The Institute for Labor Studies (ILS) kicked off the series of multilateral consultations on Green Jobs HRD Plan last 8-9 August 2018 at Hotel Jen, Roxas, Blvd. Manila.

The first round of consultation involved the public sector, including the different national government agencies and government financial institutions. The two-day event recognized the critical role of government in promoting green jobs within the sphere of their respective offices.

“When the government acts as a role model and sees itself as an active enabler of green jobs, then our counterparts in the private sector, whether big, medium, small or microenterprises, will be more encouraged  to promote and sustain  a Philippine economy that is based not only and simply on the generation of jobs and establishment of livelihoods, but also provide decent and environmentally friendly jobs, sustainable and resilient livelihoods,” emphasized ILS Acting Executive Director, Ahmma Charisma Lobrin-Satumba in her welcome remarks.

The consultation started with presentations on the following: a) climate change scenario; b) global trends toward green economy and just transition guidelines; c) Green Jobs law and implementing rules and regulations and national green jobs human resource development plan (NGJ-HRD); and d) updates on green jobs assessment and certification guidelines.

During the workshop, inputs were gathered from the different agencies on how they can adopt and integrate green jobs within their respective mandates.

The series of consultations are being conducted pursuant to the implementation of Republic Act No. 10771, otherwise known as the “Philippine Green Jobs Act of 2016” and DOLE Administrative Order No. 405, series of 2018 creating a Technical Working Group (TWG) on Green Jobs Human Resource Development (HRD) Plan. It is also being realized through the Inter-Agency Committee on Green Jobs HRD Plan Formulation 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,

“I look forward to seeing how we can transform, as an inter-agency group, these lessons to concrete, measurable, and attainable action points, with twin issues on the affirmation of dignity of labor and sustainable development as primary reference points,” highlights Undersecretary Paras’ closing remark which was read by Acting Deputy Executive Director Isabel B. Artajo.

The consultations will run up to end of September 2018.

The Institute for Labor Studies is the policy and research arm of the Department of Labor and Employment. For more information about ILS products and services, please visit: http//ils.dole.gov.ph or call Advocacy and Publication Division at Tel. No. 527-3590