A PROPOSAL requesting Bacolod-based power and communications industries and other businesses to have their overhead aerial cable lines and others properly arranged were submitted recently to the City Council.

Proponent councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. said he hopes that this resolution will be approved.

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Said resolution requests the Central Negros Electric Cooperative, Philippine Long Distance Company Inc., cable companies and other related businesses “to provide visible identification of ownership of cables that run within the city of Bacolod.”

“It is a basic need of society, whether private, governmental, commercial or industrial sector, to have access to electricity and all forms of modern technology, and that in providing these conveniences, there should be safety nets and preventive measures to prevent fire incidents and other similar hazards,” Gamboa said.

The councilor cited the Bureau of Fire Protection’s report of 81 fire accidents noted from January to November 2008; “one cause of which was the disorderly, hazardous, unsafe and improper arrangement of cables and wires, causing them to be cut-off, destroyed or damaged, causing power outage due to non-observance of safety clearance and proper arrangement and installation.”

These disorderly cables refer to lines which congest airspace in an entangled manner, with some precariously hanging, easily reachable by trucks, and without proper markings or tags to identify ownership of them in case of emergency, Gamboa said.

“The improper arrangement of these cables and wires are not pleasing to the sight. It is the primary duty of these concerned companies to ensure the proper, safe and orderly arrangement and installation of their cables, with proper markings for identification in case of liability,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Gamboa pushed another proposal requesting the National Government to alleviate the plight of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) by providing more benefits and protection, livelihood and legal assistance.

He said that the 1987 Constitution provides that the State affirms labor as a primary social economic force. “It shall protect the rights of workers and promote their welfare.”

He said about 3,000 Filipinos more or less are still flying out of the country daily for contractual work abroad.

In 2008, 1.3 million Filipinos found work abroad, up by 24% from calendar year 2007. There are more than nine million Filipinos abroad, thousands are still finding jobs abroad, because of the global economic recession, and many laborers are losing their jobs, he noted.

“There have been many cases and reports of racial discrimination against OFWs in some countries where they are stationed. There are incidents of physical abuse and discriminatory compensation packages. Government cannot trivialized reported instances of prejudice and discrimination and treat them as isolated cases,” Gamboa said.

He added: “There ought to be a serious and pro-active response to the problem if we want to maintain our dignity as a people. All diplomatic representation should be made and legal assistance extended to any victim.”

The councilor also said that the OWWA has reintegration programs which include livelihood projects, skills training and credit lending which will benefit the OFWs especially those from Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.

“There is specifically an OWWA-NLSF LDPD project which gives credit loans to OFWs for livelihood purposes as well as the OFW Groceria, which gives initial stocks for sale in grocery stores to be put up by the OFW, with both programs aimed at providing other means of income for OFW’s and their families,” he said.

He cited that there is also the Filipino Expatriate Livelihood Support and Funds, which is an OWWA project specifically for displaced OFWs. “We request the local OWWA that these funds be made accessible and available to OFWs from Bacolod or with families in Bacolod and for the Poea to double their efforts in ensuring the safety and protection of our OFWs in their search for greener pastures.” (George M. De La Cruz)