God 'delivers'

Before I go to my year-end topic, I just want to call out to the MIAA, DOLE, as well as a company called D'Frada regarding the lamentation of baggage porters at the NAIA.

- CITO BELTRAN

A kindhearted member of the Ortigas family recently discovered that baggage porters have a quota to handle 100 pieces of baggage a day or they are required to pay the shortfall out of their own pockets—forcing them to work as early as 6 a.m. all the way to 7 p.m. (instead of 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., resulting in a 13-hour shift).

"Shockingly, they receive no overtime pay...the P50 service fee per bag which passengers assume goes to porters apparently does not. If these accounts are accurate, this situation is not only unjust but exploitative. These porters endure this hardship silently, fearing the loss of their livelihood."

This has been a problem for at least 10 years and has been written about by media. Back then the quota was only 45 bags a day. Under its contract, D'Frada is also supposed to maintain the luggage carts at the NAIA but have not done a good job of it. Clearly, the MIAA is great at drawing up contracts with the private sector and but has been remiss in checking compliance. They should also integrate such requirements instead of chopping up businesses and services.

Last but not the least, may we request Sec. Benny Laguesma to send an investigative team to interview those porters and find out the truth.