PGMA to open big jobs fair on Labor Day
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President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will lead the Labor Day celebration tomorrow (May 1) by launching
simultaneous jobs and livelihood fairs nationwide through symbolic rite in Metro Manila.
The job and livelihood fairs will offer some 82,000 job openings.
The President will deliver a speech at the fair in the SMX Convention Center of the Mall of Asia, and will be
presented a document entitled “Labor Agenda 2010-2015” drafted by the different labor groups in the country.
She will also grace the launching of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) “2917 hotline” project in
collaboration with Globe Telecoms.
This year’s Labor Day celebration, with theme “Manggagawang Pilipino: Kaagapay sa Pagbabago,” will feature
scholarship awards to children of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to be given by the Overseas Workers
Welfare Administration (OWWA), livelihood checks from the DOLE-National Capital Region, scholarship
certificates from the Technical Education Skills Development Authority, and raffle of a housing unit by the Pag-
Ibig Fund.
The President will be received at the fair site by DOLE Secretary Marianito Roque, Undersecretary Lourdes
Trasmonte and labor leaders Democrito Mendoza of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, Allan S.
Montano of the Federation of Free Workers, Willy Pulia of the Alliance of Free Workers, Teresita Sy Coson of SM
Malls Corp and Ernest Cu, president/CEO of Globe Telecoms Philippines.
Victorino Balais of TUCP will deliver a summation and presentation of the five-year Labor Agenda
The document contains inputs from the youth sector led by Reginald Ricohermoso of the National Alliance of
Trade Unions; on OFW by Bernadette Guzman of the Philippine Association of Migrant Workers and Advocates;
on women by Sister Florencia Cabatingan of TUCP; on informal sector by Sister Susanita Tesioma of ALLWIES;
on public sector by Sister Esperanza S. Ocampo of the Philippine Government Employees Association; on
formal Sector by Bro Vladimir R. Tupaz of Trade Unions of the Philippines and Allied Services (TUPAS) and Bro.
Leonardo Desierto of Association of Independent Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union (AIHRWU).
The President will launch the DOLE 2917 hotline by dialing the service number using the Globe phone. She will
be assisted by Secretary Roque, Alan Supnet of Globe and actress Jolina Magdangal.
The President will then award DOLE Kabuhayan certificates to the informal sectors, and draw the winning ticket
for the house and lot.
The simultaneous livelihood and jobs fairs will be held in six SM Malls in Metro Manila and in 14 major regional
sites.
Participating government agencies include the Department of Foreign Affairs, National Statistics Office, Bureau
of Internal Revenue, Social Security System, Philhealth, Professional Regulations Commission and other
frontline agencies whose officials will be on hand to offer a one stop-shop processing of employment
requirements.
Interested registered nurses who want to venture into other health and wellness services will also be assisted
under Project EntrepeNurse. TESDA will conduct skills competition, demonstration, and training while other
agencies will provide basic medical and first aid services, and legal and welfare assistance.
Local employers and overseas recruitment and manning agencies are offering thousands of local and
overseas jobs.
The jobs and livelihood fairs also offer enterprise development seminars, livelihood lectures on e-commerce,
marketing through internet, ICT opportunities, events management, HRM-related business, network marketing,
loading station and Botika ng Bayan and skills training, business counseling and entrepreneurship orientation.
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Industrial peace, higher wages enjoyed under Arroyo term
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Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Charito Planas today said the country achieved industrial peace, thus
opening more jobs, increased investment and economic progress during the 9-1/2 years of President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo.
In a press briefing at Malacanang, Planas also cited that wage adjustments under the Arroyo administration
have increased the daily minimum daily wage in the National Capital Region to P382 from P250 in 2001, to
P210 from P140 in the Autonomous Mindanao Region, and to P320 from P208 in the Southern Tagalog region
(Region IV-A).
Labor strikes have also declined from the 1,846 recorded during the term of President Corazon Aquino, 617
during President Ramos, 231 in the first two years of President Estrada and 173 strikes under the 9-1/2 years of
the Arroyo administration, Planas said.
Strikes during the past three years have been on steady decline, from the six incidents reported in 2007 to five in
2008, four in 2009 and nothing yet for the first four months of 2010, Planas added.
Planas said the President met recently with labor union leaders and told them that their request for wage
increases came a bit late for the Regional Wage Boards (RWBs) to approve them in time for the May 1 Labor
Day celebration tomorrow.
As to whether the wage increases are still possible, Planas said the President will rely on the decision of the
wage fixing authority, the wage boards, “but I am sure they will come up with some announcement before June
30, 2010.”
On non-wage benefits, Planas said these would all depend on the ability of the companies to provide their
workers with such privileges. “Some give rice incentives, some grant easy term loans, and others provide cash
grants in exchange for unused leaves. These depend on the companies’ capabilities to grant such non-wage
benefits,” Planas said.
Planas said the industrial peace that the country enjoyed under the Arroyo administration resulted in more
investments in the country, increased employment and livelihood opportunities, and better benefits to the
workers.
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Subic-Clark Corridor on track to grab share of trillion-dollar Asian logistics market
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CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Pampanga – The Subic-Clark Corridor is on track to grab market share in the
growing $1-trillion Asia-Pacific international logistics industry.
This was the assessment made by the public and private sectors at the ''Retrospective Forum on the Subic-
Clark Logistics Corridor: Milestones and Prospects'' held today with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as
principal guest at the Grand Ballroom of the Holiday Inn Hotel here.
Dennis Wright, Chief Executive Officer of the Peregrine/Global Gateway Logistics Center, cited President Arroyo,
for her efforts to transform Subic and Clark from ''a shadow of decadence'' to a vibrant activity center.
Peregrine Development International is the site developer of the 167-hectare multi-billion-dollar logistics hub
Global Gateway Logistics Center in Clark financed by Kuwait Gulf Links.
''So much has been achieved towards creating a world-class services and logistics hub from a grim scenario
with the US pullout of the (military) bases, the devastation wrought by Mt. Pinatubo and two financial crisis in
1997 and 2009. It is no easy task for any government, not even the US, to transform two military bases into
commercial application,'' Wright said.
Wright said this was realized because the President is an economist and a leader.
Wright also cited the Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council (SCADC), the Bases Conversion
Development Authority (BCDA), Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), and Clark Development Corp. (CDC),
which “have worked hard with a vision that has brought about this wonderful story.''
He said investments in vital infrastructure projects such as the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX),
Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA), Port of Subic Bay, Dingalan Road, among others, have
created a seamless movement of goods and people to and from Subic and Clark.
Because of increased investments, combined new jobs generated so far total 160,000.
To prop up the increased economic activity in Subic and Clark, Wright said the next administration taking over in
July should continue to provide political and economic stability and well as favor professional managers over
political appointments.
Wright said the private sector also sees the need for more harmonization of customs, internal revenue and
immigration bureaus as well as the elimination of jeepney traffic; the expansion of DMIA and more flights; the
completion of the NorthRail and other high speedrails that connect the logistics hub to Metro Manila and other
industrial centers; new modern bus terminals; more clean, steady and reliable power; expansion of SCTEX, a
new east-west expressway and secondary infrastructure.
''We need to continue the vision President Arroyo has set in place for Subic and Clark,'' he said.
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