Domestic Workers Summit 2011, Better Lives for the " Kasambahay "

        The Visayan Forum, the leading organization in the advocacy for the protection and development of the domestic workers, "kasambahay" in local dialect did successful  "3rd Domestic Workers' Summit 2011" last Nov. 9-11, 2011 at the Walter Hogan Hall, ISO, Ateneo de Manila, Quezon City.  It was well participated by the domestic workers themselves organized as SUMAPI, trade unions, civil society organization, employers informal sector associations, academe, government, and church based organizations.  The summit brought hope for the "kasambahay", with the adoption of the ILO Convention 189 towards decent work for them.

       Honored guests were  Vice-President Jejomar Binay, Hon. Rep. Jackie Enrile who talked about his Kasambahay bill and Hon. Sec. Rosalinda Baldoz of the Department of Labor.  Susanita Tesiorna, President of ALLWIES and Informal Sector Coalition of the Phils (ISP), chaired the conference on Social Security wherein Phil Health Vice-President on Membership, Vice-President of PAG-IBIG, an SSS Manager, presented innovations how the domestic workers can access their programs and sustain premium contributions given the situation that they cannot be permanently hired.  On the occupational safety and health, the OSHC director talked about the realities that exosting policies and programs are for industry based workplaces.  Ms. Tesiorna was able to bring the speakers commitments for more meetings with them to develop needs based or customized programs for the domestic workers.

       The SUMAPI leaders and members were all hopeful to have a grand X-mas gift from the House of Representatives this year with the passage of a Kasambahay Bill.  Last year, they had their gift from the House of Senate, the Senate version of the Kasambahay Bill.

        The ALLWIE/S sent eight (7) delegates to the Summit namely: 1)  Violeta Jamito from CARAGA, 2) Judith Buhay from Reg. 8, 3) Juliet Tigo from Zamboanga City, 4) Sandra Javier from Cavite, 5) Rodelio Gaviola from Region 3, 6) Gloria Madayag from NCR and  7) Bel Abellera from NCR.

 

  

2011 Asia Pacific Regional Conference for Domestic Workers

     Hotel Intercontinental, Makati City, Phils:  The International Labour Organization, ITUC-Asia Pacific and Migrant Forum Asia, IDWN with Global Network held the 2011 Asia Regional Conference on Oct. 24-26.  The conference was all about advocacy towards the ratification and implementation of ILO Convention 189 on Domestic Workers.  More than 100 participants   from the 15 Asia Pacific countries came representing international development bodies, government, civil society organizations, trade unions, workers associations and domestic workers organizations.

      The objective of the activity was achieved.  Each region/countries came out with plans how to push the ratification of ILO Convention 189 or the Domestic Workers Convention 2011. This convention will promote decent work for the domestic workers which constitutes 40% of the total workers in the world.  The domestic work, just like the informal economy workers, continues to be undervalued and invisible and is mainly carried out by women and girls, many of whom are migrants or members of disadvantaged communities, and, who are particularly vulnerable to discrimination in respect of conditions of employment and of work, and to other abuses of human rights. They remain marginalized. 

  

      It was recognized by some paticipants in Geneva on ILC 2011, that it was Usec Hans Cacdac of the Department of Labor and Employment (Philippines) who was behind the success of the much long awaited

Convention 189.  Hon. Sec. Rosalinda Baldoz was in a high hope that the Philippines will ratify Convention 189 before its first anniversary of being ratified (June, 2012) because she mentioned that Pres. Aquino included this as priority as mentioned during the SONA last July..  

Hon. Srecretary Rosalinda Baldoz. Dep't. of Labor in her keynote speech. Other keynote speakers
were:  Bro. Noriyuki Auzuki, Sec. Gen. of the Int'l. Trade Union Confederation, and Sis.
Thetis Mangahas, Dep. Regl. Director for Asia-Pacific, ILO Bangkok

The cry:  " Ratify Convention 189, Now Na! "

.  

TUCP Delegates took souvenir photo with Usec Hans Cacdac
From left:  Ramon Certeza for the export processing zones, Flor
Cabatingan, for the TUCP-Women Sector, Usec. Cacdac,
Susanita Tesiorna for the Informal Economy and Luther
Calderon for the migrant workers.

    



NAPC Basic Sector Assembly 2011

      The long awaited Administrative Order No. 21, series of 2011, was signed by Pres. Nony Aquino on October 10, 2011 for the implementation of the RA 8425 otherwise known as the Poverty Alleviation Act of 2008.  The fourteen (14) basic sectors thanked the President for turning on the wheel for the basic sectors which started with the mandated National Assembly held on Oct. 17-19, 2011 in three (3) hotels.

     The  14 Basic Sectors with at least 50 delegations each from all parts of the country held simulataneously respective assemblies to be able to adopt the three-years Sectoral Agenda and elect its council members.

      Susanita Tesiorna chaired the Technical Working Committee who did the pre-assembly work such as selection of delegates, drafting the ground rules, the election code and the sectoral agenda.  She was also elected as the Assembly Chairperson unanimously with the automatic membership to the Workers in the Informal Sector Council. She cannot be reappointed as Sectoral Representative because the law RA 8425, clearly provides that there is no reappointment for Sectoral Representatives.  She served already as Sectoral Representative from 2002-2005.  

     25 Council Members from the 68 delegates were elected and from the 25 council members, three (3) were nominated to the President. PNoy will then appoint one (1) from them to be the NAPC-WIS Sectoral Representative for the next three years.  The other two not appointed becomes the Alternates for the Sectoral Representative. 

ALLWIE/S Meet with SSS Com. Bong Malonzo

Sept. 20, 2011 at the SSS:  ALLWIE/S officers led by the President Susanita Tesiorna, Josephine Parilla and Josephine Virtudazo meet with Commissioner Bong Malonzo of the Social Security System to discuss with him proposals on how to improve the services for the informal sector and how to capture them with sustainability. She presented the bottlenecks and concrete proposals.

         Com. Malonzo informed the delegation that the accreditation of cooperatives as collecting agentgs of SSS premiums has been approved. Ms. Tesiorna thanked and mentioned that at last, after more than a decade advocacy, it has been heard.

         She reminded him of the committment of the SSS to design customized benefit package for the informal sector workers which will be in according to the economic activity of the workers.  Many things were discussed and the meeting ended with a good promise from the honorable commissioner. 

     

Maternal and Young Child Nutrition Security Initiative in Asia Field Visit

        Susanita Tesiorna was invited by the Unicef Philippines to join the MDG stakeholders on maternal and young child nutrition last Oct 5 which was held at DOST, Taguig City and debriefing on Oct. 7 at the Tiara Hotel in Makati. The UICEF Team were :  1)Christina Lopriore, EU/NAS, 2) Anja Bauer, EU Philippine Delegation, 3) Rita Bustamante, EU Philippine Delegation, 4) Dorothy Foote, UNICEF Regional Office, 4) Pura Rayco-Solon, UNICEF Philippines, and 5) Maria Evelyn Carpio, UNICEF Philippines.          

          UNICEF and the European Union are collaborating improve child survival, growth and development through nutrition security and life cycle interventions within the Southeast and South Asia Regions, with the Philippines as one of five focus countries (along with Bangladesh, Indonesia, Loa PDR, and Nepal).  The Maternal and Young Child Nutrition Security in Asia programme would like to position nutrition security in the policy and development agenda of the country and to strengthen capacities and information systems, build on lessons learned and scale up high impact interventions for children and women.

The programme will focus on a number of evidence-based, cost-effective, and high-impact interventions to improve nutrition security among women and young children. Through linkages with both health and non-health sectors, a multi-sectoral approach to addressing the immediate and underlying causes of undernutrition will be addressed. The programme aims to reduce stunting rates among young children by 5 percentage points, and anemia among young children and pregnant women by a third.

          Other presenters during at the DOST were Asec. Bernie Flores of DOH, DOST director, Food and Agriculture representative, Dang Buenaventura of ECOP, Ginger, an ILO Consultant for the Breastfeeding in the Workplace and Flor Cabatingan of DAWN-TUCP.   

Mid-Term Evaluation of Children Food Security and Nutrition Joint Programmes

Aug. 11, 2011 :  Evaluation at ECOP Conference
Room, Makati City

        Susanita Tesiorna, representing ALLWIE/S joined the other implementing partners of the MDG-F 2030:  Exclusive Breastfeeding in The Workplaces (EBF) in a meeting for the scheduled evaluation of the program implementation by Mr. Richard M.  Chiwara, PhD, an international            consultant . He was appointed by the MDG 

Secretariat , who will be assisted by a locally hired consultant.

     The evaluation meeting was in a consultative way  as implementing partners spoke of issues, plans and facilitating factors towards attainment of the MDG Goal.  Mr. Chiwara asked a lot on clarificatory questions which I believe answered satisfactorily.

      Mr. Ichiwara attended the meeting with Mayor Celso Lobregat in Zamboanga City on the same project. 

                                                                                    



Ginger De Guzman



2nd Forum on Children in the Urban Environment

The Nutrition Workshop Group

     * The world is undergoing the largest wave of urban growth in history. For the first time, more than half of the world's people -  and half of the world's children - are living in towns and cities.  This urban proportion of the global population will continue grow over the coming decades, meaning that, from now on, most of the world's children will be located in towns and cities.


      ALLWIE/S President was invited to join the Nutrition sub-group by Dr. Pura Solon of UNICEF.  Her group had also Mary Racellis, Baby del Mundo of WIN, children's representative, a representative from DILG.  Other presentors included Mayor Oscar Rodriguez, President of the League of Cities,  Ms. Vaness Tobin, UNICEF Representative, DILG Representative, civil society and others.   

*  Document presented during the 2nd Forum On Children in the Urban Environment at the Columbus Room, 42nd Floor, Discovery Suites Hotel, Ortigas Center on August 25, 2011.  

MDG:F Adapting Counselling Cards for IYCF in theb Philippines

        ALLWIE/S President, Susanita "Babes" Tesiorna participated to the Workshop on the  Development/Adaptation of Counseling Cards for Infant and Young Child Feeding In the Philippines initiated by the UNICEF.  Dr. Pura Rayco-Solon invited the team of MDG:F Exclusive Breastfeeding in the Workplaces which brought Ms. Tesiorna to the workshop. It was a whole day activity at the Bayview Hotel.

          The objectives of the workshop are as follows:  1)  messages agreed by the participants that will b e highlighted at the back of the counselling cards, 2)  agreement on specific modifications/changes to be made on the visuals to improve the overall effectiveness of the cards.

         It was indeed a well participated workshop from various government offices, civil society and MDG groups.

         Congratulations, Dr. Pura Saycon-Solon. 

Ongoing Review of the NAPC-Micro-Finance Literacy Module

      Susanita Tesiorna and Josephine Parilla, President and Treasurer of ALLWIE/S respectively, are both members to the Technical Working Group (TWG) On the NAPC-GREAT-WOMEN-SUB-PROJECT by virtue of NAPC Special Order No. 2011 - 117, Series of 2011.  The creation of the Technical Working Group is in pursuance to the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) 2 between the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and this office pertaining to the implementation of the "Training of Trainors on Financial Literacy in two (2) GREAT Women Project Sites.

     The TWG shall perform the following tasks:  1) conduct study sessions to analyze the existing financial literacy (finlit) module from a gender perspective, 2) design an engendered finlit training module, 3) serve as trainors to the training on an engendered finlit to be undertaken in two (2) Great Women Project Sites.

     On August 10, 2011, the TWG meet again to review the almost finalized finlit training module. Members of the TWG are representatives of the National Anti-Poverty Commission, Laraine Abad-Sarmiento, Rosalinda Pineda-Ofreneo, Daryl Leyesa, Ma. Flora B. Umali, Ms Monima Geagay, Sylvia Beltran, Arlene Viloria/Connie Hina, Patricia Fe. Gonzales, Evangeline Lopes/Daisybelle Cabal, Mylene, Hega, and from People's Credit and Finance Corp/People's Development Trust Fund are Maria Carmen S.  Apuli, Arlene D.  Suliman and May L.  Hernandez. 

MDG=F Exclusive Breastfeeding in the Workplaces, Iloilo City

Aug-8-9, 2011 :  Iloilo City

Seated in Front from left:  FFW-VP for Visayas, Ana Valencia of ILO,

Hon. Mayor Jed Patrick E. Mabilog and

Susanita "Babes" Tesiorna for ALLWIE/S



Mayor Jed Patrick E.  Mabilog, a councilor, Ms. Ana Valencia
of ILO and ALLWIE/S  Babes Tesiorna



     ILO Coordinator for the MDG-Exclusive          

Breastfeeding in The Workplaces, Ana Valencia, 

led the team in conducting two (2) activities.

Just like the other two pilot cities (Zamboanga and 

Naga), the first day is the consultation meeting

with the local implementing partners hosted by the

Regional Office of the Department of Labor and

Employment. The local constituents of the ILO

tripartite constituents : ECOP, Federation of Free

Workers (FFW) and ALLWIE/S, formed the local

Technical Working Group for this project.



Babes Tesiorna, Julius Cainglet of FFW, Roland of ECOP,
RG Crispin of DOLE Reg. 9, Robert Cudal of DOLE-BWSC



        The local TWG is chaired by the ECOP  local chapter.  It was notable that in three cities, the local implementing partners are excited to start the project with a back-to-back  activity of launching and All Workers' Forum very soon.  Level of committments among the local implementing partners are high and

commendable.

         On the second activity, August 9, the team felt the typical warmth of hospitality of the Ilongos during the courtesy meeting with  Hon. Mayor Jed Patrick E.  Mabilog,  his councilors , the Local Health and Nutrition Officers and local implementing partners of
this component.

      
     Ms. Ana Valencia of ILO and Ms. Babes Tesiorna took turns of ILO's committment in setting up lactation station in a public place and presentation of the proposed plan of the local informal sector which was the output of the consultation workshop last year. 

From left:  Robert Cudal of BWSC-DOLE, Julius Cainglet of FFW, Babes Tesiorna of ALLWIE/S,
Dang Buenaventura of ECOP, Ana Valencia of ILO and Ginger of ILO



.

















Hon. Mayor Celso Lobregat welcomed in a meeting the MDG- EBF in the Workplaces Implementing Partners

Aug 5, 2011 :  Zamboanga City 

Babes Tesiorna of ALLWIE/S, Ana Valencia of ILO and Hon.
Mayor Celso Lobregat 

        The 2nd day of activity of the MDG-Joint Program of the Exclusive Breastfeeding in the Workplaces was more promising with the City of Zamboanga.  Hon. Mayor Celso Lobregat was joined by Hon. Lilia Macrohon Nuno, Hon. Luis Rubio Biel III, and other LGU Department Heads.

        Ms. Ana Valencia presented the ILO's program under this MDG-Joint Program while Susanita "Babes" Tesiorna presented the plan of the local informal economy workers, the output of the Local Consultation Workshop last year.

        She further advocated that in the event that one of  the proposed area to have lactation        
                                                                                         station in the public market and said public       

    market is undergoing renovation, it is hoped
    that the Hon. Mayor will consider having the
    lactation station in the said market.  Hon. Lilia
    Nuno committed to deliver the message
    immediately to the City Market Administrator.

           There were also representatives from various donor organizations such as UNICEF, World Food , the MDG International Consultant, Mr. Richard M.  Chiwara .

Aug. 4, 2011 : MDG - EBF in the Workplaces, in Zamboanga City

Aug 4, 2011 :  Zamboanga City

          The Millenium Development Goal :  Joint Program on Exclusive Breasfeeding in the Workplaces, led by the international Labour Organization, conducted two (2) activities in Zamboanga City to meet the objective of the MDG-Joint Program in this city.  The two (2) activities were such promising to meet the delivarables of the MDG that benefits the Filipinos .

        The Regional Office (9) of the Department of Labour hosted the "Consultation Workshop on Exclusive Breastfeeding in the Workplaces" .  It was well participated by the local constituents and partners of the Employers Confederation of the Phils. (ECOP), Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), DOLE-Bureau of Workers of Special Concerns and Alliance of Workers in the Informal Economy/Sector (ALLWIE/S).  After presentation of the ILO Coordinator and national implementing partners, the local Technical Working Group was organized and is chaired by the local chamber of commerce.  Juliet Tigo, a vendor, represents the ALLWIE/S. 

  

       

           

EBF in the Workplaces Updates: Naga City

July 25-26, 2011-Naga City : 

       The tripartite constituents of the International Labor Organization and ALLWIE/S wasn't prevented by typhoon to conduct two-days activities in Naga City.  Amidst the rain and flood around the city, the local partners of  the Employers' Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), the government sector represented by Mr. Robert Cudal of the DOLE-Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns, the Alliance of Progressive Labor and the Alliance of Workers in the Informal Economy/Sector (ALLWIE/S) and the Local Government Unit .

       On July 25, the Regional Office of the Department of Labor hosted the "Consultation Meeting on Exclusive Breastfeeding in the Workplaces with Local Implementing Partners".  The objective of the activity was not only to orient the local tripartite constituents or update them about the project but to create the Local Technical Working Group of the EBF In the Workplaces Component of the Millenium Development Goal . The Local ECOP member chairs the local TWG while ALLWIES is represented by Jing Bendiola, a Barangay Health Worker.  The workers group is represented by the local Alliance of Progressive Labor.

        On July 26, the meeting was with the Naga City Mayor, Hon. John G.  Bongat, some councilors and heads of LGU offices, in his office.  ILO EBF Coordinator, Ana Valencia, presented to the Mayor the committments of the ILO on the setting up of lactation stations. It was a productive meeting with the Mayor.  Susanita Tesiorna presented also the proposed action plan of the workers in the informal sector during the consultation workshop held last year in this city.  The City Government has passed already local ordinance on putting up lactation stations in all private establishments and government institutions.

2nd PhilHealth Sabado on June 25



At Las Salle University, Dasmarinas, Cavite



     The Department of Health spearheaded the second PhilHealth Sabado which intends to enroll more informal economy workers who can afford the premium of P100/month or P1,200.00/year under the individual paying program (IPP). It was a collaborative effort among government agencies such as PhilHealth, Department of Health, Dep-ed, NAtional Anti-Poverty Commission and Basic Sector constituents, the Parents-Teachers Community Associations, the local governments, and the Dept. of Social Welfare and Development

     The leaders of ALLWIES, most of whom came from the Informal Sector Coalition of the Philippines  (the pioneering organization in the country in the advocacy of social insurance universal coverage), and NAPC Informal Sector Councils, in coordination with the National Anti-Poverty Commission mobilized its leaders nation wide not only to monitor but to bring informal sector to enrollment.

From left:  Susanita Tesiorna of ALLWIES, Phil Health Imus
Representative, DOH Reg. 4-A Representative, Hon. Mayor
Jenny Gonzaga of Dasmarinas, Cavite, etc..

              Hon. Mayor Jenny Gonzaga of Dasmarinas, Cavite,  distributed also 4,661 cards for the beneficiaries of the 4/P's, the Conditional Cash Transfer and enrolled more poor under the sponsored program. The La Salle Auditorium was filled as close to 10,000 informal sector, who came inspite of the heavy rain.  Meantime, Susanita Tesiorna, monitored also how many ALLWIES and ISP leaders were helping the Phil Health Sabado through text messages.



Susanita Tesiorna 





ALLWIE/S, busy with various committee meetings of the government and with ILO

          The Sub-Committee on Exclusive Breasfeeding in the Workplace of the Joint Program of international development bodies with the government  to achieve Millenium Development Goals (MDG) held its meeting on June 1, 2011 at the ILO office.  It was discussion on the budget allocations for the development partners on EBF in the workplaces that was discussed which is piloting three (3) cities namely, Iloilo, Zamboanga and Naga. The ALLWIE/S and NAPC shares responsibilities in the implementation for the EBF in the workplaces.      

         The President of Alliance of Workers in the Informal Economy/Sector, Susanita Tesiorna, attended the 26th Meeting of the Technical Committee on Poverty Statistics of the National Statistics Coordination Board. Ms. Tesiorna, a member to it since 2004, represents the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).  The meeting was held on June 7, 2011 at the national office of NSCB of which the main agenda is the 2009 Official Poverty Statistics and the preparation for the Philippine Statistical Development Program (PDSP) 2011-2016 Chapter on Poverty and Income Statistics. There was also the discussion on the creation of the Technical Working Group on Poverty Reduction Statistics.

          On June 14, 2011, Ms. Tesiorna joined the representative from the National Anti-Poverty Commission, Mrs. Nenita Nartea, to attend to the Committee Meeting on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Development at the House of Representatives. She manifested that ALLWIE/S will submit position paper particularly on the arguments in the floor based on her experience in the implementation of the Barangay Micro-Business Enterprise Act, in advocating with the local government units and the micro-entrepreneurs on such law.  She also informed the Hon. Chairman, Teddy Casino, that NAPC-Workers in the Informal Sector, which she represented, had inputs in some of the provisions of the Romualdez Bill during the 14th Congress.

          On June 16, 2011, the DOLE conducted a technical working group meeting of the National Technical Advisory Committee-Decent Work to present for action the following :  1) Trade Policy Research Network, 2) highlights on One Country, One Voice: Institutionalizing Stakeholder Participation Towards a Unified Trade Strategy of the Philippine Government, 3) Memorandum of Agreement between DTI and PIDS, and 4) Briefing Notes on Phil. Trade Policy Formation.

          On the local level of the ALLWIE/S membership, members and officers are occupied in the advocacy at the local government units for the protection, development and representation of the workers in the informal sector.

          ALLWIE/S believes that with the other networks in the advocacy, the informal sector will have their equal opportunities for protection, development, access to productive resources, access to justice and human rights in general.          
         
 

The KALAHI-CIDSS NTWG Approved Creation of Technical Working Group Urban CDD

          According to the presenter of The KALAHI-CIDSS (KC) is a project of the Philipine Government implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development . Using the Community-Driven Development Approach, the project aims to address poverty by a) empowering citizens to meaningfully participate in development activites, and b) enhancing the capacity of local governments to effectively respond to citizen's informed demand for development. This project begun in 2003 and has covered 184 poor rural municipalities in 42 of the poorest provinces in the country.

          This period of project implementation, (urban CDD), aims to cover poor urban areas in 75 Urban Poor Communities in Metro Manila, Cavite and Laguna.  The total project cost of $3,600,000 will be counter funded as grant in the amount of $3,000,000 by the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) and $600,000 by the Phil. Government.

          The KALAHI-CIDSS National Technical Working Group created the Technical Working Group on Urban CDD composed of government agencies and civil society. Susanita "Babes" Tesiorna, President of ALLWIE/S being an institutional partner of the Department of Labor and Employment was endorsed to participate the 1st meeting towards its creation.  The DOLE must be confident of endorsing Susanita Tesiorna because of her active engagement of the KALAHI-CIDSS being a member of its National Steering Committee from its pioneering stage (2003 to 2005) and her expertise in informal economy organizing through enterprise development, a key component in this project implementation. 

            During this meeting held at Adarna and Food Culture on May 20, 2011, Ms. Tesiorna proposed that the private sector should be included as one of the dialogue partners for marketing of product assistance and inventory bulk-buying, the group enterprise development should be encouraged as one of the prototype and DTI must have full participation to guide what kind of products and services to go into for business to avoid the wish-listing attitude of the clients.

            Usec. Jude Esquerra from the National Anti-Poverty Commission also expressed that this project must be consistent with PNoy's thrust of "Balik Probinsiya" for the informal settlers.  

Breakfast Meeting with PNoy on Labor Day 2011

Pres. Simeon Benigno Aquino III joins the Labor Leaders and Speakers
of the Program.  From PNoy to right : Ms. Esperanza Ocampo for PGEA-
TUCP, Atty Allan Montano for FFW, Victorino Balais for PTGWO-TUCP,
Susanita "Babes" Tesiorna for ALLWIE/S-TUCP, Sr. M. Bernadette C.
 Guzman, RGS for PAMWA, Vladimir Tupaz for TUPAS an Sec. Rosalinda
 Dimapilis-Baldoz of DOLE 

“ LABOR DAY 2011 “

Speech by Susanita G.  Tesiorna

                  President, ALLWIE/S

            His Excellency, President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III, *(the Hon. Vice-President Jejomar C.  Binay, who helped us in the implementation of the DOLE Country Program for the Informal Setor, especially in providing the food vendors “Jolly Jeeps” to avoid demolition by MMDA), Hon. Roalinda Baldoz and Sec. Butch Abad, other honorable members of the Cabinet, my fellow workers, leaders, the ILO Country Director and guests,

            “ Maalab na Pagbati Tungo sa Marangal na Trabaho at Disenteng Pamumuhay Para Sa Lahat sa pamamagitan ng Matuwid na Daan Tungo sa Kaunlaran Para Sa Lahat! ” 

            While our brothers in the formal labor, sounds loud for increased salary, the workers in the informal economy, sounds louder, for security of workplaces, and at workplaces, to preserve their only means of living. 

            Mr. President, I  bring to your attention today,  the most pressing issues of the home workers, street vendors, small transport, micro-entrepreneurs and non-corporate construction workers, to keep their only means of livelihood, preserved and protected by the government: 

1. No clear policy and institutionalized program for alternative livelihood for the displaced street vendors, kuliglig drivers and operators, and those demolished urban poor;
   
   
2. No implementation of RA 9509 which mandates establishment of livelihood centers or common work areas and skills training centers in the 4^th, 5^th and 6^th class municipalities for the home producers and micro-entrepreneurs;
   
   
3. Unsustained mechanism for consultative processes for inclusion in the national and local government development plans of issues of informal economy for the protection of workplaces and at workplaces;
   
   
4. Lack of support in the passage of the bill , the Magna Carta for the Workers in the Informal Employment which promotes for the protection and development of the workers in informal economy in the local government, most especially; and,
   
   
5. Lack of implementation of the RA 6685 which should have generated jobs in the construction industry of local infrastructure projects, or implementation of for the non-corporate construction workers; and,
   
   
6. Bureaucratic bottlenecks in the engagement of sectoral groups with the local government for all Basic Sectors.

Mr. President, ALLWIE/S  envision the workers in the informal sector/economy  who are:

>     emancipated from the bondage of poverty, inequality, vulnerability and
       disadvantage,

>     with equal access to opportunity, human rights and an environment that is
       democratic and equitable, and

>     are able to fulfill their full potentials and take control of their future.

As we celebrate today Labor Day 2011, millions of workers in the informal economy await your pronouncement, a commitment that will protect our workplaces, that will protect our only means of living.

            The 24.76 million workers in the informal economy will remain disadvantaged and will have to do their own battle for emancipation from poverty without your support, without your commitment for action.

 Mabuhay ang Manggagawang Pilipino !          

Legend:  *  Omitted since VP Binay wasn’t able to attend.

NAPC Basic Sector Consultation Workshop reflected new direction of Engagements with the Government

Hon. Sec. Jose Eliseo M.  Rocamora, NAPC Lead
Convenor 

      The National Anti-Poverty Commission conducted Basic Sectors' Consultative Workshop on April 6-8, 2011 at the Ciudad Christia, Barangay Ampis, San Mateo Rizal with the theme : " Kung Mamamayan Ang Boss, Solusyon sa Kahirapan Ay Malulubos".
       Participants from broadest representation including the council members and sectoral representatives from 1998 to 2010 were invited.  There are new players among the Basic Sectors attending the consultation.  Sec. Rocamora spoke of challenges for basic sectors' participation and empowerment in the government's.  
     Ms. Jess Rebete presented the new localization framework to be used in the implementation of PNoy's anti-poverty reduction programs such as Conditional Cash Transfer, SEA-K. The localization framework called "Bayanihan-Salubungan Frame" calls for :  1) operationalization of multi-partnership convergence group at priority poorest municipalities and provinces , 2) synchronization of Regional Line Agencies, LGU, Private/basic sectors' budgetting with local participatory poverty reduction planning and budgetting process, 3) implementation and monitoring of completion of standard monitoring systems for projects delivered by line agencies, LGU's, private sectors, including basic sectors' monitoring system, and 4) technical assistance on foreging  partnership with cvabinet and line agencies and other stakeholders on localization concerns.    

        Ms. Susanita Tesiorna of ALLWIES, Mr. Rafael Mapalo and Ms. Karen Tanada were panel of reactors to the presentation of Ms. Beth Yang on her presentation of revisiting the Basic Sectors' Participation in the National Anti-Poverty Commission. The four Administrative Orders (AO 11, AO 36, AO 21 and AO 187) from President Erap's administration to Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.     

From left to right :  Susanita Tesiorna of ALLWIES, Beth
       Yang of Pilipina, Raffy Mapalo of TUCP and
                     Karen Tanada of WAND.

      

The representatives from the Workers in the Informal
Sector took a pose with Sec. Rocamora.

HOR Committee on Health conducted TWG Hearing on PhlHealth Amendatory Bill

    The Committee on Health chaired by Hon. Rep. Golez conducted Technical Working Group meeting on the proposed legislative measures to strengthen the social health insurance program of the government by amending RA 7875 (An Act Instituting A Natiopnal Health Insurance Program for All Filipinos and Establishing the Phl. Health Insurance Corporation for the Purpose) as amended.

    The proposed amendment as to Section 2: Declared Policy was adopted as follows :  " Pursuant to 1987 Phl. Constitution, the State hereby declares the policy of protecting and promoting the right to health of the people and instilling health consciousness among them.  Towards this end, the State shall adopt an intgferated and comprehensive approach to health development, which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other services available to every Filipino at affordable cost." 

     Susanita "Babes" Tesiorna submitted an initial position paper submitted an initial position paper about the definition of informal sector, informal economy, the ne and old view of informal sector, the definition of self-employment and wage employment, key features of the informal economy, significance and permanence, continuum of economic relations and segmentation. Such position paper is expected to influence the legislators and other stakeholders on the proposed legislation in order to meet the objective of universal coverage of social health insurance for the poor.

     The information Tesiorna submitted was highly commended by Hon. Golez in aid of their work.  It also explains the NSCB Resolution No. 2 on Informal Sector definition and the coverage of the NSO Informal Sector Survey 2008.  Ms. Tesiorna was joined by Mr. Roserel Virtudazo, Vice-President of ALLWIES for NCR.  Other invitees were of course Phil Health, private sector, DOH, Associations of Health Service Providers, and civil society.  All repesentatives from various offices present were invited to the next committee hearing.

Susanita Tesiorna of ALLWIES and Rhoda Avila of DSWP

DOLE almost done for the Philippine Labor and Employment Agenda 2011-2016

     The Department of Labor and Employment conducted on April 1, 2011 at the Bayview Hotel a Multi-Partite Consultation Workshop in preparation of the National Summit on Labor and Employment this April 27. The consultation workshop was participated by trade union leaders, informal sector leaders, private sector and the plus sector (NGO, civil society organizations, academe, etc)   The activity revealed that stakeholders and DOLE are almost done in the drafting of the Labor and Employment Agenda 2011-2016 and forging the Philippine Jobs Pact in a consultative process. 

      The said activity aimed to mainstream the concerns and suggestions of the social partners and other stakeholders in the Labor and Employment agenda and to general key sectoral positions or recommendations that form part of the agenda.  It is recalled that the Department of Labor conducted series of island-wide and sectoral consultations last October to November with its social partners.  As an initial result, relevant issues and priority issues were gathered, forming part of the DOLE inputs submitted for adoption in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2011-2016.

     Susanita Tesiorna participated to it and recalled that she also participated in the national workshop held in St. Benilde, La Salle. She reports that she is very hopeful that concerns of the informal sector are being mainstreamed to the PDP 2011-2016.

     According to the introductory chapter of the Labor and Employment Agenda, it seeks the attainment of the over-all macroeconomic goals set forth in the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016, particularly the goal of inclusive growth. Through this Agenda, labor and employment  stakeholders recognizes that inclusive growth will only occur by underscoring the need for decent for all Filipino workers, thereby, achieving the country's Millenium Development Goal on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger by achieving full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people.

     Further, in the introductory chapter, it is said that the Labor and Employment Agenda is anchored on the President's social contract with the Filipino people and inspired by his vision of a transformed, just and righteous Philippines.

     Hon. Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz stayed the whole day to personally supervise the activity which was then divided into workshop groups (workers, employers and Plus organizations) to review, comment and enhance the draft Agenda of March 22, 2011. 

     Tesiorna made significant enhancement to the draft by proposing and to mention some  :

a)  Chapter 3 : Pillar 1 :  Rights At Work 
     a.1  harmonization of national legislations .
     a.2  Adminsitrative Order to strengthen PESO for enterprise development and other interventions for the
            workers in the informal economy
     a.3  proposed that since upscaling of micro-enterprises is placed as one strategy, the  Community Based
            Training for Enterprise Development (CBTED) be  integrated with all DOLE livelihood and
            enterprise development programs/projects.
     a.4  Amendment to Labor Code to strengthen the rights of non-regular workers and WIE workers to
           self-organization and negotiated agreement
     a.5 that the legislation of MACWIE be included under focused reforms in the agenda
     a.6 that the ratification of ILO Convention 177 on Industrial Homeworkers be pursued
     a.7 new Administrative Order to implement DO-18 and DO 5 on Industrial Homework
b) Chapter III:  Pillar 2 :  Employment
    b.1  Review of COA Circular No. 1 to make it effective to non-corporate construction workers to be
           able to bid projects of less than P500,000.00 with the local government
    b.2  Assist local government units in implementing RA 9003 specifically on product development from
           recyclable waste materials

To be continued in the next blog.....  
       

GREAT Women Project : "Kababaihan Iahon sa Kahirapan"

     The GREAT Women Project implemented by the Philippine Commission of Women, added to its list of activities in celebrating International Women's Month (March), the conduct of Talakayan: Kababaihan Iahon sa Kahirapan on March 29, 2011 at the BSWM Convention Hall of the Bureau of Soils, Visayas Road, Quezon City.  The Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation (GREAT) of Women is supported by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in provinces such as :  Quezon, Ifugao, Metro Naga Development Council, Bohol, Iloilo, Leyte, Davao del Sur, PPALMA Alliance and 36 municipalities.

     The project's expected result is major changes in mindsets of Phil Commission of Women, National Government Agencies and Local Government Units to :  1)  help women scale up businesses through value- chain development, 2) for NGA's and LGU's to recognize the need to harmonize plans, and 3) for LGU's to increase appreciation of gender-responsiveness in all plans and programs. 

     The Talakayan featured wealth of information from presentation of various agencies such as DTI-BMSMED, DOLE, DWSD, DOST, DAR, PhilHealth, SSS, OPAPP, PCFC on projects and programs that would help entrepreneurship for women and NEDA on the Millenium Development Goals.

     Susanita Tesiorna, President of ALLWIES and Josephine Parilla of PATAMABA and Treasurer of ALLWIES were reactors on social protection, livelihood and enterprise development presentations. The reactions including that of an LGU representative is hoped to improve the implementation of various programs and  projects of the government for socio-economic to help achieve the goal of socio-economic empowerment of women.

    To mention some of Susanita Tesiorna's reaction, she  spoke on the call to have transparent selection criteria for the P500M funds to finance health insurance for the informal sector  under PhilHealth Board Resoultion Nos. 1478 and 1479 passed in the last PPhil Health Board Meeting and recommended that it should be in according to the poorest provinces identified by the National Statistics Coordination Board launched earlier of this year. She also spoke that the problem of lack information, just like other services of the government, is perennial and PHIC should implement one of the provisions in RA 7875 to tap community based organizations like BHW to help disseminate information. Further, she said that information is not enough but educating the communites about the importance of social security until the culture of social security in cultivated in every Filipno home. SSS and OSH related agencie should do likewise.  She also mentioned that in the RA 7857, indigents should graduate into an independent paying member, that the question of when to stop subsidizing was put forward.  

      She also mentioned that it is worth noting that 15 years ago, the advocacy of her organization and partners spoke of lack of social protection, lack of access to productive resources,  and at least on these two major sectoral issues, she can say that since 2005, the cry is towards improved access. There is great hope for Filipinos if all systems work in an integrated approach as the government also went out of their "boxes" to meet the challenge of reality economy..    



Susanita Tesiorna



DSWD Chorale



Dir. Rhodora Leano, Bureau of MSME Development



For  the Agrarian Reform Communities