By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
The chairman of the House Committee on Labor on Tuesday urged President Aquino to sign into law the proposed “Philippine Green Jobs Act of 2016.”
National Unity Party Rep. Karlo Alexei B. Nograles of Davao, panel chairman and main author of the bill, said that the measure seeks to create job opportunities in the field of green technology to promote the protection of the environment.
“With this measure, we will see the establishment of many green investments in the country, such as those that are involved in the production of electronic vehicles, solar panels, water-recycling plants and even power companies that use renewable resources,” Nograles said.
The lawmaker said that both the House of Representatives and the Senate passed the proposed Philippine Green Jobs Act. However, due to lack of time, the lower chamber has adopted Senate Bill 3092 to fast track the enactment of the bill into law.
Nograles said the bill encourages the creation of green jobs that produce goods and services that benefit and preserve the environment or conserve the natural resources.
The bill entitles green companies which use fewer natural resources in their production process to fiscal incentives that may include additional deduction of labor expense and duty free importation of capital equipment.
Green companies are the business enterprises that are involved in the production of environment-friendly products and those that offer services to promote ecological protection and conservation.
The bill mandates the Department of Labor and Employment to formulate a National Green Jobs Human Resource Development Plan on the development, enhancement and utilization of the labor force, both in the private and public sector, which will sustain the transition into a green economy.
“It shall include programs, projects and activities pertaining to basic, higher and technical-vocational education and training; a database that identifies and links green job opportunities with private and public entities; and information on knowledge and skill requirements of a green economy,” the bill added.
Sen. Juan Edgardo M. Angara, sponsor of the bill, said that the measure is aiming for cleaner environment and improved economy while decreasing the number of unemployed.
“By making countries accountable to the world for their carbon-emission reduction schemes and green policies, the Paris agreement marked a step in favor of the planet,” Angara said.
Angara, acting chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development, cited a 2011 United Nations report which showed that investments in green industries are generally more employment intensive and are a big help in the fight against climate change.
“A ‘green jobs’ boom could happen here in the Philippines—in energy, for instance, also in retrofitting buildings for energy efficiency, climate-change adaptation and sustainable resource management,” Angara said.
Sen. Loren Legarda, who introduced the bill, said green jobs are jobs that help “protect ecosystems and biodiversity; reduce energy, materials and water consumption through high-efficiency strategies; decarbonize the economy; minimize or avoid altogether the generation of all forms of waste and pollution.”
“A green job must be kind not only to the environment but, most of all, to the workers. Such jobs must also pay adequate wages, provide safe working conditions and adhere to widely held workers’ rights, including the right to organize,” she added.
Legarda said decisive action was needed to build a “greener,” less carbon-intensive and more resource-efficient economies.
Under the measure, the Department of Finance is tasked to come up with an incentive scheme to encourage individuals and companies to engage in green jobs in accordance with the national green jobs human resource development plan to be formulated by the Department of Labor and Employment.
The proposed Philippine Green Jobs Act of 2016 also mandates the Philippine Statistics Authority to maintain a database of green careers, professions and skills.
2 comments
Green jobs are jobs that help “protect ecosystems and biodiversity.
I agree to Senator Loren that decisive action was needed to build a “greener,” less carbon-intensive and more resource-efficient economies.