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| 01 MAY 2007 | ||
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| 01 MAY 2007 | ||
| Statement of the President on Woman Suffrage |
| It was 70 years ago
yesterday that Filipino women first exercised their right to vote. It is a right perhaps
now taken for granted, but a momentous event that we must pause to appreciate and reflect
on. Since then, women in our country have blazed many trails and have been a true force to reckon with in politics, business, and society in general. Women are decision makers in all facets of our national life and still hold an enviable position compared to their sisters in other parts of the world. Today, they have no more glass ceilings to break, only higher mountains to climb. |
| Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye on Labor Day |
| Labor Day is a
tribute to the sterling role of Filipino workers, here and abroad, for driving our economy
forward. It is to their betterment that we owe the country a unified platform for national
cohesion; an understanding for constructive engagement across all sectors. Today, as we enter the homestretch of the campaign period, let us give labor the importance that it deserves by discussing issues close to every Filipino worker's heart: decent wage, job security, shelter, and a better quality of life. The record of this administration in creating jobs, promoting skills, training, and securing industrial peace speaks for itself. The challenge is for every day to be a day of national pride and productivity for all workers, including our overseas Filipino workers. It is this noble challenge that inspires government to put together a package of new benefits and programs to meet our workers' needs. Our President's Labor Day package exemplifies the fruits of tripartite consultation as applied to building a strong nation and a better future for us all. |
| PGMA inaugurates "workers' inn" in Manila |
As part of this year's Labor Day celebration, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inaugurated today a four-storey "workers’ inn" in Manila for "urban workers whose homes are not within convenient commuting distance from Metro Manila." Called "Gwapotel: Tulugan sa Bayan," the dormitory-style bed and bath facility is a joint project of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the National Power Corporation (Napocor). Strategically located at the former Napocor Building along Bonifacio Drive in Port Area, Manila, the temporary living facility, also dubbed "PGMA’s Workers’ Inn," provides transients with a room for a 10-hour stay at the affordable rate of P25. The President was joined by MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando, Napocor Chairman Cyril del Callar and Department of Science and Technology Secretary Estrella Alabastro in the ceremonial unveiling of the marker and ribbon-cutting activities formally opening to the public the sleeping and bathing facility. According to Fernando, the 700-bed Gwapotel was conceptualized under the President's pro-poor program of providing clean and affordable living quarters to every Filipino, particularly provincial residents who work in Metro Manila. Fernando said that under PGMA's Worker's Inn program, the Gwapotel is designed to provide an affordable albeit temporary sleeping and bathing facility for workers whose homes are not within convenient commuting distance to their places of work in Metro Manila. "Gwapotel will provide relief and added rest time to workers who need to commute daily to and from their residences in the provinces," Fernando said, adding that it was among the wage benefits the President gave to the Filipino workers this Labor Day. The dormitory-style Gwapotel is divided as follows: the third and fourth floors are allocated to provide sleeping and bathing facilities for male customers while the second floor is allocated for women clients. An off-street vendors' market on the ground floor of the building will house sellers of food and basic necessities. Guests are charged P25 for a 10-hour stay which includes a bath. Upon payment, the customer is given a token which he or she uses to activate the token-operated shower. The shower is good for about 40 liters of water or about eight minutes of continuous running water, whichever comes first. After the unveiling and ribbon cutting ceremonies, the President was given a brief tour of the Gwapotel's facilities by Fernando and Del Callar. |
| PGMA lauds transports sector for use of LPG, alternative fuels |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo lauded today the transport sector for espousing the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and other alternative fuels as part of the government program to help deter global warming, dramatically reduce air pollution in the metropolis, and achieve energy independence in the soonest possible time. The President made the commendation before 1,000 members and officers of various transport groups during the convention and exhibition of the Philippine Jeepney Operators and Drivers’ Alliance Foundation (PJODAF) this afternoon at the World Trade Center (WTC) in Pasay City. Among those who welcomed the President were Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes and PJODAF president Orlando Marquez. "Salamat sa inyong pagtangkilik sa LPG at lahat ng mga paraan kung paano mababawasan ang global warming sa pamamagitan ng clean transportation (Thank you for espousing the use of LPG and other means to reduce global warming through clean transportation)," the President said. According to the President, the use of LPG and other alternative fuels such as compressed natural gas (CNG) would result in lower fares that would eventually benefit the Filipino riding public, including the workers. "Kung dadami ang gagamit ng LPG at iba pang biofuels gaya ng CNG, sabi ninyo, ibababa pa ninyo ang pasahe sa ikabubuti ng manggagawa (Increased use of LPG and other biofuels such as CNG as you have said would result in lower fares to benefit our Filipino workers)," the President said. She thanked the support of the transport sector which, she said, deferred the increase of its fares for so many years until it could no longer bear the steep increase of oil prices in the world market. The President earlier toured the various exhibits at the WTC supporting the kick-off of the government’s engine replacement program for public utility jeepneys in Metro Manila which hopes to reduce by 10 percent the vehicular emissions in the metropolis by 2010. |
| PGMA unveils comprehensive Labor Day package |
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo unveiled today a comprehensive Labor Day package which, she said, is her administration’s way of "bringing the benefits of a strong economy to every worker." In her speech before labor union leaders and workers at the packed Folk Arts Theater, the President announced the package of benefits for government workers, among which are the following:
Hand-in-hand with these benefits, the President said, is the Social Security System’s (SSS) intensification of its Flexi-Fund for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and the coverage of informal workers. An OFW Pension System, according to her, is in the works, and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is coming up with steps to decrease the cost of remitting cash to the Philippines. "That is why, I’m saying our national agenda is focused on creating good paying jobs, stable prices and bringing the benefits of a strong economy to every worker," she pointed out during the 105th Labor Day celebration organized by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). "Noong Women’s Day, naunawaan ko… napag-alaman ko na iyong mga manggagawa ng pamahalaan ay hindi pala naabutan ng microfinance, kaya bukas sisimulan natin iyong microfinance program kung saan ang bawat empleyado ng pamahalaan na gustong humiram sa microfinance ay magkakaroon ng five thousand pesos pautang na walang collateral. Gagawin natin yan bukas," she announced. Aside from the 10-month salary loan, the GSIS, she said, is also increasing its scholarship grants, lowering interest rates, restructuring housing loans, expanding hospitalization support, and improving its service via computerization. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), for itself, will reserve P50 million for skills upgrading and bridging programs "para iyong ating mga seafarers ay puedeng maging mga engineer and deck officers." The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), for its part, will give funds for the Migrant Workers Scholarship Fund while the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID) will henceforth remove escort services in airports and seaports. And still for the OFWs, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) will use 10 percent of its earnings to strengthen the campaign against illegal recruitment. For the informal sector, the DOLE will set up a P50-million livelihood fund for the parents and family members of child laborers, in accordance with the principles of the International Labor Organization’s Child Labor Program, the President said. The Pag-IBIG Fund, meanwhile, will release P6 billion worth of dividends to its members while another P30 billion, according to the President, will be reserved for loans for tuition and emergency medical needs. To protect job applicants who spend so much in personal funds surfing the web for jobs which may be non-existent, the President ordered the DOLE to start investigating job web sites. The labor sector had earlier come up with a manifesto enumerating its wishes, including the setting up of an Internet Monitoring Office at the DOLE because of the proliferation of attractive job sites that turn out to be duds. The Labor Sector also asked for the exemption from taxes of workers earning P15,000 a month or less, especially those earning only the minimum wage. For the sugar workers, Sugar Livelihood Centers costing P25 million will be built in Regions III, VI and X, according to the President. Another P12.6 million will be reserved for the Sugar Workers Socio-Economic Program. Meanwhile. Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye said today the "President’s Labor Day package exemplifies the fruits of tripartite consultation as applied to building a strong nation and a better future for us all." Bunye, who is also the Presidential Spokesperson, pointed out that the "record of this administration in creating jobs, promoting skills, training, and securing industrial peace speaks for itself." "The challenge is for every day to be a day of national pride and productivity for all workers, including our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). It is this noble challenge that inspires government to put together a package of new benefits and programs to meet our workers’ needs," Bunye said. "Labor Day is a tribute to the sterling role of Filipino workers, here and abroad, for driving our economy forward. It is to their betterment that we owe the country a unified platform for national cohesion; an understanding for constructive engagement across all sectors," he stressed. Bunye added: "Today, as we enter the homestretch of the campaign period, let us give labor the importance that it deserves by discussing the issues close to every Filipino worker’s heart: decent wage, job security, shelter, and a better quality of life." |
