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.