• PRRD reminds PSG to be loyal to the Constitution
• Gov’t launches emergency, complaints hotlines
• President Duterte tells big businesses to stop contractualization

He said, “I am happy that you secure my person but just the same, I would like to caution everybody that I do not cultivate personal loyalty. Just be loyal to the Constitution. Honor the flag.”

Just like the soldiers of the PSG, the President said he is also a government employee. “Pareho lang tayo trabahante lang ng gobyerno, Galing ako sa mahirap na pamilya at rose from the ranks din ago (We are all government workers. I came from a poor family and I also rose from the ranks),” he related, adding that he first occupied the lowest position in the prosecution service when he was working as a prosecutor in Davao.

PRRD apologized for not meeting the PSG at the start of his term due to his tight schedule as President of the country. He told the PSG’s men and women, “bilib ako sa inyo (I look up to you) for your loyalty.”

The President called on them to do their jobs as mandated and not be afraid of harassment related to the performance of their duties. “Magtrabaho lang tayo lahat (let us all just work).”

Reiterating his statements in military camps that he visited in the past days, President Duterte expressed that as Commander-in-chief, he will give them his support as long as they perform their duties to the fullest.

He said he will be supporting the soldiers in terms of equipment to enable them to do their job without going so near the target and risk their lives. “You will have your armaments,” he assured the uniformed services

Aside from the performance of their regular function, the soldiers were urged by the President to help the police secure the country, saying “You have to help the police because we cannot provide security in every inch of the territory, that is impossible.”

Brigadier General Rolando Bautista, PSG’s new commander who assumed the post upon President Duterte’s inauguration, reminded the PSG during the event to “step in cadence with the Commander-in-Chief because we will be the one to protect him.” (PND)

These hotlines were launched on Monday at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City. This was in line with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s directive to fight crimes and illegal drugs as well as eliminate corruption and red tape in the government bureaucracy.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Martin Andanar and PNP Director General Ronald de la Rosa led the momentous event with other government officials, private sector representatives, and foreign diplomats.

Andanar stressed the importance of a comprehensive structural solution to the need for a truly emergency communication system. He announced that an Executive Order (EO) will be released that would address the issue of mobile charges in making a distress call via 911.

The Palace official urged the cooperation of local government units for a nationwide utilization of the emergency response system.

De la Rosa said policemen are the first responders in times of emergencies, and the 911 National Emergency Hotline Number is vital in suppressing crimes and for swift action in such situations. He also expressed gratitude to the telecommunications firms for heeding the President’s directive with expediency.

The PNP chief explained that operationalizing 911 starts from the lowest unit of the police force in puroks and barangays across the country all the way to the PNP’s headquarters at Camp Crame.

On the other hand, ordinary Filipinos can call the 8888 Complaints Hotline to report corrupt officials, underperforming government personnel, and unfinished government projects.

Complaints will be received and acted upon by the Civil Service Commission and the Presidential Action Center or PACE.

Meanwhile, Andanar challenged the officers and members of the PNP’S Police Community Relations Group (PCRG) on the occasion of its 24th founding anniversary.

Andanar, who was the guest of honor and speaker at the PCRG event, echoed President Duterte’s recognition of the importance of community relations in public service, saying “government exists mainly to serve the people.” (PND)

PRRD said they will lose their permits to operate if caught abusing labor laws. He said the labor department will be sending people in the field to check if companies are following regulations even if the government does not have much resources to do such review.

“Alam mo wala akong pera, wala akong tao to really inspect all of the, you know, doing away with contractualization. My message to them is very simple: Do not wait for us to inspect,” the President said.

“I would like to assume that everybody who falls under that category will honor what we are asking for the people. Huwag na ninyo akong hintayin na mahuli ko kayobecause I will be unforgiving. You will not only lose your money, you will lose your plants, ” he said.

PRRD reiterated his zero tolerance for big businesses abusing labor laws, noting it his promise to the people. “Hintuan na ninyo ‘yan, bayaran ninyo ang tao sa tamang suweldo; stop contractualization. It will not do good to our country,” he added.

The practice is unfair to the people as well as to the government, he said. For instance, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) trains people to become plumbers, electricians and carpenters only to find jobs good only for six months.

Companies adopting contractualization does not help the people with the security of tenure, the President noted. He also particularly mentioned that security agencies, mostly owned by military or policemen, tend to abuse security guards by requiring them to work more than eight hours, which is illegal. The president warned security agencies to follow the law or else he will cancel their permits.

“Kung ako ba naman kung ikakaligaya ng lahat iyan and it would improve, enhance our economy, wala kayong problema sa akin. But the human being, lalo nasecurity guard, pay all the benefits,” he told security agencies.

And for the companies outsourcing workers, the President they must assume as the employers and pay all the workers’ benefits required under the law. “If you are nag-outsource, whatever, airlines, assume therefore as the real employer. Sobayaran ninyo lahat. SSS at saka wala iyang paikot-ikot. Huwag ninyong paikutin kasi ang totoo niyan ayaw talaga ninyong magbayad.”

If big companies do not take care of the workers, then his government cannot take care of them, the President said, referring to these firms.