“2011 was all about responding immediately to the needs of workers affected by climate change and facilitating effectively the employment of a big number of jobless in the region. As a result of the swift action we took and the harmonious working relationship with the public and private sectors, DOLE CARAGA is clearly a more agile, better agency than the one that went into 2010.”
Looking back at what was happening in January when the heavy rains and flash floods hit the whole region, I quipped and thought of 2011 as the most challenging year for DOLE CARAGA. Agriculture, businesses and infrastructure were damaged causing displacement of many workers, such that we decided to manifest a quick action of providing emergency employment to 1,400 heads of families affected by the calamity. We were very pleased of the extraordinary support from all our Undersecretaries and Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz’s immediate approval of our proposal. In less than 15 days the fund assistance amounting to P2,041,200 to cover the salaries and the wages of the workers was distributed to the LGUs by His Excellency President Benigno Aquino III in his visit to the flashflood victims.
The innovative strategies we had in 2011 were not only focused to the flashflood victims. We made it a point that the jobless would be given attention by facilitating their employment. For the first time in the history of CARAGA, a PESO (Public Employment Service Office) garnered second runner-up place in the National Phil-Jobnet Job Vacancy Posting Category which contributed much to a 239% increase from last year’s number of workers placed thru PESO. DOLE CARAGA was also awarded best regional
implementer for SENA, a 30-day conciliation of labor complaints/requests with 2 of our desk officers given national recognition. Having strong belief in the developmental approach to attaining industrial peace and banking on our strength to generate more jobs in the tourism industry as well as addressing pressing concerns of workers in the woodbased sector, we established Tourism ITC and strengthened the Woodbased ITC and adopted voluntary codes of good practices in both sectors. Compliance to general labor standards was directed to the adoption of the KAPATIRAN-TAV-WISE. The adoption of the big brother-small brother strategy started in 2 big companies with the plan of replicating this in other companies. We hoped to lessen incidence of illegal recruitment by letting the MOA with 22 LGUs in Surigao del Norte work and the attainment of ZERO accident in the work
place thru the help of the Occupational Safety and Health Network in CARAGA which showed a much greater interest and action in spearheading the implementation of OSH programs. All these accomplishments, the 100% utilization of our funds and MORE… are found in this Annual Report so I invite all of you to take time reading the milestones we had in 2011.
As a sign of confidence in our future, we are proposing for an accreditation of our systems with the International Organization of Standards (ISO). This because we want to MAKE BETTER the things that we plan, we do and we act.
Climate Resilient Farming Communities in Agusan del Norte Through Innovative Risk Transfer Mechanisms
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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.
