”In formulating the National Green Jobs Human Resource Development (HRD) Plan, there is no hard and fast rule, as we should also take into consideration the unique situation of labor across sectors with the objective of building a climate smart industries and services with the view of creating green communities in the long run,” was the opening statement of DOLE Assistant Secretary Federico V. Abuan, during the first Inter-Agency Committee (IAC) meeting for the formulation of the National Green Jobs HRD Plan last 17 July 2018 at the ILS iLearn Conference Room, 5th Floor, Intramuros, Manila.
“Green jobs refer to employment that contributes to preserving or restoring the quality of environment, be it in the agriculture, industry or services sector. It is any job that is decent and protects and conserves the environment,” clarifies Asec. Alex V. Avila, who co-chaired the IAC meeting.
Under Republic Act 10771, the Inter-Agency Committee are composed of twenty (20) government agencies, which will collaborate in the implementation of the Green Jobs Act. This include the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Finance, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Trade and Industry, Professional Regulation Commission, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Transportation, Department of Tourism, Department of Public Works and Highways, Climate Change Commission, Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and Department of the Interior and Local Government,
ILS presented an overview of the Green Jobs Act, which highlighted that DOLE, in a series of consultations with other agencies, shall formulate the National Green Jobs Human Resource Development (NGJ-HRD) Plan on the development, enhancement and utilization of labor force, both in the private and public sector, to enable and sustain the transition to a green economy and the generation of green jobs towards more employment and equal opportunities and the promotion of social justice and workers’ welfare.
The plan will identify the skills and competencies and the gaps in the sectors with a view to transform jobs in these industries into green jobs. It also aims to review and analyse current skills and training system to see whether the skills and competency standards have green components. The Plan will be regularly updated and will be treated as the beginning of a series of studies needed to guide policies that will ensure a successful transition into green jobs for the country.
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