SENATORIAL CANDIDATE
45. MATULA, SONNY
INDEPENDENT

Sonny Matula, 57, is a lawyer, educator and labor advocate. He is the national president of the Federation of Free Workers, and chairperson of the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, the biggest and broadest labor coalition in the country. Matula is also a law professor and resource person on workers’ rights and welfare who has served as legal counsel to workers, trade unions and labor groups.

FFW and Nagkaisa Labor Coalition were among the labor groups that filed the 9th petition assailing the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 before the Supreme Court, questioning the “vague” definition of terrorism, the description of acts prohibited under such definition, the undue delegation of authority to the anti-terrorism council and other provisions deemed violative of the bill of rights. The high court ultimately left most of the feared law intact.

He ran for senator in 2019 as part of the Labor Win alliance but garnered only 400,339 votes and placed 50th out of 62 candidates.

Matula is a convenor of the Alliance of Labor Leaders for Leni (ALL4LENI) which supports Vice President Leni Robredo’s presidential bid.

In the 2022 election, Matula is running as an independent but is included in the senatorial slates of Robredo and the 1Sambayan opposition coalition.

Matula is campaigning on the promotion and defense of democratic, human and trade union rights, such as banning endo and contractualization schemes and imposing a national minimum wage. He pledges to pursue an “Ayudang Sapat at Trabahong Ligtas” policy that would strengthen the public health system and focus on speedy completion of the agrarian reform program and modernization of industries, including a sustainable agricultural sector.

He supports the renewal of ABS-CBN Corp.'s franchise and shifting to a federal system of government but is wary of recent charter change proposals in the lower house. He opposes the death penalty, the legalization of divorce and marriage equality but is open to same-sex civil unions.

Platform and Policy
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The candidate's top priorities if elected to office, tracked against previous promises and accomplishments, if any

Select a policy profile below to view more details
 
Protection of trade union rights
 
Economy; COVID-19 response
 
Justice
 
Social protection
Related Policy Proposal:
  1. End and ban endo schemes and contractualization by passing a security of tenure law
  2. Defend freedom of association and collective bargaining rights of workers
  3. Adopt a national minimum wage and approve wage increase for workers
  4. Prohibit any discrimination on salary and benefits based on gender, nature of work, race, religious beliefs or similar grounds
Previous Platform:
In his 2019 Senate campaign, he made similar pledges on national minimum wage of at least P750 and abolition of contractualization
Track Record / Accomplishment; Date:
As president of the FFW and the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, leads the organizations’ calls and activities in relation to workers’ rights and welfare
Deviation from Previous Platform:
Related Policy Proposal:
  1. Pursue a “Ayudang Sapat at Trabahong Ligtas” policy, including P10,000 per month unemployment assistance, wage subsidy for those under a “no work-no pay” arrangement, broad vaccination plan, free COVID-19 testing, free hospitalization and paid quarantine leaves
  2. Strengthen public health system and implement the Universal Health Care Act
  3. Pursue public employment with paid training and wage subsidy, with income guarantee of P10,000
  4. Create decent jobs by implementing the legislated modernization of sustainable agriculture
  5. Speedy completion of the agrarian reform program
  6. National industrialization and preparation for the coming industry where human, robots, and artificial intelligence will interact
  7. Create green jobs and climate jobs to protect the environment
  8. Create jobs within the country for OFWs
Previous Platform:
In his 2019 Senate campaign, he pushed for more support for the agricultural sector to lower importation dependency
Track Record / Accomplishment; Date:
Deviation from Previous Platform:
Related Policy Proposal:
  1. End impunity and hold accountable all killers of labor leaders and organizers
  2. Investigate all cases of extrajudicial killings of works and freedom of association violations
  3. Strengthen the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council’s monitoring bodies
  4. Meaningfully operationalize the Guidelines of Conduct of the DOLE, DILG, DND, DOJ, AFP and PNP relative to the Exercise of Workers’ Rights and Activities issued on May 12, 2012, and elevate the guidelines into an executive order
  5. Fully operationalize the “Inter-Agency Committee on EJKs” of Administrative Order No. 35 s. 2012, with meaningful trade union representation and renewed mandate
  6. Protect labor zones in Ecozones, no to the Joint Industrial Peace Concerns Office or Alliance for Industrial Peace Program
  7. Rescind Executive Order 70, abolish the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict
Previous Platform:
In his 2019 Senate campaign, he stated that while he agrees with the goal of the war on illegal drugs, he has reservations about the implementation of the campaign; he added that the PNP is not ready to fulfill its sworn duty in relation to the campaign and needs cleansing. He called for the end to EJKs and for the creation of a High Commission to investigate and adopt measures to determine accountability and prevent future killings of innocent civilians
Track Record / Accomplishment; Date:
Member of the National Tripartite Peace Council
Has opposed the implementation of the JIPCO and AIIP in Ecozones
Deviation from Previous Platform:
Related Policy Proposal:
Provide for domestic and OFWs, the informal sector, the youth, persons with disabilities and senior citizens the following support:
  1. Enhance existing social security programs
  2. Provide enhanced unemployment insurance
  3. Provide family allowance
Previous Platform:
Track Record / Accomplishment; Date:
Deviation from Previous Platform:
Major Accomplishments
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The candidate's top five accomplishments and contributions for the last 15 years or so


Public Office


Matula worked as chief of staff of FFW founding president Juan C. Tan was appointed as chairman of the Social Security Commission. Later, Matula himself served as commissioner at the Social Security System.


Matula was also Executive Director V at the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission from 2001 to 2002.

Private Sector


Matula started working with labor advocacy organizations, such as the Institute of Social Order and Pedro Abad Santos Social Institute, while completing his law degree.


He joined the Federation of Free Workers in the mid-1990s, starting as a union organizer and staff member and then serving as executive assistant to the president and chief legal counsel. He has been FFW’s national president since June 2011.


In 2018, Matula was elected chairman of the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, the country’s biggest and broadest labor coalition. He is also a member of the National Tripartite Peace Council and delegate to the International Labor Conferences from 2009 to 2021.


Matula has represented thousands of cases on behalf of workers and acted as chief legal counsel to FFW and other labor groups.


He also teaches constitutional law and labor law.

Leadership of a union federation group and coalition
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Position/Date
National president, FFW, 2011-present
Chairman, Nagkaisa Labor Coalition
Status
Labor lawyer
Read More
Represented thousands of workers through FFW, Pambansang Kilusan ng Samahang Magsasaka and Lakas Magsasakang Pilipino
Position/Date
Status
Professor
Read More
Teaches law at the following institutions:
  1. University- of Perpetual Help College of Law
  2. University of Manila College of Law
  3. Manuel L. Quezon University School of Law
Position/Date
Status
Actions and/or Proceedings
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Actions and/or proceedings pending against or resolved in courts or tribunals involving the candidate, based on publicly available information

There is no publicly available information on this matter at this time. Requested information from the candidate was not provided.
Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth
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Also known as SALN, this document is a declaration of one's personal finances. Philippine Law requires the SALN to be submitted by all public officials and employees to the Ombudsman. Public officials and employees may opt to voluntarily disclose their SALN to the public.

Since he has not held an official government position since 2010, Matula has not been required to disclose his Statement of Assets Liabilities and Net Worth per the latest rules set by the Civil Service Commission.
Campaign Details
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Key details about the candidate's campaign

Campaign Manager:

Alliances and Endorsements:

  1. Included in the senatorial slate of the Leni Robredo and Francis Pangilinan tandem
  2. Endorsed by the 1Sambayan coalition

Party History:
Labor Party of the Philippines
2019
Independent
2021-present
Major Donors
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Candidate's major donors and campaign funding sources

There is no publicly available information on this matter at this time. Requested information from the candidate was not provided.
Major Advocacies
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The candidate's top advocacies in the last 15 years or so

 
Workers welfare and trade union rights
 
Social protection
 
Opposition to laws
Workers welfare and trade union rights
Throughout his career and as senatorial candidate in 2019:
  1. Represented workers in his legal practice and leadership in union federations, supporting rights such as providing people with decent jobs with living wages, dignity in work, workplace protections and empowerment through collective bargaining guarantees
  2. Has led protests against the failure of the Duterte administration to sign the executive order to end the endo scheme as promised during Duterte’s 2016 presidential campaign, among other demands
  3. Has called for increases in wage rates and safer working conditions for workers, through petitions and protest actions
Social protection
Throughout his career and as senatorial candidate in 2019, promotes providing guarantees, especially for vulnerable persons, such as unemployment benefits
Opposition to laws
In February 2021, FFW and Nagkaisa Labor Coalition were among the labor groups that filed the 9th petition assailing the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 before the SC, questioning the “vague” definition of terrorism, the description of acts prohibited under such definition, the undue delegation of authority to the anti-terrorism council and other provisions deemed violative of the bill of rights

Status: On Dec. 9, 2021, the SC upheld the validity of all but two portions of two provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Senator Panfilo Lacson, author and principal sponsor, has said that the ruling is a win for him and other supporters of the law. Addressing criticism of the measure, he previously vowed dogged oversight over its implementation and said he would join protests on the streets if the law was ever abused
Personal Details
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Basic information on the candidate's family, background and work experience

Name to appear on the ballot: MATULA, SONNY
Full Name: Jose Sonny Gito Matula
Birthdate: 1965 (57 years old as of election day)
Birthplace:
Residence: Biñan, Laguna
Religion:
Languages Spoken: Bisaya, Filipino, English
Parents:
  • Carlos Matula, Sr., father, landless farmer

  • Basilia Gito Matula, mother, dressmaker
Siblings: Eight siblings
Marital Status: Married, Melba Cubal, certified public accountant and current faculty member at the University of Santo Tomas
Children:
  • Ignatius Matthew, BS Applied Mathematics, UP-Los Banos, works in the private sector
  • Theresa Isabel, BS Accountancy UST, works in the private sector
Education:

●Certifications on courses in American Constitutional Law, English Common Law, International Law from Yale University, the University of California Irvine, University of Pennsylvania and London University and Leiden University; Social Security, ILO Training Canter-Turin, Italy


●Multi-state study grant by the U.S. State Department under the International Visitors Program, on accountability of government and business in the US, 2002

●Bachelor of Laws, Manuel L. Quezon University

●AB Political Science, Mindanao State University

Work Experience:

●Professor of constitutional law and labor law:

  • University- of Perpetual Help College of Law
  • University of Manila College of Law
  • Manuel L. Quezon University School of Law

●Member, National Tripartite Peace Council

●Chair, NAGKAISA Labor Coalition

●Workers’ Delegate and Worker’s Adviser of the Philippine delegation,International Labor Conferences, 2009-2021

●Trustee, Center for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development

●Legal Counsel, Pambansang Kilusan ng Samahang Magsasaka

●Legal Counsel, Lakas Magsasakang Pilipino

●Commissioner, Social Security System, 2016-2010

●Federation of Free Workers:

  • National president, June 2011-present
  • National vice president, 2006-2011
  • Chief legal counsel, October 1998-2006
  • Executive Assistant at the Office of the President

●Executive Director V, Presidential Anti-Graft Commission, 2001-2002

●Chief of Staff of the Chairman of the Social Security Commission

●Deputy Director, Pedro Abad Santos Social Institute

●Labor Desk Officer, Institute of Social Order, Ateneo de Manila University