A RECRUITMENT agency has denied the allegation that workers from Bukidnon, who were hired to work for a sugarcane plantation in Tarlac, have lived in shabby conditions.
The recruitment firm, Greenhand Labor Service Cooperative, hired more than a thousand workers from Mindanao to work at Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac last year. However, dozens of them came home last January complaining of “slave-like” accommodation and accused the agency of not fulfilling its promise.
In a statement, Greenhand general manager Billy Baitus denied the accusations.
“It is totally untrue that their living conditions are inadequate. We have four buildings with good running water and continuous electricity for everyone,” Baitus said.
In fact, he added, the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) in Central Luzon Region has approved and given Greenhand a Certificate of Adequate Temporary Dwelling Facilities for the four buildings that housed the workers.
Baitus also maintained that they gave farmers that were promised to them, including a steady salary of P220 per ton subsistence within the contract period, free transportation between Tarlac and Bukidnon, cash advance of P2,500 upon departure and P2,500 on arrival, accident and health insurance, as well as social security benefits.
“Another very curious thing,” he said, “is why these disgruntled farmers included entities that clearly have nothing to do with the situation in their complaints.”
Baitus was referring to Agrikulto, a separate company that contracted Greenhand to do the hiring of workers, and Central Azucarera de Tarlac, the sugar mill that processes raw materials.
“They (Agrikulto and Azucarera) were not involved in the recruitment and hiring at all, and yet both companies were named as respondents and repeatedly mentioned in the media,” he added.
Mario Memper, a worker from Budkinon who was hired by Greenhand as a “sacada” has confirmed in an interview Friday that the respondents in their complaint were Greenhand, Agrikulto, and Central Azucarera de Tarlac.
Memper added that based on the statement from Dole-Northern Mindanao Region, Greenhand allegedly has no certificate to recruit.
He said the proper recruitment process was for Dole to orient the workers before they are deployed, but that didn’t happen to them when they were recruited by Greenhand.
Memper added the human trafficking complaint they lodged against the entities are now pending at the National Labor Relations Commission in San Fernando, Pampanga. A hearing is set on March 2.
Memper also disputed the claim of Baitus saying their living quarters were not in good condition as it was near a garbage dumpsite and the stench coming from it was unbearable.
“It’s true that there was electricity and water, but there were no windows,” he said.
In a statement, workers Ricky Mahinay and Nancy Rama, members of the workforce from Mindanao hired to work at Hacienda Luisita, said they were satisfied with the living conditions at their quarters.
“They were the ones who escaped, our work here was fine,” Mahinay said.
For her part, Rama said: “We are grateful that we were given work and a chance to help our families. We don’t know what their agenda is for relaying different stories, but it’s quite hard to believe their accusations.”