NETWORKING AND ADVOCACY
PATAMABA is part of the Informal Sector Assembly recently organized to advance the interests of homebased workers, construction and transportation workers, street vendors, waste recyclers, and others working in the informal economy. It actively advocates and lobbies for proper legislation to protect the rights of the homeworkers in the Philippines as workers and as women. We are affiliated to different trade unions and women's organizations with similar values.
The Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), are our main supporters. We also try to cooperate closely with other government and non-government agencies especially at the local or community level.
At the grassroots level, homebased workers' groups have been organized to gain better access to local economic development programmes, credit facilities, and social protection. Training in entrepreneurial skills as well as awareness seminars on workers' rights are given to support this.
Since October 2002, PATAMABA's accomplishments as regards networking and advocacy include the following:
A. Hosting of Subregional Workshop on Sharing of Mapping Results
The multi-country mapping project under UNIFEM was meant, among others, to make homeworkers more visible in national statistics and to make the research findings serve the goal of policy and program advocacy. The results of the mapping referred to above were presented by PATAMABA through a summary report (a copy of which was submitted to UNIFEM through Amalin Sundarajev) during the subregional workshop on sharing mapping results, an activity hosted by PATAMABA in Crown Peak Hotel, Subic, Zambales, on October 18-21, 2002 with the participation of Homenet Thailand and Indonesia, and with additional participants from Malaysia, Laos, and Homenet South Asia. (Documentation of the proceedings as well as the executive summary and financial report were submitted in hard and soft copies to UNIFEM by PATAMABA participants in the HIV-AIDS workshop in Bangkok held in November 2002).
B. Advocacy for a Country Program for the Informal Sector
PATAMABA has long been participating in various initiatives to advance a comprehensive policy and program agenda for informal workers. Its leaders were active in the Informal Sector Coalition (spearheaded by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines from 1998-2001), the Informal Sector Assembly (convened by then TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) Director General Lucita Lazo from 2001-2002), and currently, in the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) Workers in the Informal Sector (WIS) Council. The WIS will serve as the voice of the informal sector in presenting its demands to the national and local agencies. It will also represent the sector in the international, national local bodies and to private institutions. Furthermore, The appointment of the National Coordinator for Networking of PATAMABA as a member of the NAPC Basic Sectors Council ensures the participation of PATAMABA in projecting its issues and concerns and in decision-making and governance. One major initiative of the NAPC is the review of microfinance policies and guidelines of government financial institutions to be more friendly to women in general, and to the IS in particular.
PATAMABA leaders also participated in the series of ILO and UNDP sponsored
workshops (also spearheaded by then DG Lazo) for Metro Manila Local Government
Units (LGUs) at TESDA on the promotion and protection of the informal
sector conducted February June 2002. Advocacy at the national level has
resulted in the official adoption (on November 6, 2002) by the National
Census and Statistical Board of the IS definition offered by the ILO-UNDP
workshop participants. In NEDA a sub-committee for the informal sector
was formed under the Social Development Council of NEDA, which approved
a Country Program for “Institutionalizing Programs and Projects
for the Informal Sector through the Local Governments” on July 6,
2003. The DOLE first initiated the implementation (or roll-out) of the
country program which contains the following strategies:
1. RECOGNITION
· mapping and profilingof IS workers by sub-sector for local government
unit (LGU) planning and budgeting
· financial and technical support for WIS regional focal persons/counterparts
in the conduct of issue-based organizing
· creation of WIS desk at the LGU’s-PESO (Public Employment
Service Office) and Business Development Council
· representation in local special bodies under the local government
code, including gender and development (GAD) bodies, Barangay Council
for the Protection of Children (BCPC), etc
· creation of government information center
2. SOCIAL PROTECTION
· ordinance encouraging all associations, cooperatives to enroll
members the Social Security System (SSS) , Philippine Health Insurance
Corporation (PHIC Individual Paying Program and Indigent Insurance Program
· ordinance compelling all micro-business to enroll their workers
in SSS and PHIC
· encouragement of savings mobilization program
· common terminals, market and work areas
· protection at workplaces and from harassment
· development of indigenous health insurance schemes
· OSH (Occupational Safety and Health) integration in local health
plans
3. PRODUCTIVE RESOURCES
· ordinance to implement Barangay Micro Business Enterprise (BMBE)
law
· rationalization of livelihood program
· creation of inter-agency bodies that will converge to pool resources
in developing community enterprises
· “leadrepreneurship” approach in developing community
or group enterprises
· business development center/desk that will also house E-Commerce
· permit and tax exemption for the first two years of operation
for group enterprises
· strengthening PESO where WIS desk is housed
· friendlier policy for regulation of any economic activity for
WIS
The DOLE regional offices have already appointed persons within DOLE to
be focal points in facilitating the planning and implementation of local
initiatives to implement the country program for the IS. Partnering with
these DOLE focal points are IS focal points. Among the latter are PATAMABA
leaders in Baguio, La Union, Iloilo, Davao, Bicol, and Bulacan.
C. Advocacy to Implement Country Program at Local Level
.Angono Rizal is one of the local government units that will benefit from the ILO/UNDP Project upon the recommendation of the leaders of PATAMABA Rizal to the ILO/UNDP Project Advisory Council (PAC). Angono, Rizals proposal to the PAC (formulated by the Angono Informal Sector Task Force, in which the PATAMABA National Coordinator for Networking is a member) was already submitted and reviewed; thus, it has become one of the pilot areas for implementation. The project took effect January 2003 and covers the following components: IS Statistics and Definition, Social Protection (SSS and Philhealth), Occupational Safety and Health, Productive Resources (through DTI, GFI & DBP), Legal and Policy Assessment, Social Mobilization and Advocacy for IS issues and agenda, and IS organizing.
On July 16, 2003, . the Angono Informal Sector Task Force/Technical Working Group and PATAMABA, in cooperation with ILO STEP conducted a forum-workshop on Social Protection through Health Micro Insurance. About 70 workers from informal sector organizations, representatives of local government offices, and leaders of cooperatives and NGOs participated in the forum which could lead to the implementation of a municipal-based health micro-insurance scheme in Angono.
Furthermore, the Bayanihan Saving’s Program (an initiative of the Department of Interior and Local Government) was re-launched in the municipality through the collaboration of the barangay officials, civil society and non-government organizations. For PATAMABA, the saving program has been implemented in the last four (4) years.
D. Advocacy for Greater Access to Productive Resources
PATAMABA leaders through the NAPC WIS Council renewed their advocacy within DOLE (through the Bureau of Rural Workers) through fora which focused on the needs of informal sector workers. Consequently, the DOLE became more receptive to proposals coming from IS organizations, including PATAMABA.
Through the facilitation of PATAMABA, the following areas were granted "Training Cum Production" assistance by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region III:
o Balingasa Chapter- March 2003, in the amount of P 94,000.00 for
school uniforms, 20 women as beneficiaries.
o San Francisco Bulacan- March 14, 2003, P82,000.00 for Doormat and
slipper making, 25 women as beneficiaries
o Dinalupihan Bataan- March 15, 2003 , P 94,000.00 for doormat and
slipper making, 15 women beneficaries
o Pandi, Bulacan -April 2003 P 80,200.00 for garments (sewing),
20 women as beneficiaries
E. Advocacy for a Magna Carta on Women
Through the initiative of women NGOs and their allies in Congress, House Bill No. 5807 (An Act Providing for the Magna Carta for Women) was filed in congress. The PATAMABA Coordinator for Networking as well as Homenet Southeast Asia RPC participated in Technical Committee meetings (held February 2003) to comment and add to the bill. Their input on a special section for women in the informal economy was approved for inclusion.
F. Advocacy on Macro Economic Issues
PATAMABA has participated in meetings and campaigns of the Fair Trade
Alliance (FTA) against unbridled trade liberalization , Freedom from Debt
Coalition (FDC) against excessive power rate increases, and Stop the New
Round Coalition on WTO-related issues.