The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) gives the proposed legislation imposing a “no work, no pay” scheme on the country’s legislators a critical and cautious support.

While it is a step in the right direction, the bill, if it becomes a law, is a mere drop in the bucket of what the government should be doing right now – aid the International Criminal Court (ICC) in arresting Senator Bato dela Rosa, hold corrupt government officials accountable including hearing impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Vice President Sara Duterte, and pass laws against political dynasties.

On February 3, House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos III filed House Bill No. 7432, or the proposed No Work, No Pay for Members of Congress Act. The bill seeks to subject the country’s legislators to a scheme that covers most of the country’s workers.

The bill seeks to compensate legislators only for days that they attend and carry out their legislative duties such as presence in legislative sessions and hearings of committees of which they are a member, and official activities. It also defines valid reasons for legislators’ absence, such as illness as certified by a doctor, duly-authorized representation duties and travels or missions, and approved leave of absence.

The bill is a step in the right direction not because of revenge, or because legislators should have a taste of the bad working conditions experienced by workers. Rather, we should uphold fairness and hold our legislators to a higher standard. It is simply unfair that hard-earned taxpayers’ money go to the pockets of mostly affluent legislators who do nothing to fulfill their work. Many proposed pieces of legislation lie dormant because of these legislators.

We should see Sandro’s bill, however, in the context of the country’s current political situation. There is so much that the country’s legislators should do first – aid the ICC’s arrest of Sen. Dela Rosa; hold corrupt officials accountable, including hearing impeachment charges against the top two officials of the land; and pass laws against the country’s political dynasties.

Political discourse in the country has zeroed in on the need to hold these people into account – dela Rosa for the tens of thousands killed in the drug war, Marcos Jr and Sara Duterte as well as other politicians and contractors for government corruption, and the country’s political dynasties for the mess that the country is in. Seen in this light, “no work, no pay” for legislators seem like a distraction. It will not even hurt legislators who receive huge pork barrel funds and belong to big political dynasties.

We hope that the controversy and discussions that Sandro’s bill has generated will be channelled into discussions of the pressing tasks of his father’s government. We fear that this bill is just an attempt to re-channel workers’ and Filipinos’ anger at corruption and the government towards a course of action that is safe for the corrupt and the powerful.