NAPC on the Art of Policy Making and Legislative Liaising

July 5-6, 2012 at the Cocoon Boutique Hotel :  The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) conducted seminar-workshop on the art of policy making and legislative liaising for an empowered sector.  It was participated by the fourteen (14) Sectoral  Representatives, respective sectoral policy officers  under the Social Reform Agenda and some staff of the NAPC Secretariat. 

The Workers in the Informal Sector Council was represented by Ms. Gloria Madayag, the Sectoral Representative, and Susanita Tesiorna, the Council's policy officer.  The activity was very informative for the new council members and gave opportunity to enhance knowledge and capacity for the council members who were earlier engaged with NAPC.

This activity is under the stewardsship of Assistant Secretary Gina de la Cruz who chairs the NAPC-Legislative and Liaison Committee.  Such activity aimed to capacitate the Basic Sectors to be more effective in intervening the crafting of genuine anti-poverty measures and formulating strategies for the implementation of specific programs of sectoral concerns.

The speakers were Usec. Sayo of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, a director of the Commission on Human Rights, Atty. Marlon Manuel, the Vice-Chairman of the NAPC Basic Sectors,  among others.  

DOLE-ILS/EU builds stakeholders' appreciation on trade and employment

          June 14-15, 2012 :  In an atmospere conducive to learning, at "The Bay Leaf", for multipartite stakeholders tasked and engaged towards attainment of growth with equity through employment creation. 

           The Department of Labor and Employment through the ILS or Institute of Labor Studies, supported by the European Unions conducted a two-days activity to build stakeholders appreciation on trade and employment.  Consultants like Dr. Rafaelita M. Aldaba, Dr. Aniceto C. Orbeta, Jr. and Dr. Fernando T. Aldaba  presented the results of the studies they did for the DOLE to be able to come up with needed and timely policies with the current labor market and trade. Discussion Papers were presented also like that of Caesa B. Cororaton on the Phil-Japan Bilateral Agreements and other informations.

          The two days activity was so full of information that will aide the participants in policy/program proposals to make gains responsive to the losers, specifically the agriculture sector, in trade liberalization. It will also justify participants consensus to recommend to the government to review the Japan Bilateral Agreements and get back to negotiation table to make most of the trade liberalization beneficial to the country.

           All participants appreciated the conduct of such kind of activity.  ALLWIE/S President, Susanita Tesiorna, pushed for DOLE, DTI and other government agencies mandated to create employment to shift from a "minimal approach" to an "integrated approach".  She also appreciated bringing into the mainstream the workers in the informal economy being the easiest catching basin for displaced workers.      

Mr. Engwan Daniel So,  NAPC-Council Member for
Workers in the Informal Sector and
 President of Surigao City TODA Federation

          May 4, 2012 at Surigao City :  Ms. Babes Tesiorna visited the E-trike project of Surigao del Norte provincial government in its response to clean air act and climate adaptation.  Creating green jobs is one of its action.  Mr. Engwan Daniel So reported that one of their moves,  as the Surigao City TODA Federation President is to make sure that they will help and cooperate with for the project provided that it should be balanced with job creation. He further reported that the first 20 recipients of this project are those tricycles with two-strokes which was long overdue for demolition under the Clean Air Act.



Ms. Susanita "Babes" G.  Tesiorna
NAPC - Council Member for the Workers in the Informal
Economy chairing the committee on policy, legislative
agenda, and program development

         The ISDA Foundation takes charge of the maintenance and research and development .  According to the personnel of ISDA Foundation, the batteries were increased from 82 watts to 102 watts to adjust to the city's terrain and make droptime shorte for recharging.

         The E-trike carries 10 passengers and is more comfortable for the commuters than the current designs of tricycles. The daily amortization is P300.00 which according to Mr. So, a lighter amortization package for the owner.

         Ms. Tesiorna suggested if it would be possible to install alternator to allow self-charging.

          The white painted E-trikes are the first twenty units which has been recalled to allow the change of battery.  The green ones are new deliveries and has owners already.

         Mr. So facilitated the franchise and has been granted already.  The E-trikes are already readied for turnover to project beneficiaries.  Congratulations to Gov. Sol F.  Matugas for placing green jobs as one of its program.
   

Green jobs in Surigao del Norte in the informal economy

Informal Labor Day Celebration: A History



Susanita "Babes" Tesiorna, President of ALLWIE/S and
President of Informal Sector Coalition of the Phils.



          Hundreds of informal economy workers and leaders of vendors, tricycle, trisikad, non-corporate construction workers, homeworkers, and other informal economy workers flocked to the Occupational Safety and Health Center to join the historic celebration of  Informal Labor Day 2012. 

          Yes, it is HISTORY, according to Ms. Babes Tesiorna who, under the TUCP informal Sector Program, started the policy, program, representation revolution in the government to empower the informal economy workers and the child labor towards protection, representation and development.  She recalled how her center worked for the Proclamation No. 1213, series of 1998 and how the first celebration of it was conducted in the TUCP-PGEA Compound, in 1999, participated by five (5) project areas, tripartite partners and government agencies, in a scenario then called by NAPC as a convergence strategy in poverty alleviation. She also recalled that year after year, the day was celebrated by advocates like PATAMABA, Homenet Phils., UP-SOLAIR, ISP, KAKASAHA,  MAGCAISA and other partners.

           Today, the Informal Labor Day celebration is being instutionalized by the Department of Labor and Employment.  No less than the Hon. Sec. Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, in her speech, declared that from now on, the Informal Labor Day will be always celebrated by the Department of Labor in convergence with other government agencies on its day, May 6, 2012.  She announced the magnitude of the workers in this sector contributing at least 40%  to the GDP, and yet less protected and underserved by the government's services and programs.  In her department, she said that they were able to reach only 176,000 informal sector workers through their livelihood program.  Much has to be done.



Hon. Sec. Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz



           In terms of social security, the informal sector got new champion, Hon. Bong Malonzo, an SSS Commissioner, who was so patient listening to the sectoral leaders to be able to come out for a program.  Babes Tesiorna, as she presented the output of the vendors announced that the NAPC Workers in the Informal Sector Council opposes the 100 % increase of Phil Health Premiums making it P2,400 for the sponsored, individual paying members, overseas contract workers and even the indigents.  She called for the support of everybody of NAPC-WISC Resolution No. 1213, series of 1998 .

           The five lead convenors of NAPC-Workers in the informal sector council were incharge of the mobilization of sub-sectoral leaders and took turns of presenting the workshop outputs of April 26, 2012 as the main agenda towards a dialogue with Pres. Noy Aquino.

            Full of fun for the informal sector leaders with almost all of them winning raffle prizes and well entertained by PAGCOR entertainers and beautiful cultural dances by the NLRC.

            Are we now at par with the formal labor with such recognition? Today is another beginning of more advocacy and organizing work,  said Babes Tesiorna, President of ALLWIE/S..

            Thank you DOLE!!!    Mabuhay ang Informal Sector.        

NAPC-WISC decided to oppose PhilHealth Premium by 100%

          The National Anti-Poverty Commission - Workers in the Informal Sector Council opposes in a Council Resolution the increase by 100% PhilHealth monthly premium effective July 1, 2012.  The P1,200.00 total annual premium becomes P2,400.00 effective July 1, 2012, the amount that most of the informal economy workers can't afford. No consultation was ever done.  Phil Health needs to justify.  

         This Council representing the most vulnerable and unprotected workers like vendors, tricycle and trisikad drivers, homeworkers, micro-entrepreneurs, non-corporate contruction workers, beauticians, repairmen and other thousand economic activities passed Council Resolution No. 013-2012 during its 2nd Quartely Meeting for this year last May 6-8 entitled " A Resolution Strongly Opposing the implementation of Phil Health Circular No. 022-2012 and Its Corresponding Board Resolution increasing by 100% the Premium Contributions for the Informal Sector".

      The Council Resolution was addressed to Hon. Secretary Enrique T.  Ona as Chairman of the Board and to other Honorable Board Members thru Usec. Florencia Dorotan of the National Anti-Poverty Commission. Copies will also be furnished to respective relevant committees in both Houses of Senate and Representatives.  

       The Council is building tactical alliance with other stakeholders such as the NAPC Basic Sectors, NGO's, academe and other civil Society Organizations and started regional signature campaign supporting the above-mentioned NAPC-WIS Council Resolution.

           The Council believes that the increase of premium contribution runs counter of the PhilHealth mandate of Universal Coverage.  It also asserts that Phil Health violates Article 2, Section 14 of the Phil. Constitution and is not in line with the spirit of RA 7875 mandating a universal coverage of social health insurance.         

           Hon. Senator KoKo Pimentel filed Senate Resolution No. 701 asking the Senate Committees on government corporations and public enterprises, health and demography as well as other appropriate committees to conduct an investigation in aif of legislation on the "huge increase".

DOLE: "Examining Job Creation Initiatives"

March 1, 2012: 

          The Department of Labor and Employment conducted a joint special meeting of the National Tripartite Advisory Committee on Decent Work,  the Technical Working Group of National Government Agencies and Planning Officers at the DOLE Main Building in Intramuros,  Manila.  The said meeting aimed to discuss and agree on the terms of reference by which agency contributions toward the realization of the Phil. Development Plan (PDP) job creation objective will be examined and reported.  There are twenty-nine (29) agencies tasked for this job creation.

           The issue presented by Dir. Cynthia Cruz of the Institute of Labor Studies (ILS-DOLE) are the 7% unemployment rate or 2.814 million Filipinos and 19.3% underemployment rate or 7.163 million Filipinos in 2011.  according to her, such issue is important for two reasons:  1)  inclusive growth means employment growth, and 2) the point of departure for understanding and addressing constraints and challenges to inclusive growth is to put the human resource base as the core of all policy reform initiatives.

           Under the PDP, it is identified which are accountable for employment outcomes: a) macroeconomic policy, b) infrastructur development, c) financial sector and capital mobilization, d) peace and security,  and e) environment and natural resources.  The agency initiatives are knowledge, standards, markets, policies and direct subsidies and such are about expand frontiers, change systems, deliver service and build community. These initiatives run as single entity directed, multi-identity directed and network directed.

          The President of ALLWIES, Susanita Tesiorna, a member of the NTAC-Decent Work, appreciated the process as an expression of the convergence and integrated approach of the National Anti-Poverty Commission and responsive to the gap/s identified for the lack of access to social protection programs.  She commented on the query of the representative of the DND that they are not job creators mentioning policy that following MC No. 20 on the purchase of military uniforms is such a big push to create employment in the ailing Phil. Garment Industries.

  

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 6^th 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