VM Lazaro champions city employees’ welfare and collaborative leadership

CALAMBA CITY, Laguna – Vice Mayor Angelito Lazaro, reflecting on Calamba’s journey from a municipality to a city on April 21, 2001, underscores the pivotal role of leadership in uplifting workers and recognizes the symbiotic relationship between public and private workforce in driving city progress.

Lazaro’s address at the “Labor Day Forum: Championing Good Leadership for Workers” at the Calamba Premiere International Park (CPIP) in Barangay Batino on Friday accentuated the transformative power of effective leadership in enhancing workers’ conditions.

In a candid interview with reporters, Lazaro revealed the stark reality faced by Job Order (JO) workers, who previously received a meager Php 250.00 daily wage. Under the stewardship of the new administration, incremental wage adjustments were implemented, elevating it to Php 350.00 in 2023 and further to Php 400.00 in the third quarter of 2024.

“Our vision is to align JO workers’ remuneration with the minimum wage for private sector counterparts (currently Php 520.00),” Lazaro articulated, recognizing Calamba’s role as a burgeoning hub in the Calabarzon region, experiencing rapid urbanization and industrialization.

Lazaro’s unveiled reorganization blueprint for the city government epitomizes inclusivity, ensuring no individual is left behind, with appointments based on meritocracy. The overarching aim is to bolster efficiency and efficacy in municipal governance.

Furthermore, Vice Mayor Lazaro lauds the indispensable contribution of volunteers, particularly Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and non-government organizations (NGOs), as indispensable allies in delivering essential public services.

A tangible testament to this recognition is the enactment of the NGO Day Ordinance during Lazaro’s tenure as City Councilor in 2017, commemorated annually on February 27th.

“By prioritizing the enhancement of city employees’ welfare and acknowledging the invaluable role of volunteers and collaborative partnerships, the current administration underscores its unwavering commitment to fortify worker conditions and foster synergistic growth for the city,” Lazaro concluded.