The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), through its Membership Committee, conducted an orientation for new members last Aug. 18 at the ECOP Boardroom.

ECOP President Edgardo G. Lacson took the occasion to apprise members about ECOP's "vigilance" on pending labor legislation such as the bill providing for a P125 across-the-board wage hike for private sector workers, security of tenure bills, and profit sharing bill.

Lacson noted that while organized labor keeps harping on its clamor for lawmakers to enact into law the P125 wage hike bill, employers over the years have acceded in giving more than a P125 pay adjustment since the issuance of the first wage order.

He bewailed that wages in the Philippines is now one of the highest in the Asean region and in spite of that, minimum wage have failed to uplift the plight of the "vulnerable."

"The minimum wage has lost its meaning over the years because it has been politicized. Out of the 39 million workforce, only around 2 million have benefited," Lacson pointed out.

Regarding the profit sharing bill, Lacson noted that this bill has been filed and refiled over and over again despite employers vehement objection because "it has no moral basis whatsoever, even in the bible or Koran."

For his part, ECOP Deputy Director General briefed the new members about ECOP's role, Secretariat structure, programs and projects.

The activity also saw the induction of new ECOP members. Among the inductees were Carmelray Industrial Corp.;Forte Realty Corp.; Fundline Finance Corp.; LNL Archipelago Minerals, Inc.; Media Convergence, Inc.; SGS Asia Pacific Manila; Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP); Pancake House, Inc.; and Will Decena & Associates, Inc.

Old members of ECOP with new representatives who were present during the orientation were Central Azucarera de Bais, Inc.; Festo, Inc.; International Wiring Systems (Phils.) Corp.; PNB Life Insurance, Inc.; and Tanduay Distillers, Inc.