Mindanao firms win DOLE awards

ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY: Six established Filipino companies, including an electric cooperative in Western Mindanao, have been named regional winners in the prestigious Department of Labor and Employment’s 2009 Productivity Olympics. The six winners were Julies Bakeshop, Philippine Pioneer Rubber Products Corp., Pagadian City Springland Resort, Vic Engineering and Drilling Services, Zamboanga del Sur Electric Cooperative, Incorporated and Zaragoza Foods Corp. They were awarded plaques during a ceremony held in the town of Ipil in Zamboanga Sibugay province, which hosted the Olympics.

In June this year, the Department of Labor and Employment has called on micro, small and medium enterpri-ses that implement productivity improvement programs to join the 2009 Productivity Olympics as a survival strategy against the current economic uncertainty and fluctuating market demand.

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said the productivity contest showcases best practices in improving plant-level productivity, which micro, small and medium enterprises need to survive the current economic downturn.

Regional Labor Director Ponciano Ligutom said the competition of good productivity practices was focused on people development and business excellence of micro, small and medium enterprises in the Agribusiness, Service and Industry Sectors.

This year’s theme was “Enhancing Quality and Productivity towards Competitiveness.”

The competition was organized by the National Wages and Productivity Commission in coordination with all its Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards.

Three Tripartite Industrial Peace Councils from Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte provinces were also awarded with plaques of appreciation for their generosity and immediate response to the affected victims of recent typhoons that devastated Luzon and other parts of Metro Manila.

Lawyer Nicerio Napigkit Jr., convener of the Regional Tripartite Industrial Peace Council, represented Provincial Governor George Hofer of Sibugay in welcoming the different contingents of the various Tripartite Industrial Peace Councils (TIPC).

He also emphasized the promotion of a decent work agenda as a priority concern of the TIPC.

Labor Undersecretary Rosalinda Baldoz, who flew from Manila to grace the occasion, spoke on various issues to the different leaders and representatives of the management, labor and government sectors.

She stressed on the promotion of the so-called Green Jobs efforts, which will soon be implemented to all regional offices. The labor official spoke also on how to employ productivity focusing on decent job and the implementation of the Comprehensive Livelihood Emergency Employment Programs, among others.

President Gloria Arroyo signed Proclamation Number 726 on October 29, 2004 and declaring the month of October of every year as the National and Productivity Improvement Month.

Thus, one of the lined activities in this month long celebration was the awarding of the winners for the Productivity Olympics. –Al Jacinto, Manila Times