Representatives of indigenous cultural communities will now be given a seat in policy-making bodies or local legislative councils all across the country.
Rep. Nancy Catamco (2nd District, North Cotabato), one of the main authors of House Resolution 916, lauded Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo for issuing a memorandum circular mandating the right to representation of indigenous cultural communities or indigenous peoples (ICC/IPs) in policy-making bodies and other local legislative councils.
The House of Representative has adopted HR 916 as House Resolution 1373 on June 7, 2011. The measure was submitted for approval by the House Committee on National Cultural Communities headed by Rep. Teddy Brawner Baguilat Jr. (Lone District, Ifugao).
DILG Secretary Robredo issued on October 20, 2010 Memorandum Circular MC2010-119 entitled "Mandatory Representation of Indigenous Cultural Communities or Indigenous Peoples in Policy-Making Bodies and Other Local Legislative Councils."
Catamco said the circular directs all local chief executives to strictly observe the ICC/IP mandatory representation in the local Sanggunian. Robredo also directed all DILG Regional Directors and the ARMM Regional Governor to disseminate the circular and provide technical assistance to LGUs, if necessary.
"The DILG Secretary's directive is highly praiseworthy and is in congruence with State advocacy and the policy of recognizing, protecting and promoting the rights and welfare of ICCs and IPs throughout the country," Catamco said.
Catamco said the State recognizes and promotes the rights of indigenous cultural communities under the constitution.
"One of these rights is to participate in policy and decision-making, for which reason Republic Act 8371, or the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997, was enacted," Catamco said.
"If ICCs and IPs may participate fully at all levels of decision-making on matters which may affect their rights, lives and destinies through procedures, they themselves have determined, as well as maintain and develop their own indigenous political structures," Catamco said.
Catamco said although the processes for the qualification and selection of ICC/IP representatives in local legislative bodies have already been provided for in the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Administrative Order No. 1, Series of 2009, there is still minimal compliance on the part of local government legislative bodies.
"There is still inadequate representation of indigenous cultural communities in policy-making bodies in LGUs, to which they belong," Catamco said.
The co-authors of the measure are Reps. Mylene J. Garcia-Albano (2nd District, Davao City), Eric G. Singson Jr. (2nd District, Ilocos Sur), Dakila Carlo E. Cua (Lone District, Quirino), Ma. Carmen Zamora-Apsay (1st District, Compostela Valley);
Reps. Reynaldo V. Umali (2nd District, Oriental Mindoro), Bernardo M. Vergara (Lone District, Baguio City), Teddy A. Casiño (Party-list Bayan Muna), Arlene J. Bag-Ao (Party-list Akbayan), Eleandro Jesus F. Madrona (Lone District, Romblon), Walden F. Bello (Party-list Akbayan), Angelo B. Palmones (Party-list Agham);
Reps. Victorino Dennis M. Socrates (2nd District, Palawan), Randolph S. Ting (3rd District, Cagayan), Eleanor C. Bulut-Begtang (Lone District, Apayao), Maximo B. Dalog (Lone District, Mt. Province), Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza (Party-list TUCP), Jesus N. Sacdalan (1st District, North Cotabato) and Pedro Acharon 1st District, South Cotabato). - Melissa M. Reyes, MRS-PRIB
Monday, January 24, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Include labor education in college curriculum - TUCP Partylist
The TUCP Party-list is batting for the inclusion of labor education in the curriculum for tertiary education to increase the awareness of college students on labor laws, labor rights and privileges and other related concerns.
TUCP Party-list Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza introduced House Bill 3205, also known as "Labor Education Act of 2010," to prepare the college students for their eventual entry into the labor force.
"It is imperative for college students who will eventually join the labor force as workers and employees to have knowledge about labor rights, worker's welfare and benefits, core labor standards, labor laws and regulations, the national and global labor situation, labor market concerns, labor issues, overseas work and related concerns," Mendoza said.
Mendoza sought the immediate approval of the bill saying "it is the policy of the State to protect the rights of workers and promote their welfare."
"CHED should develop a course on labor education to be integrated in the tertiary education curriculum. The college students should be well informed of their labor rights, workers welfare and benefits," Mendoza said.
The course on labor education that will be separately offered together with existing subjects in the college curricula shall increase the awareness of the graduates and instill labor awareness, Mendoza stressed.
"The integration of labor education in the tertiary education system shall not only increase labor laws and related concern awareness but also the citizens' responsibility to the society," Mendoza added. - Jazmin S. Camero, MRS-PRIB
TUCP Party-list Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza introduced House Bill 3205, also known as "Labor Education Act of 2010," to prepare the college students for their eventual entry into the labor force.
"It is imperative for college students who will eventually join the labor force as workers and employees to have knowledge about labor rights, worker's welfare and benefits, core labor standards, labor laws and regulations, the national and global labor situation, labor market concerns, labor issues, overseas work and related concerns," Mendoza said.
Mendoza sought the immediate approval of the bill saying "it is the policy of the State to protect the rights of workers and promote their welfare."
"CHED should develop a course on labor education to be integrated in the tertiary education curriculum. The college students should be well informed of their labor rights, workers welfare and benefits," Mendoza said.
The course on labor education that will be separately offered together with existing subjects in the college curricula shall increase the awareness of the graduates and instill labor awareness, Mendoza stressed.
"The integration of labor education in the tertiary education system shall not only increase labor laws and related concern awareness but also the citizens' responsibility to the society," Mendoza added. - Jazmin S. Camero, MRS-PRIB
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Employees' protection in merger or consolidation of businesses sought
Employees who will be affected by mergers, consolidations and acquisition of businesses need not worry about losing their jobs if a bill filed in Congress is approved.
TUCP Party-list Rep. Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza authored House Bill No. 1557, which seeks to protect the rights of the employees to security of tenure and other terms and conditions of employment in the event of mergers, consolidations and acquisitions.
Mendoza said because of globalization and the need to become bigger and better, competition among businesses has become tremendously intense.
"Mergers, consolidations and acquisitions, including the sale or transfer of all substantial assets, business enterprise have become very rampant," Mendoza said.
Employers use these devises and schemes to obtain competitiveness in the business, according to Mendoza. However, some employers utilize the same corporate mechanism to violate the rights of their employees to security of tenure, among others, he lamented.
To prevent such unscrupulous practices and to safeguard the employees concerned, the proposed measure directs the acquiring or transferee employer to continue the employment of the transferor employer's employees without loss of seniority rights and privileges.
Furthermore, it mandates that such merger, consolidation or transfer of business should not diminish the wages, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment of the affected employees.
In case of differences in the employment levels, wage and benefit scales and other employment terms or conditions, the superior or most favorable to the employees shall prevail. - Jennifer Arteche-Valenton, MRS-PRIB
TUCP Party-list Rep. Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza authored House Bill No. 1557, which seeks to protect the rights of the employees to security of tenure and other terms and conditions of employment in the event of mergers, consolidations and acquisitions.
Mendoza said because of globalization and the need to become bigger and better, competition among businesses has become tremendously intense.
"Mergers, consolidations and acquisitions, including the sale or transfer of all substantial assets, business enterprise have become very rampant," Mendoza said.
Employers use these devises and schemes to obtain competitiveness in the business, according to Mendoza. However, some employers utilize the same corporate mechanism to violate the rights of their employees to security of tenure, among others, he lamented.
To prevent such unscrupulous practices and to safeguard the employees concerned, the proposed measure directs the acquiring or transferee employer to continue the employment of the transferor employer's employees without loss of seniority rights and privileges.
Furthermore, it mandates that such merger, consolidation or transfer of business should not diminish the wages, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment of the affected employees.
In case of differences in the employment levels, wage and benefit scales and other employment terms or conditions, the superior or most favorable to the employees shall prevail. - Jennifer Arteche-Valenton, MRS-PRIB
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Solon wants OFW recruitment, deployment rules revisited
The brutal death of his family's former nanny in Saudi Arabia in September has prompted a party-list lawmaker to call on Congress to review the rules and regulations of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration governing the recruitment and deployment of Filipino workers abroad.
In a privilege speech, Trade Union Congress Party Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza also urged the House of Representatives to investigate the death of Romelyn Eroy Ibañez, 22, who was found almost lifeless in her employer's kitchen last September 10 by the Saudi police.
Ibañez, who was hired as a nursing aide for a medical polyclinic but ended up as a household worker in Saudi Arabia, later died after she was allegedly forced to drink sulfuric acid. She also bore knife wounds in her neck, abdomen and wrists.
Mendoza asked why Ibañez was deployed although she was only 22 when Philippine laws require a minimum age of 23 for overseas domestic work.
Mendoza called for the creation of a team composed of the DOLE Undersecretary and trade union and civil society representatives to look into the POEA's rules and regulations.
Mendoza likewise stressed the need to bolster the legalization of undocumented Filipino workers and for a more intensive crackdown on illegal recruitment and human trafficking.
Meanwhile, Mendoza said he will oppose any move to slash the budget of Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), branding the cost-cutting at the expense of OFWs as "bad policy... inhumane, unjust, untimely and even anti-Filipino."
The DFA had P12.69 billion budget in 2010 but the budget was reduced to P10.98 billion for 2011. The legal assistance fund used to hire lawyers has gone down from the legally-mandated P100 million to P27.3 million.
"There are about 10 million OFWs worldwide, who remitted more than $17 billion in 2009, which is expected to hit $18 billion this year. Is this how we treat our OFWs, the saviors of our economy?" Mendoza asked.
Citing the DFA Semi-Annual Report from July to December 2009, Mendoza said there are about 6,956 Filipinos detained, under house arrest or with pending cases in court, with more than 200 Filipinos on death row worldwide.
He called on the DOLE and POEA to review their decisions on their budget and said the government should be more aggressive in forging bilateral agreements based on international labor standards.
Mendoza said it is high time that the government create more decent opportunities at home, especially for the poor and underprivileged.
He urged his fellow House Members to look deeper into the real problems of unemployment and underemployment and spearhead a no-holds barred forum with labor and trade experts to identify, once and for all, the reasons for joblessness in the country. - Melissa M. Reyes, MRS-PRIB
In a privilege speech, Trade Union Congress Party Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza also urged the House of Representatives to investigate the death of Romelyn Eroy Ibañez, 22, who was found almost lifeless in her employer's kitchen last September 10 by the Saudi police.
Ibañez, who was hired as a nursing aide for a medical polyclinic but ended up as a household worker in Saudi Arabia, later died after she was allegedly forced to drink sulfuric acid. She also bore knife wounds in her neck, abdomen and wrists.
Mendoza asked why Ibañez was deployed although she was only 22 when Philippine laws require a minimum age of 23 for overseas domestic work.
Mendoza called for the creation of a team composed of the DOLE Undersecretary and trade union and civil society representatives to look into the POEA's rules and regulations.
Mendoza likewise stressed the need to bolster the legalization of undocumented Filipino workers and for a more intensive crackdown on illegal recruitment and human trafficking.
"There is a darker side to overseas employment, where job applicants are recruited with false promises, made to sign contracts and become the subjects of abuse, exploitation and even cold-blood killings," Mendoza said.
Meanwhile, Mendoza said he will oppose any move to slash the budget of Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), branding the cost-cutting at the expense of OFWs as "bad policy... inhumane, unjust, untimely and even anti-Filipino."
The DFA had P12.69 billion budget in 2010 but the budget was reduced to P10.98 billion for 2011. The legal assistance fund used to hire lawyers has gone down from the legally-mandated P100 million to P27.3 million.
"There are about 10 million OFWs worldwide, who remitted more than $17 billion in 2009, which is expected to hit $18 billion this year. Is this how we treat our OFWs, the saviors of our economy?" Mendoza asked.
Citing the DFA Semi-Annual Report from July to December 2009, Mendoza said there are about 6,956 Filipinos detained, under house arrest or with pending cases in court, with more than 200 Filipinos on death row worldwide.
He called on the DOLE and POEA to review their decisions on their budget and said the government should be more aggressive in forging bilateral agreements based on international labor standards.
Mendoza said it is high time that the government create more decent opportunities at home, especially for the poor and underprivileged.
He urged his fellow House Members to look deeper into the real problems of unemployment and underemployment and spearhead a no-holds barred forum with labor and trade experts to identify, once and for all, the reasons for joblessness in the country. - Melissa M. Reyes, MRS-PRIB
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