Climate Resilient Farming Communities in Agusan del Norte Through Innovative Risk Transfer Mechanisms

The United Nations (UN) system and the Government of the Philippines is implementing a Joint Programme on “Strengthening the Philippines’ Institutional Capacity to Adapt to Climate Change” with support from the Spanish Government through an MDG-Fund Thematic Window on Environment and Climate Change.  The International Labour Organization (ILO), a specialized agency of the UN is responsible for the implementation of a pilot adaptation project under Outcome 3 of the said Joint Programme: Coping mechanisms improved through pilot adaptation projects.  The ILO partners with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to support vulnerable farming communities in Agusan del Norte.

Project LEAP is an intensive inspection program which aims to correct violations and increase employer’s compliance with the minimum wage and other labor standards.   This is done to protect the interest of the backbone of the economy, the Filipino workforce.

Year 2010 showcased the DOLE CARAGA initiatives in greening the workplaces and the workers.  From creating pathways to alternative employment among farmers and informal sector workers to ensuring safe and healthy workplaces and protecting the rights of wage workers, serving working men and women is at the heart of our effort toward DECENT JOB for everyone.

Guided with the labor and employment agenda of President Benigno Aquino, we banked on public-private partnership to provide quality and relevant services.  When I assumed directorship in the region, I could  count the enormous and extraordinary support our partners gave us not just to accomplish numbers and targets but also to cause greater impact on the lives of the Caraganon workers and their families thru the coordinated interventions we delivered.

I would like to recognize the DOLE CARAGA Regional Coordinating Council, the International Labor      Organization, the Tripartite Councils, the Public Employment Service Offices, the Local Government Units, Line Agencies, the Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Academe for helping realize our         deliverables for 2010.  Special citation is given to Region 10 for the one-of-a-kind back up in the inspection program and the climate change adaptation project.  We also salute all our bureaus and our senior officials who provided untiring and all-out support throughout the year.

With you our partners, we were able to have breakthroughs and milestones worth commending!  We topped in the implementation of inspection program in terms of number of establishments inspected against the national target.  Caraga was also the FIRST to adopt a voluntary code of good practices in the mining industry. In the employment facilitation program, we succeeded in trifocalizing TESDA, Dep-Ed and CHED with DOLE as lead agency in integrating reforms and initiatives in the educational system particularly in career guidance.  These are just few of the many things we accomplished which spelled out more than 100% of our commitment.

As the present Regional Director, I would like to share these accomplishments to the former Director Romeo Cagas who was also instrumental in makings things happen for the year 2010. May this report stir us to accomplishing more in the year 2011.