TUCP pushes for green jobs, decent work
By: Fryan E. Abkilan
Surigao del Norte (28 May) - A national workshop for green jobs and decent work was successfully held in Bacolod City recently. Organized by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) with support from Japan International Labour Foundation (JILAF), the activity documented information on workplace and community-based green jobs and greening practices to contribute to national efforts in developing a green sustainable development strategy in the framework of creating green jobs and promoting decent work.
“TUCP is one with the government in search for practical ways to adapt to climate change,” said TUCP General Secretary Ernesto Herrera.
Also, the workshop sought to push the problem of climate change as a mainstream environmental issue in the workplace and the community.
As climate change being the greatest challenge facing the world today, Herrera urged everyone to act promptly. “If we don’t do anything, temperature will continue to rise,” he said.
Understanding Green Jobs and Decent Work
TUCP Deputy General Secretary Cedric Bagtas defined green jobs, “as jobs that sustains people and the environment.”
He maintained that green jobs can be found in the so called green sectors that include renewable energy (versus fossil fuel energy), public mass transportation (versus road transportation), recycling & pollution control, biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management, among others. He, however, said that not all green jobs are necessarily decent jobs.
“Many green jobs are done in conditions that will be considered ‘indecent’ – low pay, no social protection, poor health and safety standards, exploitative employment relationships & gross violations of employment rights,” Bagtas added.
He stressed that greening should extend to existing jobs that are indecent by all definitions, and that greater efforts should be devoted toward green practices seeking to modify indecent work.
Meanwhile, Socio-Policy Division Director Bro. Toyoji Sugiyama of Japanese Trade Union Confederation (JTUC-RENGO) in his presentation stressed that green jobs lessen the environmental impact of enterprises and economic sectors, ultimately to levels that are sustainable.
Sugiyama said that JTUC has called for “just transition” for those affected by a change to a green economy and for those who must adapt to climate change with access to alternative economic and employment opportunities to union workers.
What the JTUC sees for green jobs according to Sugiyama is “employment generation plan for 1.8 million people,” from healthcare, job assistance and employment, education to sustainable agriculture, fishery and forestry sector.
Meantime, as part of the output in the said activity, the participants drafted tools: 1) checklist on green jobs and green practices; and 2) Trade Union Policy on Green Jobs and Decent Work, to guide workers and their organizations in identifying priorities and implementing greening improvements.
Some 25 participants from target sectors such as manufacturing, transportation, mining and energy production, plantation, and/or federation in charge of workers’ education and research in Luzon, selected areas in Visayas and Mindanao actively participated in the said program. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)
TESDA Board members inspect TESDA Manpower Training Center in Surigao del Sur
BISLIG CITY (May 28) – Technical Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) board members inspected recently the on-going construction of “Bislig Manpower Training Center” at Sitio Macaragogo, Poblacion, this city.
Acting City Mayor and newly elect City Vice Mayor Cejoco committed during his message to continue to support the TESDA Scholarship Program and for the progress of the Training Center when it is fully operated soon.
The project was realized thru the initiatives of Congressman Florencio Garay who allocated funds amounting to P10 million from his Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF), and LGU Bislig officials under the administration of Mayor Alberto Tan and City vice Mayor Conrad Cejoco for donating the land of 5,000 sqm where the said building was constructed.
The team was composed of the following: Cesar Ochoa, Employer Sector; and Isidro Antonio Asper and Concepcion Dodd, Labor Sector. They were accompanied by the representatives of TESDA-Caraga Regional Office, Provincial Directors from Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, and Surigao del Sur. (Nida Grace B. Tranquilan, PIA-Surigao del Sur)
LGU-Bislig, TESDA ink MOA supporting “Scholar sa Barangay” program
BISLIG CITY (May 28) – Acting City Mayor Conrad Cejoco and TESDA Provincial Director Rey Cuevas on Thursday, May 27 signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) during the inspection of the on-going construction of the TESDA Manpower Training Center in Poblacion here.
Mr. Allan Millan of TESDA provincial office said that acting City Mayor Cejoco allocated funds thru his initiatives intended exclusively to Bisliganons worth P500,000. The MOA is a commitment of the Local government Unit to finance the trainees for “Scholar sa Barangay” under TESDA program.
Meanwhile, in behalf of Cong Garay, Mr. Jo Candia in his message emphasized the importance of the PGMA Scholarship Program especially that Caraga Region is one of those regions that are greatly affected with global financial crisis. “PGMA TESDA Scholarship program is a great help to out-of-school youths and displaced workers in Bislig City to find a job. Thru this, Cong. Garay allocated Php 1.4 million and another Php 1 million additional for TESDA Scholars.”
Millan further said, in addition to the funds allocated from the City government, Cong. Garay had also committed to allocate funds intended for the Scholar Trainees of TESDA which is now set for implementation. (Nida Grace B. Tranquilan, PIA-Surigao del Sur)
