DoLE tells workers, employers: Go Green

The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) yesterday urged the labor and management sectors to adjust work standards to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change not only on workers but also on business and economy.

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque advised labor and management sectors to shift to greener ways to work and establish green standards for the labor market that will promote green jobs and decent work.

He added DoLE was in the process of working towards climate change adaptation programs at work through knowledge building, organizational strategies and green jobs advocacy.

Roque said DoLE would lay the foundation to provide for the collaboration of its social partners in developing green technologies and green workplaces to help avert the adverse impact of climate change on employment.

Roque further said the prospects for generating green jobs were bright as the government’s new resiliency program in 2010 included investments in new industries such as renewable energy, and innovative technologies.

To drum up a multi-sectoral effort towards green workplaces, Roque also signed a Green Pact with the Federation of Free Workers and the Philippine Green Building Council in taking steps to sustainable growth, greener jobs and workplaces.

He added that more green jobs would be available to Filipinos as the government continued to create and promote awareness of green workplaces.

“All work with environmental component is a green job,” Roque said. “I know companies that invest in green jobs, implement green workplace and promote green jobs.”

In 2010, the DoLE will spearhead institutional capacity- and knowledge-building in raising the awareness on climate change through the National Green Jobs Conference which will address the concerns of seven sectors with different types of exposure to climate change policy drivers.

The seven sectors are: energy generating sectors, renewable energy sectors, alternative energy sectors, employment sensitive sectors, competition intensive sectors, sectors vulnerable to climate policies and climate sensitive sectors. –Mina Diaz, Daily Tribune