8/8/2019 Kabataan Party-List Newsletter (January 2011)

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Sa pagsasara ng unang anim na buwanng ika-15 Kongreso, nakapaghain angKabataan Partylist ng 15 panukalang batasat sampung resolusyon. Nakapagbigaynaman ang kinatawan ng Kabataan na siRep. Raymond Palatino ng dalawangprivilege speech, samantalang nagingkapwa may-akda rin ang Kabataan ng 60panukalang batas at resolusyon mula saibat ibang kinatawan sa Kamara.

Mga mayor na panukalang batas at

resolusyonPatuloy na iginigiit ng Kabataan sa

usapin ng pagpopondo na nararapat bigyanng isa sa pinakamalaking pagpapahalaga ngestado ang edukasyon sa lahat ng antas.Kaya naman isa sa mga unang ipinanukalaang House Bill 1962 na naglalayogawtomatikong bigyan ng budget ang sektorng edukasyon na katumbas sa anim naporsyento ng Gross Domestic Product ng bansa. Layunin din nitong ibasura angawtomatikong paglalaan ng pamahalaan ngpondo para sa pambayad-utang upangmatiyak na may sapat na badyet para saedukasyon at iba pang serbisong

panlipunan.Isa rin sa mga mayor at popular na

panukalang batas ng Kabataan ang Anti-NoPermit No Exam Bill (HB 807) na maylayuning ipagbawal sa mga administratorng mga paaralan ang pagpapatupad ng di-makatarungang no-permit no exam policyat iba pang mga katulad na palisiya.

Sa gitna naman ng patuloy na pagtaas ngmga matrikula sa mga pamahalaan,nanawagan ang Kabataan sa pamamagitanng Tuition Moratorium Bill (HB 3708) namagkaroon ng tatlong-taong moratorium sapagtaas ng matrikula at ng iba pang mgabayarin sa lahat ng paaralan sa buong bansa.

Kabataan files bill protectingBPO workers welfare anew

Kabataan Partylist RepresentativeRaymond Palatino filed House Bill2592 which seeks to promote andprotect the rights of our fellow

Muli namang ipinasa ng Kabataanang BPO Workers Welfare and ProtectionBill (HB 2592) sa harap ng papalaking bilang ng mga kabataang nagtatrabahosa mga call center. Pinaunlad itong bersyon ng parehong panukalang batasna inihain din ng Kabataan noongnakaraang Kongreso batay na rin sa mga

reaksyon ng maraming call center agentat sa mga isinagawang roundtablediscussion. Layunin nitong pagtibayinang mga probisyon ng Labor Code nakadalasang pinasusubalian ng maramingkumpanya ng BPO, iinstitusyonalisa angilan pang mga dagdag na benepisyoupang matugunan ang mga isyung maykinalaman sa kondisyong paggawa napartikular sa isang call center, pag-standardize ng restroom breaks,pagtitiyak na regularisasyon ng callcenter agent pagkatapos ng anim nabuwan ng pagtatrabaho, at iba pa.

Kaugnay nitoy nagpatawag din

tayo ng imbestigasyon sa pamamagitan

ng House Resolution 527 hinggil sa mgakaso ng health disorder ng mga call centeragent at hindi pagtalima ng maramingkumpanya ng BPO sa itinakdangoccupational safety and health standardsguidelines ng Department of Labor andEmployment.

Sa usapin naman ng karapatan ng mgakonsyumer, pinag-usapan at sinuportahanng maraming kabataan at netizens angHouse Resolution 407 na pinaiimbestigahanang serbisyo ng mga broadband at internet

service providers. ##

Gawaing lehislatibo ng Kabataan saunang6 buwan ng ika-15 Kongreso

ULAT NG KABATAAN PARTY-LIST | ISSUE 01, VOLUME 01 | ENERO 2011

Youth solidarity brings gains

in SUC budget cut fightKabataan Partylist, the first and sole

youth partylist in Congress, activelylobbied inside and outside Congress forhigher state funding to tertiary education

www.kabataanpartylist.com|www.facebook.com/kabataan |www.twitter.com/kabataanpl

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Filipinos, who flock to Business ProcessOutsourcing (BPO) companies forimmediate employment.

Originally filed last 14th Congress,Palatino said that the BPO WorkersWelfare and Protection Act of 2010 soughtto assert the prescribed labor standards setforth in the Labor Code and institutionalizeadditional benefits that would hopefullyaddress specific work-related problems andissues peculiar to the nature of BPO work.

When Rep. Palatino filed the bill last14th Congress, his office receivednumerous feedback from BPO managers,call center agents, and even mothers ofBPO workers, all expressing concern withthe working conditions in many of thecompanies under this industry.

Among the problems weve noticedfrom the feedback we have received, is thatBPO companies devise mechanisms toprevent many of their employees from becoming regular employees despitehaving been employed as probationaryworkers or trainees for more than sixmonths, he said.

We have incorporated two newprovisions in this new bill for BPOworkers, one for mandatory regularizationof all employees who have worked for atleast six months in the company, and onefor the standardization of restroom breaks,aside from the standardization of themedical check-up benefits for all workers,he said.

Aside from these provisions, Rep.Palatino has retained much of the rightsand benefits that they have incorporated intheir first bill for BPO workers welfare andprotection, from asserting their right toorganize and establish formations and

unions, to asserting their right to dueprocess in administrative proceedings.

Salient proposals in the HB include:- Regularization of all BPO workers upon

the sixth month of employment as traineeor apprentice, or upon the completion of a

maximum probationary training periodof six months.

- Standardized restroom breaks notshorter than five minutes each, withintervals of two hours during theirworking hours.

- Entitlement to medical benefits uponentry in the BPO company and not

merely upon regularization- Right to Self-Association, to engage in

Collective Bargaining, and toparticipate in Democratic Exercises

In a recent study on the BPOindustry, the International LaborOrganization (ILO) said that while theBPO industry provide relatively goodquality jobs, key changes in the BPOindustry policies and practices need to be pushed to improve work conditions.The study reported that 48 percent ofBPO workers suffer from insomnia while54 percent from fatigue. Of which, 45.6percent cited that harassment from irateclients are among the causes of work-related stress among workers, 41 percentfrom excessive and tedious workload,37.4 percent from performance demands,33.7 percent from monotony and 33.4percent from regular night work.

The ILO study also noted highworkforce attrition or staff turnover rateswhich need to be addressed byredesigning work processes, givingBPO workers autonomy and discretion.

Palatino said they are confidentthat they will get the support, not only ofthe agents but of call center owners andmanagements as well. There is noreason for owners and managers tooppose this measure. Improving theagents welfare will also mean greaterproductivity and lower workforceattrition rate for them.

This industry grants apparent andimmediate employment opportunities tomany of our young people. It is only justthat we ensure the rights and welfare ofthose who have chosen to rely on thissunshine industry, he added. ##

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Kabataan files bill protecting BPO workers welfare anew

during the deliberation period of the firstbudget proposal of the Aquino administration.

In his budget message, President Aquinosaid he allocated P23.4 billion to 112 StateUniversities and Colleges (SUCs) in 2011which is 1.7 percent lower than the P23.8billion budget for 2010.

In the course of the budget deliberations inCongress, Kabataan and various youth groupssuch as the National Union of Students of thePhilippines, Anakbayan and League of FilipinoStudents have been steadfast in opposing thesaid budget cuts, citing the debilitating effectsof the budget cuts to the youth such asincreased tuition rates and imposition ofadditional fees.

Kabataan initially released an SUCs budgetbriefer which detailed the cuts to the operatingbudget of our state schools and the increasingincome generated by schools through tuitionfees. It has also garnered the support of almostone-third of the entire House ofRepresentatives through a manifesto of unityagainst the said cuts.

After weeks of continuous education strikeswhich culminated in the historic December1Senate mobilization, Congress has amendedthe national budget for 2011 to include a P146-M increase in the budget of SUCs.

Kabataan Rep. Mong Palatino likewiseurged President Aquino to reverse his Statepolicy that reduces government support to theSUCs.

It is worthwhile to recall PresidentAquinos oath to the people: Hindi akomagnanakaw (I shall not steal). But is not thereduction of government support to publictertiary education a form of stealing? Does itnot rob the youth of their future? Palatinosaid. ##

Youth solidarity brings gainsin budget cut fight

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COMMITTEEMEMBERSHIPS OF REP.PALATINO

Now on his second term as member ofthe House of Representatives, KabataanParty-List Rep. Raymond Palatino has beenelected to various Congressional committees.Aside from the Committee on Youth andSports Development, of which he waschosen as Vice-Chairperson, he is also amember of the following committees: BasicEducation and Culture, Dangerous Drugs,Globalization and WTO, Higher andTechnical Education, MilleniumDevelopment Goals, and Social Services. ##

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