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- Ombion: New landscape, bigger challenges
- Legaspi: What I feared is here
- Batapa-Sigue: Is innovation in government achievable?
| Ombion: New landscape, bigger challenges Posted: 01 May 2022 04:07 AM PDT INDEED, the working-class movement, especially in Negros, must rise to the challenges of a new political and economic landscape that has sprung since the 80s and affected much of its organization and struggles.The working-class movement of sugar farm workers, workers in the manufacturing and services sectors, transport, communication, hospitals, public utilities and schools, semi-proletarians or odd jobber and contractual in Negros Island during the martial law years up to 80s was so powerful and feared that they could make their capitalist and elite employers and bosses easily concede to their demands and interests.Outside of the National Capital Region, the working-class movement of Negros often led nationwide in terms of the number of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) inked, strikes and political actions launched, economic and political demands won, and number of workers becoming full-time worker-organizer.But what was once a solid and powerful movement is now a fragmented and weakened working-class movement whose actions and voices could hardly move the capitalists and elites to respond to their demands.Data from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) showed that the number of unions has dropped significantly in private companies and public institutions, and so have the CBAs. Unions and CBAs were the tangible expressions of the workers' strength and their main mechanism to force their capitalist employers to concede to their demands, especially wages, law-mandated benefits, special subsidies and other basic rights.Due to their weakened position, many have been forced by oppressive conditions to swallow management unions and sweetheart CBAs, worse have been forced to various exploitative labor flexibility schemes such as casual and contractual without the security of tenure.In the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board (RTWPB), the workers have practically been begging for wage crumbs and other benefits from the powerful capitalist employers and the DOLE perceived as enforcer of the latter.Several factors have caused the working class to weaken. Foremost are the internal struggles in the working-class movement revolving around orientational debates, opportunism and betrayals. This led to factionalism, splits, breakups and reduction to a generally anaemic working-class movement.Second is the offensive of the state via disbandment of the national wage system and instead creation by the amended National Wages and Productivity Commission of the RTWPB in charge of fixing wages in the province, region and industry, which has localized wages instead of being addressed by the Lower House and Senate.Third is the use of Local Government Code of 1991, which has practically localized the struggles of the workers and other sectors, submitting themselves under the auspices of mostly elite dynasty-controlled local government units (LGUs), and thus forcing the workers to-each-his-own-struggle.Fourth is the rise of the organized opportunist labor non-government organizations (NGOs) and individuals preying on the weakened and helpless workers through legal and technical services.All this has emboldened the capitalists and the elites to conspire and use the state to launch offensives including organized repression and red-tagging, which has substantially brought political and organizational damage to the working-class movement.As workers in various parts of the world rise to "celebrate" International Workers' Month, the Negros working-class movement is called to reevaluate, even to reaffirm and reposition itself in a new local economic and political landscape so it can confront the new challenges and struggles more effectively.The unity of various labor groups like National Federation of Sugar Worker (NFSW), Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), National Federation of Labor Unions (Naflu), Partido Manggagawa, National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (Nacusip-TUCP), independent unions, backed by progressive mass organizations, including the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino though held a separate rally, in yesterday's May 1st mobilization, was a fresh start in asserting the voice and power of the working class.The working-class movement positioning against the Marcos-Duterte tandem in Elections 2022 is also an affirmation of its stand against the repressive rule, which has affected many and continues to assault the workers nationwide.But there's still so much to do, and act with decisiveness, comprehensiveness and with tactical wit, especially on issues that have caused its weakening and fragmentation.After all, as the revered father of the working-class movement once said, "the workers have nothing to lose but their chain of exploitation and oppression." |
| Legaspi: What I feared is here Posted: 29 Apr 2022 09:36 AM PDT THE Filipino is known to have the value of "ningas-kugon," this is a Filipino term for the tendency of individuals to start a new task with much enthusiasm, only to stop working on it entirely soon after. Virtue ethics proponents had planted this value in the minds of our forefathers and thus was handed from generation to generation.In March of 2020, when coronavirus disease (Covid-19) entered the shores of our beloved country, everyone was cautious and even the government was looking for measures to stop the spread. All health protocols were enforced, and everyone cooperated. Suggestions of how to curb the surge came in from all corners and even businesses cooperated. The behavior of the virus and its variants were studied well. Cure and protection were searched by everyone.When the vaccines came in. Most Filipinos believed that "Manna" from heaven had arrived. It allayed the fears and anxieties of most Filipinos. And in a while, he forgets about the virus and turns back to his old ways and practices. The election fever made it worse. He forgets that every day, there are a lot of "unreported" Covid deaths around the world. Social media wants us to believe that the numbers are down and we need to go back to normal and live with Covid.A sector of the community today is saying that it is the elections that have cured us of the pandemic in the Philippines. News of Covid surges in Shanghai and some parts of Europe do not hamper election activities in the country. Candidates boast of the number of people attending their sorties. If they care, they should have advised their supporters to stay home and help fight the virus. But what happens, a show of force and numbers is the name of the game in the pre-election activities.Is it the election season that has stopped or slowed down the transmission of Covid-19? If this is true, then this is a great medical breakthrough. Medical schools should investigate this and come out with a very good scientific result because, if this is so, then we should schedule elections every time there is a pandemic or even endemic disease. If this is true, then it is a great miracle.For almost two years, a lot of places in the country have been placed under quarantine or lock-downs because of the virus surge. However, lately, we no longer see a surge but the health department continuously reminds us of a possible surge or a possible reproduction of a new virus. All these calls fell on deaf ears and we continued with rallies, sorties, and alike.For more than four months, the Filipino had placed his health concern on lower ranks and had his campaign for his candidate as the top priority. Without fear of getting the virus, he bravely goes out and fights people who are not on the side of his "demi-god". After this fanfare, for sure, when the election fever dies down, the Filipinos start to complain and blame once more the coronavirus and another surge will surely come out.What I fear most is the last two weeks or less before the big day. I fear that one morning, we will wake up with the alarming news that Omicron BA 2.12, "XE" or the stealth Omicron is here and has infected most of us. It is here that we wake up from this dream and that elections are not a cure but opium to the Filipino people!Congratulations to Fr. Don Besana, OAR. |
| Batapa-Sigue: Is innovation in government achievable? Posted: 29 Apr 2022 09:35 AM PDT GOVERNMENT needs a thorough overhaul in the Digital Age. Or it will be the very reason why we are not going to grow as a country. Embracing innovation research of OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) in 2017 highlights innovation in government to be about finding new ways to impact the lives of citizens, and new approaches to activating them as partners to shape the future together. It involves overcoming old structures and modes of thinking and embracing new technologies and ideas. The potential for innovation in government is immense; however, the challenges governments face are significant.The OECD report called on governments to focus on several areas in particular to maximize the potential for innovation. First is to signal innovation as a priority. This can be done through political support and capacity building. Innovation is unlikely to take root in government unless senior leaders communicate that it is an important priority. This includes acknowledgement that sometimes failure is an acceptable outcome. This empowers civil servants to try new approaches and take calculated risks. Their capacities should also be strengthened by reinforcing their innovation skills.Second is to enable connections across and beyond government. This includes fostering communication and information sharing across and beyond government, by harmonizing rules and developing connection points and networks. Civil servants should have at their disposal means of connecting with each other formally and informally, and for connecting with the public. Governments can foster these connections by building cross-cutting networks and providing platforms for collaboration across organizations and sectors. Governments should enable these connections through clear policy that ensures civil servants are empowered to reach across boundaries, have conversations and share information.Third is to promote trust through transparency and responsiveness. To build long-term innovative capacity, citizens must trust that the government has their best interests at heart; otherwise, they are unlikely to cooperate with user-centered approaches and accept the outcomes of new policies and services. Governments can help build this trust by being open about activities and decisions that affect people. However, transparency is not enough. Citizen input must be considered and acted on, as appropriate, in visible ways.Finally, the government should forge partnerships with all relevant players. Although many countries are insourcing and building up skills and abilities inside governments, governments cannot do it all. Strategic and ongoing partnerships must be forged with civil society organizations, businesses, experts, and the public. Each of these has unique strengths and competencies, and innovation in government accomplishes its biggest successes when all three come together. Civil servants must therefore have the ability to balance and interpret the sometimes competing priorities of these different groups, and be empowered to make decisions on how to proceed with what they learn. Governments from other jurisdictions and countries can also serve as useful partners, as many share common challenges and may have devised solutions that can be replicated or learned from.The so-called Comelec debt fiasco with Sofitel is a classic example of how public or government finances work. Citizens may surmise all types of allegations here - but for me, I still want to see it as part of the procurement process. Government procurement process is a nightmare. So, for innovators who want to fully actualize and create really mind-blowing impactful programs in government, think again.The government bias toward hard projects is not only a political thing -- it is a whole-of-government mindset. The process, the red tape, the dynamics, the politics, the lack of foresight, and many more -- all rolled into one fiasco. It is easier to procure a ballpen and paper than fund an innovation project. In the middle of my term as councilor, I was forced to choose to recommend a drainage construction instead of a holistic set of interventions to upskill and reskills the workforce for various niche areas like software development, animation, game development and other technologies. I know the drainage work is important and in fact, should be taken from the general fund and not on a project fund supposedly for programs I wish to recommend under my committees.In one instance, I was able to secure a national government sponsorship for a major tourism project in Bacolod -- funds to pay for the convention hall. I rigorously processed the papers but due again to political dynamics and the protracted process, the national fund was never released, and I paid the convention hall on my own in monthly installments because the amount was huge. That is the reality of government finances. This is the frustration of people who want to do more inside government.Today, the government probably, both at the local and national level, is a contender for the greatest number of long-standing accounts with the private sector. Before we criticize people in government about transparency and accountability -- let us understand -- how slow, restrictive, limited, shortsighted public finance is in the Philippines. It is like there is a consensus that every public fund will be stolen, and will be misused, so let us restrict its use, make the process tedious, and limit how it can be used. Sadly, the result is different - for innovators who want public resources to be put to good use -- we leave the system. For those who do not care how it is used, they follow the rules but find a way to misuse the funds. |
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