Encourage companies to ease stress of commuting to work—TUCP

As Metro Manila continues to suffer from horrendous traffic and congested mass transport, the country’s largest labor group called on the government yesterday to provide tax incentives to companies which implement “time-saving” measures for their commuting employees.

In a statement, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said this will encourage the private sector to adopt schemes to ease the stress of employees from daily commuting woes which has now become the “new normal.”

“The new normal is already happening. Workers are making sacrificial adjustments already. They are waking up early, arrive home late,” Tanjusay said.

He said daily stress of commuting would have a negative impact on the productivity of companies in the long run.

TUCP said one of proposed options for companies to maintain the efficiency of their operation is a flexible time scheme which will allow workers to complete their regular eight-hour duty depending on the time of their arrival at their workplace.

It also said some companies could practice a compressed work week to allow employees to work for only four days a week with slightly longer working hours.

Tanjusay said companies could also explore the possibility of temporarily relaxing their “internal tardiness rules” and provide common shuttle or car pool services to workers.

“Employers would adopt the stress-minimizing and time-saving measures by giving them tax incentives,” Tanjusay said.

Aside from the tax deductions, the government could tap fleet service vehicles from government-owned and controlled corporations and financial institutions to provide similar car pooling services to private and government employees, he said. - by Samuel Medenilla / Manila Bulletin

Two more TUCP-initiated and one PGCot-funded covered courts nowfunctional in Kabacan and Kidapawan City

Cotabato Governor Emmylou “Lala” J. Taliño-Mendoza

AMAS, Kidapawan City (Sep 23) – Three covered court projects, two of which were initiated by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) and one funded by the Provincial Government of Cotabato were handed over to village officials of Magatos and Pisan in the Municipality of Kabacan and Sikitan in Kidapawan City respectively on Sep. 20, 2014.

No less than Cotabato Governor Emmylou “Lala” J. Taliño-Mendoza led the turnover of the projects in Barangay Magatos and Pisan in a simple but well- attended ceremonies with the local officials and their constituents.

Rex Pedtaman, Chairman of Barangay Magatos along with other village officials and hundreds of residents witnessed the turnover highlighted by the ceremonial ribbon-cutting led by the governor.

He was particularly enthusiastic that the village is a recipient of a sensible project which will benefit by many of his constituents.

“The village of Magatos is blessed with a project sponsored by the TUCP and was implemented by the Provincial Government through Gov. Taliño-Mendoza” he said adding that the project is a proof that the advocacy of the “Serbisyong Totoo” of the governor goes beyond words and promises.

Kabacan Municipal Mayor Herlo Guzman and Municipal Vice - Mayor Myra Bade were present at the activity and called upon the residents of Magatos to make the most out of the project that will include village meetings, programs and other purposes.

Barangay Magatos has around 6,000 residents mostly are engaged in farming and buy-and-sell as source of income.

After the village of Magatos, a same covered court project was also handed to the village officials and residents of Pisan, Kabacan.
It was an exciting day for many especially for the teachers and students of Pisan and so with the local officials as they now have a decent venue to conduct meetings and various activities.

“Everyone here in the village is elated with the project which the people are really thankful of”, Nestor G. Ranay, Chairperson of Barangay Pisan said during the turnover ceremony of the covered court.

Aside from Gov. Taliño-Mendoza, Mayor Guzman and Vice Mayor Bade also graced the activity.

The governor emphasized that her administration aims to put up important infrastructure projects in every barangay to provide people with the basic services they deserve from the provincial government.

She also told the officials of Barangay Pisan of her plan to put up an additional span for the covered court which the residents mostly appreciated.

The last of Gov. Talino-Mendoza’s schedule for the day was a turnover of another covered court project, this time in Barangay Sikitan, Kidapawan City funded by the Provincial Government of Cotabato.

This time, the governor was accompanied by Cotabato 2nd District Board Member Cris Cadungon and City Councilor Judith Navarra.
Barangay Sikitan Chairman Zacarias dela Cruz welcomed them along with his fellow village officials and proceeded with the turnover ceremony.

The Provincial Government of Cotabato through the Provincial Engineer’s Office (PEO) continues to implement its infrastructure projects this year in many more villages in the different parts of the province. (JIMMY STA. CRUZ with reports from ROVILLE ANN SOTTO/Photos by SIDNEY NANINI/PGO Media Center)

MM, other areas prone to storm surges

INUNDATED: (Clockwise, from left) Commuters walk along España Boulevard in Manila; residents turn back at a bridge destroyed by floodwaters in Barangay Kabuluan in Sta. Elena, Camarines Norte; and a commercial aircraft is towed at the aviation area at the NAIA, whose tarmac was flooded with three to four inches of water. JOVEN CAGANDE, FRANCIS ELEVADO, AND RUDY SANTOS

MANILA, Philippines - At least 23 areas in the Philippines, including Metro Manila cities, are prone to storm surges during typhoons as strong as Yolanda, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)’s Nationwide Operational Assessment Hazard (NOAH) project found out.

The risk areas include the coastal cities of Navotas, Las Piñas, Parañaque and Manila in Metro Manila and the coastal towns in the provinces of Pampanga, Bataan, Quezon, Albay and Camarines Sur.

“We did simulation and we found that no less than 23 areas are prone to a storm surge whenever there is a typhoon, and we have submitted this to the respective local government units, so they can make the necessary preparations,” Project NOAH executive director Mahar Lagmay told participants of the Business Case for Disaster Risk Reduction summit held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City the other day.

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) director Renato Solidum Jr., meanwhile, warned that should the West Valley Fault move again and cause a 7.2-magnitude earthquake, around 31,000 people may die.

The West Valley Fault – which runs across Marikina, Quezon City, Pasig, Makati and Taguig – has moved four times in the last 1,400 years, with a major earthquake occurring every 400 years. The last major earthquake took place in 1658 or 356 years ago. “Given such facts, it is safe to say that we can expect the West Valley Fault to move within our lifetime,” Solidum said.

He explained that the earthquake itself would not cause the deaths, but the effects of the shaking would cause buildings to collapse, fire, liquefaction and landslide, which are expected to claim thousands of lives.

Moreover, the damage and death would happen not only in the areas along the fault line but also in the areas around it.

“We should not feel complacent if our houses or buildings are not located along the fault line or near it because even those far from it will be affected because of the shaking effect. The shaking will bring the damage and the deaths if we are not prepared,” Solidum explained.

Aside from loss of lives, natural disasters also cause dire economic losses to both government and private business.

In 2012, floods, typhoons and earthquakes caused more than $274 billion of economic losses in Asia.

Last year, natural disasters affected 95 million people and caused $116 billion in direct economic losses, of which $10.42 billion belonged to the Philippines, according to data from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

These are the reasons why SM Supermalls hosted the forum that gathers stakeholders to share their views on how people, the government and private businesses could work together to improve disaster resiliency and preparedness efforts.

SM Supermalls aims to present ways to make businesses more risk-sensitive so that all stakeholders, including the government, will be encouraged to invest more heavily in disaster risk reduction efforts.

The forum was held in coordination with SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls.

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) yesterday sought the immediate relocation of over 7,000 families still living along rivers and creeks in Metro Manila, long after the government evacuated those residing in identified danger zones.

“Around 1,685 informal settler families have been transferred and the remaining 7,092 are still living in rivers, creeks and waterways situated in 13 cities within urban National Capital Region, although the P50-billion budget for their relocation has been released,” TUCP said.

At least 2,123 informal settler families are living along Tullahan River that runs through Quezon City, Caloocan, Valenzuela and Malabon; 1,840 along Tripa de Galina in Pasay City; 1,520 on Manggahan Floodway in Pasig City; 837 along San Juan River; 482 along Maricaban creek; 587 along Estero de Maypajo; 326 along Estero de Sunog Apog, and nine along Pasig River.

Last week, the TUCP said, families living in Manggahan Floodway in Pasig City were given eviction notice by the Department of Public Works and Highways. They were ordered to leave their homes by the end of this month in spite of an agreement between the government and program participants that no informal settler families would be evicted while there is no housing unit available.

“It’s revolting to see poor working people and their families still in danger areas in Metro Manila waiting to be transferred to affordable housing units. Many of them are beginning to give up on government promise to transfer them. Some felt abandoned and decided to no longer cooperate,” TUCP executive vice president Gerard Seno added.

The TUCP also said the relocation of the informal settlers may further be delayed when the national ban prohibiting transfer of people takes effect four months before the May 2016 elections. – By Perseus Echeminada (The Philippine Star) With Mayen Jaymalin

TUCP suggests ways to deal with traffic woes

Traffic jams in Metro Manila have resulted in substantial losses in manhours--that means the productive hours of workers. A workers group has some suggestions on how companies can deal with that problem. This report by AC Nicholls aired on 9TV Network News on September 18, 2014.