Worsening conditions for the Filipino worker

 Worsening conditions for the Filipino worker

Majority of those employed today in the Philippines are in vulnerable or part-time work, hampering many workers’ desire to demand for a living wage. Even those in full-time work are reportedly under pressure to comply with various flexible work arrangements. 

By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Work is more dangerous than war — that is reportedly the conclusion of an International Labor Organization (ILO) study on global health and safety at work. The ILO study revealed that globally, at least one worker dies at work every 15 minutes. In the Philippines, a non-government occupational health and safety institute criticized the lack of concern for health and safety at work as highlighted by the deregulation of labor inspection as contained in a Department of Labor and Employment order.

The recent accidental death of a worker in the Korean-owned Hanjin in Subic, Zambales (which brought to 38 the total number of killed from work-related accidents), and the fatal fall from a Lucio Tan-owned construction site that killed 10 construction workers last January, are just some of the yearly “sacrifices” of workers in unsafe workplaces. According to Noel Colina, executive director of the non-government Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (IOHSAD), government concern and inspection only began after blood had been shed and when accidents had generated intense publicity. Otherwise, the establishments in the Philippines are ordered to perform “self-assessments” on whether they are complying or not with good occupational health and safety practices.

Most deaths and injuries from work-related accidents and lack of safety are most common in agriculture, construction, mining and manufacturing, the industries that are topping the employment targets of the Aquino administration. Even in services, accidents happen such as in Ninoy Aquino International Airport when the ceiling collapsed and injured two workers. Another incident was when nine workers were hit by lightning while working on the runway.

Despite Aquino’s promised change, though, and against the backdrop of many workers dying during his first year, it only continued the self-assessment policy began under Arroyo, noted the non-government IOHSAD.

Worse joblessness and working conditions

The real number of jobless Filipinos is much higher than what is reflected in government statistics. According to Ibon, a non-government economic think-tank, the country’s jobless may reach up to 4.5 million, or nearly double the government’s estimates of 2.9 million, which is based on the “new” definition of unemployment that does not include those who had stopped actively seeking work for various reasons.

The Social Weather Stations’ survey result released last March painted a grimmer picture: it revealed that up to 11.3 million Filipinos are jobless, up from 9.9 million in November 2010. Considering that this huge number of Filipinos has no livelihood to speak of, the poor and hungry are expected to have increased in number. Yet, they seemed to have decreased after the government has revised its poverty threshold. Before, a Filipino is considered poor if he or she earns P52 ($1.21) or less per day. This was reduced to P46 ($1.07) or less per day. The revision has brought down the number of registered poor from 28.5 million to 23.1million..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/07/22/worsening-conditions-for-the-filipino-worker/