RH rights pushed in workplace
THE Department of Labor and Employment-Cordillera Administrative Region (Dole-CAR) has assembled 66 representatives of various companies and business establishments of the Family Welfare Federation in the Cordilleras in a regional summit on the Family Welfare Program (FWP) recently.
Dole-CAR Regional Director Henry John Jalbuena enjoined employers, businesses and companies to institutionalize the Dole's Family Welfare Program, and advocate for reproductive health rights in their workplaces, alcohol and drug abuse free workplace and to promote workers’ quality of life and improve productivity.
"The regional summit on the Family Welfare Program was attended by representatives from 66 establishments from various services namely educational institutions, hotels and restaurants, electric cooperatives, medical, business process outsourcing, retail and whole sale and the mining industry in the region. The summit participants composes human resources officers, administrators, company nurses and safety officers,” Geiniel Andrea Lacambra, Dole-CAR FWP Regional Focal, said.
Highlights of the summit included the Family Welfare Program and its 10 Dimensions by Ma. Evelyn Lita Manangan of the Bureau of workers With Special Concerns (BWSC); Best Family Welfare Practices by Mary Jean Lamadrid, president of the Family Welfare Federation Cordillera; Stress Management by Andrew Macalma, dean of Student Affairs, Saint Louis University (SLU), Micro Financing by Lily Ann Maranes of the JV Ongpin Foundation; Healthy Lifestyle by Miriam Vanessa Meneses, Occupational Nurse, Benguet Laboratories and the Legal Sanctions of Child Labor by Atty. Antoinette Reyes.
Participants discussed best practices within their establishments to attain better quality of life of the worker’s family that will contribute to reduce absenteeism and tardiness, as well as to a reduced job turn over; better quality workforce with high productive capacity; and significantly improved and peaceful industrial relations.
The Dole's Family Welfare Program is pursuant to Article 134 of the Labor Code and to Department Order 50-03, which mandates employers to inform employees of the availability of family planning services in a business establishment, among other requisites.
Jalbuena said the FWP has 10 dimensions, namely, Reproductive Health or Responsible Parenthood; Education or Gender Equality; Spirituality and Values Formation; Income Generation, Livelihood, Cooperative; Medical Health Care; Nutrition; Environment Protection; Hygiene and Sanitation; Sports and Leisure; and Housing and Transportation.
"The FWP is one of the Dole programs that is aimed at helping both management and employees to realize better working relationship by fulfilling the needs of the family of workers and the formula is 'A happy family means a happy worker; a happy worker means higher productivity; higher productivity means more competitive establishments,'" Jalbuena said.
The Family Welfare Program is mandatory in establishments with more than 200 workers. It is aimed at promoting a healthy workplace as a key to business success. (Patrick Rillorta/Dole–CAR)