Nanawagan si Pangulong Duterte sa Kongreso na ipasa ang panukala na poprotekta sa mga karapatan ng mga manggagawang Pilipino sa security of tenure at self-organization, sinabing hindi nagbago ang problema ng mga manggagawa.

Sa kanyang Labor Day message, sinabi ni Duterte na ang lakas ng bansa ay palaging nakadepende sa pagsisikap, katapangan at pagsisikap ng puwersa ng manggagawa.

"Every year, we set aside this day to celebrate their valuable contributions not only in the struggle to provide a better life for our people, but in building the foundations of a more promising future for succeeding generations," sabi niya.

Gayunman, nagpahayag ng pagkadismaya ang Pangulo na sa kabila ng taunang paggunita at pagsisikap na tulungan ang mga ito, ang buhay at trabaho ng mga manggagawa ay tila hindi umunlad.

"It is unfortunate, however, that despite this yearly observance, the plight of our workers, especially those who choose to leave their families so they may earn better compensation abroad, remains the same," ani Duterte.

"This is why my administration has implemented measures within its powers to afford full protection to labor and promote equal work opportunities for all," dagdag niya.

Nanawagan ang Pangulo sa Kongreso na gawin ang kanilang parte, sinabing ginawa na niya ang makakaya sa pag-iisyu noong nakaraang taon ng Executive Order No. 51, na nagpapatupad sa kasalukuyang constitutional at statutory provisions laban sa illegal contracting.

"I remain optimistic that...my counterpart in Congress will consider passing much needed legislative measures that will fully protect our workers' rights, especially to security of tenure and self-organization," aniya.

Sa kabilang dako, umaasa ang Pangulo na ang pagdiriwang ng Labor Day ay magsisilbing inspirasyon sa lahat upang tulungan ang mga manggagawa na bahagi ng pagsulong ng bansa.

"May this solemn observance inspire all of us to work together in improving the plight of our workers by creating an environment conducive to their personal and professional growth and development," wika ni Duterte.

"Today, we celebrate the working class not as a tool of employees and capitalists, but as an essential catalyst for our nation's overall progress," dagdag niya.

Samantala, nagbabala ang Malacañang na dahil sa anti-government activities, sa pamumuno ng Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) at kaalyansang grupo, ay aalis ang mga dayuhang namumuhunan at sisira sa job generation sa bansa.

Binatikos ni Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo ang militanteng grupo sa paninisi sa pamahalaan sa umano’y problema sa trabaho, pinaalalahanan sila na si Pangulong Duterte ang nasa likod ng pro-labor initiatives na nagnanais mapagaan ang problema ng mga manggagawa.

"The KMU criticizes the government for being anti-poor and anti-worker while blaming the government for the lack of jobs and alleged worsening labor conditions. What seems to escape them is the truth that their anti-government activities could scare away foreign investors in the country resulting in job losses to the people they are fighting for and vow to protect," aniya.

"This is time as any to remind them that they seem to ignore the pro-labor initiatives of the President that resulted in him signing into laws beneficial to our workers," sabi ni Panelo.

-Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos at Genalyn D. Kabiling