates in a general assembly in the TUCP headquarters in Quezon City on Wednesday.

In her Labor Day message to the country’s workers, Villar said the Nacionalista Party is committed to support the reform agenda of President Aquino to bring about good governance, an improved economy, more jobs and better services to the people, particularly the poor and the marginalized, in the next three years.

“I believe the best Labor Day gift we can give our workers will be our commitment to pursue good governance which is a sure-fire formula to revitalize our economy and create the much needed jobs being clamored by our workers for a long time now,” Villar said.

“Good governance will mean more investments and more investments will mean more jobs. That is what we intend to do in the next three years in our coalition partnership with President Aquino,” she added.

Once elected into office, Villar said she will pursue her long-time advocacies of promoting livelihood opportunities through small and medium term business enterprises, and provide the necessary climate that will bring out more jobs and better social services.

To address the concerns affecting the over 12 million Filipino migrant workers abroad, Villar said she will pursue the enactment of her legislative measure mandating the creation of the Department of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

Villar said it is essential for the executive department to have a separate department for OFWs to centralize all services and functions of OFW-related government agencies or bureaus.

Villar said a number of them were reported to be maltreated by abusive employers and subjected to other forms of injustices. Through the “Sagip OFW Program” of the Villar Foundation, where she sits as managing director, Villar said she has personally heard all the troubles and sad plight of migrant workers.