Saturday, February 11, 2012

NAPC-WISC on the go with the Sectoral Agenda


     The National Anti-Poverty Commission conducted in two (2) batches the first council meetings of the fourteen (14) basic sectors under the "Social Reform Agenda".  The objective was for each council to review the sectoral agenda, prepare work and  financial plan, strategize, create committees and approve the first five (5) priority agenda to be presented to the NAPC En-Banc Meeting. Sec. Representative Gloria P. Madayag chaired the Council Meeting and was co-chaired by the two other nominees, Council Member Bong Amarille and Council Member Rodel Gaviola.

      The "Workers in the Informal Sector Council" approved five (5) priority agenda to accomodate the five(5) sub-sectors namely :  1) vendors, 2) non-corporate construction workers, 3) homeworkers, 4) small-transport and others where the other unorganized informal economy workers are being lumped.

                                                                RESOLUTION NO. 001-2012

“A RESOLUTION APPROVING 5-PRIORITY AGENDA TO BE PRESENTED
TO THE NAPC EN-BANC MEETING”


         Whereas, the Workers in the Informal Sector Council, prioritizes five agenda to be presented to the NAPC En-Banc Meeting in accordance to criteria set such as :  1) achieving the goals of Millenium Development Goals, 2) with consultation processes conducted, and, 3) immediate need to address poverty ;
        RESOLVED to approve the 5-priority agenda  rank as follows :
1.     Extending Maternity protection to Informal Economy :

             1.a  On Exclusive Breastfeeding : RA
10028:

                    
EO requiring LGU and informal employers  to put up lactation stations in the informal 
                    workplaces such as public and private markets, public and private
 terminals,  and
                    common production centers 


       
     1.b  On reducing maternal death :

                   
EO requiring LGU to put up more health stations in congested and rural areas to include
                    lying-in  facilities

2.    Review the oil deregulation law and revive Oil Price Stabilization Fund
              (Sub-sector :  Small-transport)
3.    Immediate ratification of ILO Convention 177 on Industrial Homeworkers
              (Sub-sector :  Homeworkers)
4.     Access to new technology and funding for food preservation and waste utilization
              (Sub-sector :  Vendors)
5.    On occupational Safety and Health :

              5.a  Strict implementation of DO No. 13
              5.b  Mainstreaming Occupational Safety and Health in local health development plans.
                      DILG Circular requiring LGU’s to mainstream OSH in the local health development and
                      investment plans.
                      (Sub-sector :  Non- corporate construction workers)

       RESOLVED further to furnish the Vice-Chairman of the Basic Sectors, Hon. Marlon Manuel, for consideration to be extended priority attention specifically on the presentation to the NAPC En-Banc Meeting.

        Unanimously approved this 6th day of February, 2012 during its first national council meeting held at Ciudad Christia, Ampid, San Mateo.   

ALNI, ITUC and SOLCEN in ADB Headquarters


     The delegates from ALNI Regional,.SOLCEN and ITUC was welcomed to a meeting with the different  sectors under Social Protection Cluster of the Asian Development Bank Headquarters on Jan. 27, 2012.  It was such a very informative and informal exchange of information between the two groups specifically on the mainstream of core labour standards and social protection with the ADB's funded projects and programs.  The ADB presented the Civil Society Program in powerpoint which offered opportunities of deepening the engagement through Consultative Dialogue such as ADB Annual Meeting (scheduled May 2-5 for this year). The ALNI delegates stressed the point that Trade Unions should have a distinct recognition being membership based compared with other civil society organizations.

       After the meeting with the Social Protection Group, the next schedule was for all ALNI delegates to meet with the Executive Director for the United States who was represented by the Alternate Executive Director.   After the meeting, the ALNI delegates separated as they have  schedules to meet with respective Executive Directors of their country except the Philippines as it was rescheduled to another date for non-availability of the Eecutive Director for the Philippines.

  



ALNI Regional Conference in Crown Hotel, Robinson Galleria

Jan. 26, 2012...Crown Hotel, Robinsons Galleria :

     ALNI/P hosted the historic event for the ALNI/Regional as country representatives from other ALNI Chapters (Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia),  Country Representatives and Project Directors of SOLCEN and ITUC combined respective expertise to draw strategies and common talking points for the meeting with ADB next day. 

     It took a day to finalize the talking points, the common issues and agenda to be raised.   The objective of the conference was met and build more confidence to the ALNI Regional delegates to engage the ADB in constructive dialogues.

    

ALNI/P Challenges the World Bank and ADB on Core Labour Standards

     ALNI/Philippines (ALNI/P) conducted 2-days capacity building at Bayleaf Hotel, Intramuros , Manila, to strengthen the coalition in challenging the World Bank and Asian Development to implement the Core Labour Standards among their funded projects/programs, may it be government or private sector implementing. 

     The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) sent Francesca Ricciardone,  their expert on IFI's (International Financing Institutions) as the resource speaker.  It was a very promising activity for the participants to deepen the understanding of Core Labour Standards mainstreaming in the IFI's and develop new strategies.

      On the seond day, Resource Persons from the World Bank and Asian Development arrived to add to the knowledge-building of the participants.      

SOLCEN and ITUC Hopeful To Organize ALNI/Cambodia

SOLCEN-Cambodia Country Director welcoming the ADB
Country Director and its Civil Society Specialist.
       The Solidarity Center in Cambodia and the International Trade Union Congress (ITUC)  conducted orientation on Core Labour Standards and its great importance being mainstreamed into funded projects of the International Financing Institutions (IFI's) such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, International Finance Corporation and the International Monetary Fund.  Such activity aimed to encourage the organizing of ALNI-Cambodia.  ALNI (Asian Labor Network for IFI's

     ALNI/Philippines in the persons of Julius Cainglet of the Federation of Federation of  Free Workers (FFW) and Susanita Tesiorna   of ALLWIE/S - TUCP were invited to share experience of how ALNI/P was organized, its composition, its continuing engagements through constructive dialogues with the IFI's, its accomplishments and how it operates.  Ms. Susanita Tesiorna shared ALNI, as a Regional Structure, was organized under Manila Declaration in 1999 as a response to the negative impact to workers of the financial crisis.                              

           The organizers and resource persons were optimistic for a new chapter, ALNI-Cambodia,  another milestone of the labour movement.

The participants :  Trade Union and Civil Society Leaders,
and ILO



Susanita Tesiorna, ALLWIE/S President

3-MOA's Signed on "Exclusive Breastfeeding in the Workplaces"

      The "Exclusive Breastfeeding in the Workplaces" group led by the International Labour Organization  bogged three (3) Memorandum of Agreements with the local governments called 3-Joint Program (JP) Cities such as Zamboanga City, Iloilo City and Naga City.  Such MOA's are expected to strengthen the support to institutionalize local mechanisms in the implementation of  RA 10028, specifically on the workplace component, both in the formal and informal economies. 

      Such Joint Program  is aimed to help achieve the Millenium Development Goal on Child Nutrition.  The local governments of these 3-JP cities have passed ordinances already on the law to ensure exclusive breastfeeding of babies from 0-6 months old and continue breastfeeding with supplements until the baby is 24-months old.  Parents should be aware of positive effects on health and nutrition and the economic side of it.

      The ILO tripartite constituents such as TUCP, APL, FFW, ECOP, ALLWIE/S and the Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns has been working together and such group has been called in this project the Sub-Committee on Exclusive Breastfeeding in the Workplaces.
Zamboanga City with Mayor Celso Lobregat

Iloilo City with Mayor  Jed Patrick E.  Mabilog


Naga City with Mayor John Bongat