E·N·Q·U·I·R·Y
DEMAREE J.B. RAVAL
DEMAREE J.B. RAVAL
BATAS and the law
Sunday, 04 15, 2007
Last week, in the town of Ramos, Tarlac, I noticed the profusion of campaign posters for the BATAS party-list. I sought out its spokesman, who explained to me the raison d’etre of this party, which for the first time will be involved in the May 2007 elections.
In 1987, in the aftermath of the people power revolt that swept Cory Aquino to the presidency, a new Constitution was ratified by the Filipino people. Among others, this Constitution took note of the great disparity between the Filipino rich and the Filipino common people. With a view to addressing this economic imbalance and thus enable a significant number of the great unwashed to live better lives (and diffuse the social volcano of inequity that was threatening to tear the country apart), the 1987 Constitution provided for the system of party-list representation, whereby acclaimed champions for the marginalized and the underrepresented sectors could be elected as members of the House of Representatives through their duly accredited associations and organizations.
At present, there are now about 20 congressmen representing a number of party-list groups. This number notwithstanding, it appears that the basic concerns of the poor and the ordinary Filipino, who must continually eke out a living day after day, have remained largely ignored.
So a group of ordinary workers, members of the urban poor, farmers, fisherfolk, cooperative members, transport industry workers, professionals and other ordinary Pinoys decided to put up a new party-list group that would, for once, sincerely focus on panaceas to the social imbalances that ail them in everyday life.
Thus the Bagong Alyansang Tagapagtaguyod ng Adhikaing Sambayanan — BATAS, for short — was born. Its genesis is a fervent longing for those days when a mechanic from Zambales became the best president the country ever had, and whose credo was: “I believe that those who have less in life should have more in law.” President Magsaysay could very well be the patron saint of the adherents of the BATAS party-list.
Effete political science professors have since tried to deflate the sympathetic pity and concern expressed by The Guy’s credo, by countering it with a quote from Anatole France, who said: “In its majestic equality, the law forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal loaves of bread.”
Equality under the law? Yes. But equality under the law in the Philippines? Tell that to the great unwashed who live in the slum areas found all over the country, to the rank and file in government offices who toil and roil under starvation wages while their officers receive hefty salaries and bonuses, to the farmers who have wasted away the best years of their productive lives tilling land that they could not ever hope to own.
Twenty years after the ratification of a supposedly compassionate Constitution, BATAS is up to now painfully aware that many people remain without jobs, and those who have, earn a mere pittance fit only for slaves. Even now, parents from middle and lower-level sectors do not earn much and, in fact, almost earn nothing at all that could send their children to college for a degree.
BATAS is aware that up to now, no real increase in salaries and wages of workers in the private and public sectors have been given, and that no one, but no one, from the three departments of government has lifted a finger to do anything about this.
BATAS is aware that up to now, justice remains elusive and totally unreachable for many litigants who cannot afford even a free legal aid lawyer, what with the rising costs of filing cases and prosecuting them in court.
BATAS is aware that up to now, workers fail to get benefits due them from the Social Security System or the Government Service Insurance System, simply because their employers or superior officers fail — in most instances, wittingly — to remit SSS and GSIS contributions already deducted from their paychecks.
BATAS is aware that, up to now, this ever-lengthening list of the poor man’s woes can go on and on, and that there are many, many things that are crying to be done for the poor and the oppressed.
The BATAS platform, presented in the national language, is therefore every poor man’s wish list: [1] Libreng edukasyon sa kolehiyo para sa mga kabataang mabababa at ordinaryo lamang ang mga grado; [2] Libreng abogado; [3] Pagpataw ng kaparusahang habambuhay na pagkakabilanggo sa hindi pagbabayad ng tamang sahod at mga benepisyo; [4] Pagpapalaki sa maiuuwing sahod ng mga manggagawa sa pamamagitan ng pagpapatigil ng koleksiyon ng withholding tax at mga SSS, Pag-IBIG at Health Care premium mula sa kanilang mga sahod; [5] Pagrerepaso at pagbabago ng Salary Standardization Law na nakakasakop sa mga manggagawa sa gobyerno, upang maitaas ang kanilang mga suweldo; [6] Agarang pagbibigay sa mga magsasaka ng titulo sa lupang kanilang sinasaka; [7] Pagpapalakas ng mga tulong legal at iba pang assistance sa mga OFW; at [8] Pagpapatigil ng sistemang contractualization sa hanay ng mga manggagawa.
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If Ramon Magsaysay is the patron saint of BATAS, Alfredo Lim, whether the latter likes it, might as well be the party’s enforcer by virtue of his slogan, "The Law applies to all; otherwise, none at all." Somewhere, there’s a syntactical error there. But we all know what Fred means. He is alluding to the flaws in most laws under the current government, which BATAS, in seeking to gain at least one seat at the House, aims to rectify by introducing legislation that will balance people’s interests under the law.
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