Senate Labor Committee to push passage of administration’s priority measures

MANILA-Labor Committee Chairman Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada expressed commitment today to readily act on and push for the passage of the priority measures of the administration as identified by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

 

During the organizational meeting of the Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development, the DOLE named the Apprenticeship Bill, Bill Strengthening the Public Employment Service Office (PESO), and the proposed Magna Carta for Seafarers as their top three priority measures for the 16^th Congress.

 

Senate Bill 136 (proposed Act Reforming the National Apprenticeship Program and Providing Standards for the Training and Employment of Apprentices) and Senate Bill 21 (An Act Instituting Magna Carta for Seafarers) also form part of Sen. Estrada’s priority measures filed last July.

 

Labor Undersecretary Rebecca Chato also acknowledged Sen. Estrada’s leadership as Chairman of the Labor Committee for the “productive partnership” between the DOLE and the Senate, and for the “impressive accomplishment” and passage of essential labor laws during the previous 15^th Congress, including the Batas Kasambahay, Tripartism Act, lifting the nightwork prohibition, and the law strengthening mandatory conciliation and mediation as labor dispute mechanisms.

 

USec. Chato hopes to double the output of this inter-branch cooperation, as he presented to the committee a total of 12 legislative measures concerning employment, rights at work and social dialogue for the Congress’ consideration.

 

Apart from the three, the DOLE is pushing for the enactment of the following legislation for the current Congress:

·         Amending Labor Code Provisions on Alien Employment Permit

·         Establishing Productivity and Performance Incentives and Gainsharing Program

·         Strengthening Labor Law Compliance System

·         Strengthening Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards

·         Institutionalizing Occupational Safety and Health Standards in the Construction Industry

·         Strengthening Workers’ Right to Self-Organization

·         Defining the Power of Assumption or Certification of Labor Disputes by the Secretary of Labor and Employment to Undertakings which Involve Essential Services

·         Strengthening Voluntary Arbitration as a Preferential Mode of Labor Dispute Settlement

·         Providing for the Appeal of the Decisions of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC)

 

Sen. Estrada also urged the DOLE to coordinate and seek the support of the House of Representatives through the Chairman of the House Committee on Labor and Employment Davao City 1^st District Cong. Karlo Nograles to ensure immediate approval of the said bills.

Legarda Highlights Indigenous Culture in Celebration of National IP Month

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities, today highlighted the country’s cultural richness in celebration of the National Indigenous Peoples Month.

“The month of October is celebrated in the Philippines as the National IP Month and this year, we are invited by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) for a Collective Celebration of the Culture of Indigenous Cultural Communities,” said Legarda.

In her privilege speech, Legarda narrated several traditional knowledge and practices of IP communities that showcase their excellence—a trait attributed by National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Chairperson Felipe de Leon, Jr. to Filipino IPs because their works are incomparable and of the highest standards.

The Senator cited the importance of weaving, embroidery, beadwork and belt-making for the T’bolis of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato to keep their tradition alive because every item they make is an important part of their life.

She also said that in Paracelis, Mountain Province, Ga’dang elders strive to pass on the traditional Ga’dang cloth weaving to their children to unleash the creativity of the youth while incorporating in them the values of hard work, patience and love of culture.

“The Panay Bukidnon community in Calinog, Iloilo employs intricate handiwork and a unique dyeing system in the creation of their traditional wear; while the Hanunuo Mangyan community in Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro continues to practice burunganto produce thread from cotton, which they use to weave ramit that they wear as skirt. These traditional practices are but a few of the many weaving traditions around the country and weaving is just one part of a very rich culture,” she narrated.

Legarda said that to preserve and promote these weaving traditions as well as Philippine tropical fabrics, she supported the expansion of the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles, the country’s first permanent textile gallery; and created the the Baybayin Gallery, which showcases the ancient and traditional scripts of the Philippines, both at the National Museum.

She also said that many other museums have featured Philippine indigenous items. The Ethnological Museum in Berlin, Germany has kept Dr. Jose Rizal’s textile collection; while the Quai Branly Museum in Paris, France featured Philippine pre-colonial artwork and artifacts through the exhibition “Philippines: An Archipelago of Exchange”from April 9 to July 14, 2013.

“Similar exhibitions in our communities would be beautiful. It is in this light that I filed Senate Bill No. 105, which seeks to preserve the country’s traditional folk arts through the regional museums of the National Museum,” Legarda said.

The regional museums will display traditional folk arts collection, archeological finds, objects of art, and other local cultural treasures as part of efforts on conservation, preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage of the schools of living traditions (SLTs) found within their localities.

“To all of us who have gained so much from this ingenuity, perhaps, it would not be too much to give the fitting recognition long overdue to our IPs and to allow them to benefit from the very knowledge that had rooted from their communities. Let our common vision and values weave us together as we seek to empower those who have given meaning to our being Filipino,” Legarda concluded.

Statement of Senate President Franklin M. Drilon on the latest Pulse Asia Survey

I am not surprised by the drop in my approval rating in the latest Pulse Asia Survey since I have been the subject of a vicious media vilification campaign in the past weeks by people intent to muddle the issues behind this pork barrel scandal and divert the public anger from the real culprits of the case.

However, I am confident that after our justice system takes its course; when after a speedy and impartial trial the guilty is punished and imprisoned and the innocent is acquitted, the Senate as an institution will emerge stronger and more credible in the eyes of the Filipino people.

As I have said, this pork barrel controversy is a painful cleansing process for both chambers of Congress and we, in the Senate, intend to go through this process in earnest.  Reforms in the Senate will start with the immediate and unconditional abolition of the pork barrel system.

I said it before and I say it again: the pork barrel scam is a great injustice to the Filipino people and I will not stop until the truth will come out in the Senate investigation and those responsible for corrupt practices will be held accountable for their actions.

Gov’t land distribution empowers 26,000 farmers in CL

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga­­-More than 26,000 landless farmers in Central Luzon received their land titles under the “Handog Titulo” program of the government as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) intensifies its land distribution effort this year.

 

Maximo Dichoso, DENR Regional Executive Director, confirmed that a total of 5,392 land titles covering 1,947 hectares of public lands were given away to marginalized farmers in the region this year.

 

Of these, a total of 2,694 land titles covering 1,763 hectares of public lands were distributed under the regular land distribution program of the DENR, and another 1,139 titles covering 84 hectares under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

 

“Only when farmers are assured of land security are they motivated to develop their lands. The first step, therefore, to achieving agricultural and countryside development is by providing our farmers with land titles,” he explained.

 

Tirso Parian, deputy DENR director for land management, reported that another 1,559 land titles were also distributed to farmers under Republic Act 10023, or the New Residential Free Patent Act (RFPA). 

 

Qualified Filipino citizens who are actual occupants of a residential land for at least 10 years are given free patent titles under the RFPA.

 

DENR records showed that the government land distribution program benefited a total of 77,245 landless farmers in Central Luzon since 1999.

 

As this developed, the DENR completed 21 cadastral survey projects covering 332, 616 hectares in Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and Zambales.

 

Cadastral survey projects involved surveying extensive tracts of previously unsurveyed or incompletely surveyed lands in towns, cities, and provinces to expedite land registration and promote land valuation and taxation efforts of local governments.

 

To facilitate land administration and management, the DENR entered into a memorandum of partnership agreement (Mopa) with nine local government units (LGU) in four provinces in Central Luzon under the LGU-led land titling program of the DENR.

 

Parian said the towns of Llanera, Carranglan, Laur, Gen. Tinio, and Penaranda in Nueva Ecija; San Marcelino and Olongapo City in Zambales;Minalin in Pampanga; and Mayantoc in Tarlac already committed to partner with the DENR in expediting land titling activities in these areas.

 

Under the LGU-led land-titling program of the DENR, municipal assessors shall be deputized as Public Land Investigators to assist the DENR in land distribution efforts.

 

The partnership agreements are expected to improve the LGU’s tax collection efforts, increase land-based market activities, provide clean titles and greater access to credit facilities, and reduce land conflict cases and boundary disputes. (DENR-RPAO 3)

Senate Labor Committee to push passage of administration’s priority measures

MANILA-Labor Committee Chairman Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada expressed commitment today to readily act on and push for the passage of the priority measures of the administration as identified by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

 

During the organizational meeting of the Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development, the DOLE named the Apprenticeship Bill, Bill Strengthening the Public Employment Service Office (PESO), and the proposed Magna Carta for Seafarers as their top three priority measures for the 16^th Congress.

 

Senate Bill 136 (proposed Act Reforming the National Apprenticeship Program and Providing Standards for the Training and Employment of Apprentices) and Senate Bill 21 (An Act Instituting Magna Carta for Seafarers) also form part of Sen. Estrada’s priority measures filed last July.

 

Labor Undersecretary Rebecca Chato also acknowledged Sen. Estrada’s leadership as Chairman of the Labor Committee for the “productive partnership” between the DOLE and the Senate, and for the “impressive accomplishment” and passage of essential labor laws during the previous 15^th Congress, including the Batas Kasambahay, Tripartism Act, lifting the nightwork prohibition, and the law strengthening mandatory conciliation and mediation as labor dispute mechanisms.

 

USec. Chato hopes to double the output of this inter-branch cooperation, as he presented to the committee a total of 12 legislative measures concerning employment, rights at work and social dialogue for the Congress’ consideration.

 

Apart from the three, the DOLE is pushing for the enactment of the following legislation for the current Congress:

·         Amending Labor Code Provisions on Alien Employment Permit

·         Establishing Productivity and Performance Incentives and Gainsharing Program

·         Strengthening Labor Law Compliance System

·         Strengthening Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards

·         Institutionalizing Occupational Safety and Health Standards in the Construction Industry

·         Strengthening Workers’ Right to Self-Organization

·         Defining the Power of Assumption or Certification of Labor Disputes by the Secretary of Labor and Employment to Undertakings which Involve Essential Services

·         Strengthening Voluntary Arbitration as a Preferential Mode of Labor Dispute Settlement

·         Providing for the Appeal of the Decisions of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC)

 

Sen. Estrada also urged the DOLE to coordinate and seek the support of the House of Representatives through the Chairman of the House Committee on Labor and Employment Davao City 1^st District Cong. Karlo Nograles to ensure immediate approval of the said bills.

Senators formally give up 2013 PDAF; pass resolution urging PNoy to augment calamity fund

MANILA-In an effort to help victims of calamity-stricken areas, the Senate has decided to abandon the remaining Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allotted to senators for 2013.

On Tuesday, the Senate passed a resolution which urges the President to use the savings which will be created by the senators’ abandonment of their PDAF allocation to augment the calamity fund in order for the government to respond effectively to the needs of the victims of various calamities that hit the country recently.

“We adopted Senate Resolution No. 14 wherein the senators have waived and abandoned their PDAF for 2013. With that abandonment of their PDAF entitlement, it has created savings which the President may use as calamity fund for areas affected by the typhoons ‘Labuyo’ and ‘Santi,’ by the earthquake in Visayas, and the man-made disaster in Zamboanga,” stressed Drilon, primary author of said resolution.

“We urged the President to use these savings to support ongoing recovery activities for victims of these disasters,” he added.

“We have to respond and assist the government in disaster relief, speedy post-disaster recovery, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of provinces affected by these recent calamities that hit our country,” said Drilon.   

“These disasters have brought pain and suffering to our people, disrupted the functioning communities, caused mass casualties, damaged cultural heritage, and caused widespread human, material, economic and environmental losses,” the Senate Chief added.

Drilon said the realignment of the PDAF is authorized under the Constitution, specifically Section 25 (5) of Article VI of the 1987 Constitution.

The President may, by law, be authorized to augment any item in the General Appropriations Act from savings in any other items in the executive department, he noted.

He likewise cited Section 52 of the 2013 GAA authorizing the President to use savings to augment actual deficiencies incurred for the current year in any item of his appropriation.

The Office of the President declared that only P1.37 billion of the P7.5 billion calamity fund remains, it added.

According the Department of Budget and Management website, the unreleased PDAF for senators for 2013 amounts to P3.18 billion. 

AFP Deploys Aircraft, Ships to Bohol for Relief Operations Ground Assistance Continues

CAMP GENERAL EMILIO AGUINALDO, Quezon City –The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) deployed two C-130 aircraft and three naval logistic ships to transport a total of 285,000-lbs relief goods to Tagbilaran, Bohol in aid of the evacuees affected by the recent earthquake.

Two C-130 aircraft from the Philippine Air Force departed Villamor Air Base in Pasay yesterday to transport 48,000 lbs of assorted relief goods from Philippine National Red Cross and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to Tagbilaran, Bohol. Its Sokol choppers are also on standby for further distribution of relief goods to said area.

Yesterday, the Naval Forces Central also deployed its logistic ship AT295 and two navy vessels to Tagbilaran, Bohol to transport 237,000 lbs of relief goods from Department of Health, Royal Malaysian Armed Forces, and ABS-CBN foundation for evacuees in Tagbilaran City.

Meanwhile, the AFP’s Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) operation on the ground continues to support the Philippine National Police, DSWD, and the local government of Bohol.

The Headquarters, Central Command in Camp Lapu-Lapu, Cebu is still on Red Alert status for HADR operations, and ongoing supervising/monitoring of HADR operations in Bohol. The Headquarters, Special Forces Battalion has completed the hauling of 1,000 packs of relief goods in Danao, Bohol in coordination with DSWD yesterday.

Moreover, the 2^nd Special Forces Battalion, Philippine Army and the 53rd Engineering Brigade continue to assist in the distribution of relief goods in the municipality of Sagbayan and Tubigon respectively, in coordination with the PNP and LGU of Bohol.