ALL OF us here understand an eternal truth: Every child is a precious and sacred gift from God. Together, we must protect, cherish, and defend the dignity and the sanctity of every human life.
When we see the image of a baby in the womb, we glimpse the majesty of God’s creation. When we hold a newborn in our arms, we know the endless love that each child brings to a family. When we watch a child grow, we see the splendor that radiates from each human soul. One life changes the world – from my family, and I can tell you, I send love, and I send great, great love – and from the first day in office, I have taken historic action to support America’s families and to protect the unborn…
We cannot know what our citizens yet unborn will achieve. The dreams they will imagine. The masterpieces they will create. The discoveries they will make. But we know this: every life brings love into this world. Every child brings joy to a family. Every person is worth protecting.
And above all, we know that every human soul is divine and every human life, born and unborn, is made in the holy image of Almighty God.
(Excerpted from the speech of US President Donald Trump at the March for Life 2020, Jan. 24, Washington D.C.)
Unionism is a right
IT IS the basic right of every Filipino worker to join and form labour and trade unions in their workplace as it allows them to have increased bargaining power to demand better living wage, benefits, and working conditions; to air out their grievances; and to improve safety standards in their trade. A ‘no union, no strike’ policy in these economic zones discourages workers to exercise their right to speak out against any form of exploitation, and will only embolden the employers to disenfranchise the workers from any legal protection ad security of work.
With the State Policy “to promote free trade unionism as an instrument for the enhancement of democracy and the promotion of social justice and development,” the CHR reminds the government that in the pursuit of peace, it shall not come at the expense of the rights and wellbeing of workers.
The CHR will conduct an initial investigation of the matter and will closely monitor JIPCO’s implementation. Similarly, the Commission is willing to facilitate dialogues between the government, particularly the DOLE and workers’ groups to come up with better policies that will ensure peace in economic trade zones, while genuinely safeguarding the fundamental rights of workers as enshrined in the Constitution and international human rights conventions.
(Statement of the Commission on Human Rights on the Joint Industrial Peace and Concern Office created by the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority to address security issues and promote industrial peace in the economic zones in Region III)
