Pinoy joins Al Gore in online global campaign on climate change

A Filipino environmentalist took part in a global campaign via internet on the reality of climate crisis and how the change is impacting the earth and lives of people.

Rodne Galicha, Executive Director of Sibuyan Island Sentinels League for Environment, joined former U.S. vice-president Al Gore and 22 others in delivering multi-media presentations to show the connection between the changing climate and the extreme weather that is felt around the world.

Galicha gave a presentation on the impact of climate change on the Solomon Islands to an online audience of about 2.6 million people.

At the beginning of his presentation, Galicha paid tribute to the indigenous peoples, saying he recognized “the indigenous peoples of the world who have been inspiring us all, who have been maintaining the balance of this planet.”

During the presentation, Galicha showed the solar panels in a research facility in Laguna, the e-jeepney and the effects of typhoon Ondoy in the country.

“If we are unable to act, with this phenomenon, we are committing suicide, for the next generation. Homo sapiens now become the most critically endangered species of all time,” he said at the conclusion of his presentation.

Called 24 Hours of Reality, the global campaign was broadcast live over the internet on Sept. 14-15 by Ustream, and can be viewed at http://www.climaterealityproject.org

Galicha is one of the 11 Filipinos trained personally by Al Gore to conduct presentations on climate change, and currently serves as The Climate Reality Project District Manager in the Philippines.

The 24 Hours of Reality campaign featured scientists, celebrities, business leaders and concerned citizens together with Al Gore.

Presenters showed the impact of climate change, characterized by extreme weather events—including floods, droughts and typhoons—on many places across the globe, from Tonga to Cape Verde and Mexico City to Alaska.

The campaign was hosted by Gore’s The Climate Reality Project in partnership with various organizations throughout the world that are working to find solutions to help solve the problem of climate change.

In the Philippines, presenters led by Galicha have delivered more than 300 presentations in the span of three years and have reached a combined audience of 50,000 to 60,000 people.

The Philippine presenters are the only authorized people in the country who can officially present the updated slideshow of Gore on climate change.

The other presenters, aside from Galicha are Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta, Chief, Public Attorney’s Office (PAO); Miguel R. Magalang, Executive Director of Marinduque Council for Environmental Concerns (MACEC); and Gilbert Roland M. Sape, International Campaigner of Pesticide Action Network – Asia Pacific (PAN-AP) who were trained in Melbourne, Australia in July 2009.

Another presenter, Bro. Jaazeal D. Jakosalem, OAR Administrator of University of Negros Occidental – Recoletos (UNO-R) was trained in Beijing, China in June 2010.

Five more presenters were trained in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2011. These were Dr. Maria C. Balatbat, Senior Lecturer at the School of Accounting, University of New South Wales, Australia; Fr. Amado Emmanuel A. Bolilia, OAR, Vice President for Religious Affairs at University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR); Philline Marie Paye-Donggay, Communications/PR of Greenergy; Napoleon E. Paris, Regional Coordinator of Tuklas Katutubo (Discover Indigenous Peoples); Shiela Castillo-Tiangco, Co-Founder, Movement of Imaginals for Sustainable Societies through Initiatives, Organization and Network (MISSION); and Noel N. Verdote, Director of PhilEnergy, Ayala Property Development Corporation (APMC).

Civil society groups renew call for Sierra Madre’s preservation

A network of environmentalists and civil society groups renewed its call for the protection of the biodiversity of Sierra Madre Mountain Range.

The call was made during the official launch of the network’s Save Sierra Madre Day celebrations on Sept. 9.

Fr. Pete Montallana, chair of the Save Sierra Madre Network (SSMN), in an earlier statement, expressed alarm on the fast disappearing biodiversity of the mountain ranges due to rampant logging and other human activities harmful to the preservation of the mountain rainforest.

SSMN represents Dumagat tribes and other indigenous peoples, local communities, environmentalists, faith-based organizations, and other forest protection advocates.

“What is disturbing is that Sierra Madre’s biodiversity-rich rainforest, which enables the mountain range to shield much of Luzon from raging Pacific storms, is fast diminishing due to rampant logging, quarrying and other developmental aggressions, such as dam, landfill and garbage dump projects,” Montallana has previously stated.

The priest, who was a recipient of Fr. Neri Satur Awards for Environmental Heroism, stressed the importance of weeding out corruption within the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), citing the “unholy alliance” between corrupt DENR officials and illegal loggers.

President Benigno Aquino III has declared September 26 as Save Sierra Madre Day through Proclamation No. 233 signed on August 10, 2011.

The September 26 celebration of Save Sierra Madre Day coincides with the anniversary of Typhoon Ondoy that claimed numerous lives and destroyed properties due to heavy flooding.

Last February 1, the president also issued a logging moratorium in natural and residual forests through Executive Order No. 23.

SSMN members in Metro Manila area are planning to have a Mass and other activities on September 26 in Marikina City, one of the most affected areas by Ondoy.

Members based in Quezon, Bulacan, Rizal, Aurora, and Nueva Ecija will be holding tree-planting activities, thanksgiving masses, and a mountain-climbing trip in their own provinces.

Rich in biodiversity, the Sierra Madre is the largest remaining tract of rainforest in the country with about 1.4 million hectares, 400,000 of which are primary or old-growth forests.

The forests contain more than 3,500 plant species, more than half of which are endemic or unique to the Philippines, and at least a hundred of which are endangered.

It is also home to about 70 threatened animal species which include the Philippine eagle, golden-crowned flying fox, and pygmy forest frog.

Church, workers urge govt to create just labor policies

Church people and workers called on government to put an end to exploitative working conditions and create just labor policies that give workers their right to security and decent living.

In a conference held by Church People and Workers Solidarity in Cebu City on Sept. 12-15, church people and labor leaders threshed out through a series of testimonies and workshops the problems of unjust labor policies in the country.

Participants came out with a statement at the conclusion of the four-day convention stressing four primary concerns of Filipino workers—contractualization, unjust wages, the violation of workers’ right to organize and migration of Filipino workers.

“Ignoring its inherent immorality, the legalization of contractualization allows capital to violate the workers’ basic right to security. Regular employees are now terminated summarily and then coerced to re-apply as contractual laborers together with new applicants, in total disregard of their many years of service,” partly read the conference statement which participants formulated at the end of the four-day convention.

The group decried the practice of contractualization which “deprives workers of the benefits of tenure and prevents them from organizing themselves into legitimate labor unions.”

They said the system is identical to a “modern version of slavery, with contracting agencies simply replacing the slave traders of old.”

Highlighted with excerpts from Catholic Church’s social teachings, the statement also denounced the practice of certain companies to ask workers “to sign vouchers certifying that they are paid the minimum legal wage, when in fact, they have received less, under the threat of termination.”

It also criticized the present government’s anti-labor policies citing its pro-capital stance as in the case of PAL vs. PALEA labor dispute.

The statement likewise noted that both past and incumbent administrations have done nothing much but to encourage more the continuous outflow of migrant workers because of lack of domestic opportunities.

“Focused on increasing the remittances to prop up a failing economy, the government has put in place exploitative labor policies to avoid facing up to the basic need of generating employment for its citizens. The social cost of forced migration to Philippine society is equally staggering,” it further read.

Among other things, the statement also recommended the establishment of the Church People and Workers Solidarity “as a permanent organization to serve as an instrument to assist workers in their struggle for dignity and rightful recognition as partners in the pursuit of peace and progress in the country; to task current convenors to serve as the transitional leadership body charged with defining and establishing the needed organizational structures for the new group; and to mandate the transitional leadership group to formulate and develop programs and services that the CWS would undertake in behalf of workers.”

CWS convenor and Jaro Auxiliary Bishop Gerardo Alminaza read the statement on Sept. 15, together with some representatives from Religious women and labor leaders during the closing Eucharistic celebration led by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

The church people and workers conference was convened in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s encyclical on Human Work (Laborem Exercens).

Bishop: Women, environmental issues inadequately addressed in Church teachings

A Catholic bishop expressed hopes that other significant social issues in contemporary society would be addressed in the Catholic Church’s canon of social teachings.

Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo on Tuesday stated that he hopes other vital issues such as the status of women and environmental concerns will be included in the future in the list of Church social doctrines.

“The role and status of women in society and in the church has not been addressed adequately and remains a significant limitation of catholic social doctrine,” Lagdameo noted.

He said that despite the importance of catholic social teaching in the light of the contemporary church, still some other matters which report further development are yet to be included in the Church’s canon of teaching.

“An encyclical on the environment has not yet come out ever, is overdue even though some move has been made in this direction by the current Pope Benedict XVI,” he said.

Lagdameo stated that the main purpose of the Catholic social doctrine has been anthropocentric and not environmental.

And yet, he said, “we have actually been created by the environment and we create our environment.”

The former CBCP president was the keynote speaker during the opening plenary session of the national conference of church people and workers being held at the Mariners Court in Cebu City.

He affirmed before 800 participants of church people and workers that it is part of the Church role to be the voice of the poor in the face of injustice and oppressive structures.

“[The Church] cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice,” Lagdameo said, quoting a line from Pope Benedict XVI’s celebrated encyclical, Deus Caritas Est.

Lagdameo quoted extensively from Church social documents highlighting the Church’s position on the dignity of labor and rights of workers.

He explained the development of the Church social documents from Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum that dates back to 1891, a seminal encyclical on Labor and Capital, up to Pope John Paul II’s Laborem Exercens published in 1981.

The social encyclicals, beginning from Rerum Novarum underline the Church’s “preferential option for the poor”, “the primacy of labor over capital”, and the task of the Church to fight injustice as an essential part of evangelization.
Lagdameo said, “what is now known as catholic social teachings develop organically.”

“That’s the reason why I tried to enumerate some of the magisterial statements because you have to look at the social doctrine organically. Each document drew upon and affirmed what precede it but also added to and develop the teaching. Given this it is important to point to consistent values and principles within this tradition,” he said.

“We are not lacking in the tradition of social teaching… what is lacking is to fill it up,” he added.

Lagdameo expressed hopes that the Church continue to live up to the tradition of the social teachings which evolved in 1891 “into this new century and continue to push the boundaries of faith to incorporate the big issues to the future.”

Noting that the social teachings have been rarely discuss in “Church circles”, these also rarely “informs decision making and action, at least explicitly,” Lagdameo said

“The Catholic social teaching has been referred to oftentimes as the catholic church’s best kept secret. It is Church teaching that is rarely preached about in our pulpits, rarely written about and rarely spoken about in Church circles. Consequently in rarely informs decision making and action, at least explicitly,” he said.

“Now is a good time to reclaim this tradition, and to allow it to become a benchmark for the seeding out of the powerplay in today’s world,” Lagdameo furthered.

Church can’t stay neutral in the face of injustice—bishop

Echoing the words of Pope Benedict XVI, Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo stressed the role of the Church as the voice of the poor in the face of injustice and oppressive societal structures.

“[The Church] cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice,” Lagdameo said, quoting a line from the pontiff’s celebrated encyclical, Deus Caritas Est.

Speaking before 800 church people and workers gathered at the first plenary session of the National Conference of Church People and Workers in Cebu City’s Mariners Court, Lagdameo quoted extensively from Church social documents highlighting the Church’s position on the dignity of labor and rights of workers.

He explained the development of the Church social documents from Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum that dates back to 1891, a seminal encyclical on Labor and Capital, up to Pope John Paul II’s Laborem Exercens published in 1981.

The social encyclicals, beginning from Rerum Novarum underline the Church’s “preferential option for the poor”, “the primacy of labor over capital”, and the task to fight injustice as an essential part of evangelization.

Positively pleased by Lagdameo’s address, Sr. Emelina Villegas, ICM, Board President of labor NGO, Center for Trade Union and Human Rights, noted that the Church has indeed been adapting to the changing issues of society.

“I am glad because the Archbishop presented the history of the encyclicals in a developmental manner – how the Church is adapting and responding to the changing issues that confront society. Although still reactive, the Church is somehow able to cope with our changing reality. With this, my hopes are renewed and I can see that concrete action will result from this [conference],” she said.

For his part, Kilusang Mayo Uno National Chairperson, Elmer Labog said he agrees with the Archbishop’s message that the Church must not stay neutral when there is injustice.

“In these times when connivance between capitalists and the government is ever inflicting more suffering to workers and the poor, there is no room for neutrality [for the Church]. Because if the Church will be neutral, then the workers have no one else to run to and the Church might be more easily swayed by reactionary forces.”

Valid calls for just remuneration

Former Anakpawis Partylist Representative Joel Maglunsod who also attended the conference said that learning about the Church teachings on the value of labor and human work puts Anakpawis in a high moral ground to further their calls and legislative agenda for just remuneration, security of tenure, and protection of workers’ rights and freedoms.

“The teachings of the Church only validates that the proposed bills of Anakpawis are just and legitimate in the same way that these bills were aligned with International Covenants and the 1986 Constitution,” he said.

Why only now?

The conference came at the time of the Church’s commemoration of the 30th year of anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Laborem Exercens.

Lagdameo voiced out what perhaps many of the workers have been wanting to ask the Church for a long time.

“What we are doing now—a national conference—why only now? After 90 years of social teachings of the church, why only now? After 30 years of Laborem Exercens, why only now? And until when?” Lagdameo asked to the wild applause of the participants.

"We are not lacking in the tradition of the social teachings, what is lacking in us is to fill it up," he said.

He nonetheless noted that other social issues such as the environment and the status of women in the Church and society need to be included in the canon of social doctrines.

Reacting to Lagdameo’s question, on why it is only now that the Church has organized a conference such as this, Labog said that it is always better late than never and the move of the Church to reach out to the workers is still a welcome development.

“We hope that this conference will result to concrete steps that will truly help the workers in organizing and forming unions. Forming church people-worker groups in economic zones in Mactan, Cavite, Mindanao and some parts of Central Luzon will be of utmost help as workers in these areas experience severe exploitation and oppression,” he said.

At least 33 dioceses and archdioceses and around 200 union and association of workers nationwide have sent delegates to participate in the historic dialogue that ended Thursday.

Filipino seafarers: Nation’s ‘heroes’, exploited workers

Filipino seafarers keep the economy afloat with billions of remittances annually.
But what keeps the government from enacting laws that
would provide them security and protection?

Globally, the Philippines holds the distinction of being called the “manning capital in the world”. Of the 1.23 million of seafarers of various nationalities manning the world’s ocean-going vessels, 28 % are Filipinos. Filipino seafarers, like their fellow land-based overseas workers have been hailed time and again by the Philippine government as “heroes” for helping the economy stay afloat through billion of pesos of remittances they send back home annually.

But the connection ends there. Unlike their fellow land-based OFWs, whose basic rights are protected by Republic Act 10022, or the expanded OFW protection law, the seafarers have basically nothing to shield them from exploitation and human rights violations they often experienced at work.

While the global impact of the shipping industry has led governments of various nations to craft an international law that provides safety and protection to millions of seafarers manning the ships that ply in the world’s oceans, the Philippine government until now has not passed a single law for the protection of the Filipino seafarer.

International laws for seafarers

In 2006, the International Labour Organization has adopted the Maritime Labor Convention (MLC) aimed to provide protection to the world’s 1.2 million seafarers. The landmark agreement provides for the minimum requirements for seafarers to work on a ship. It also spells out conditions of employment; accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering; health protection, medical care, welfare and social security protection; and compliance and enforcement.

The MLC 2006 is actually a consolidation and updating of several international laws related to maritime industry in the last 80 years. The convention is expected to be fully implemented in early 2012, as it has already reached the “required registered ratifications of members with a total share in the world’s gross tonnage of ships of 33 percent.” (http://www.ilo.org/global)

Although the convention specifies that at least 30 members that have a total share of 33% of world’s gross tonnage of ships should have ratified the convention before it is fully implemented, the 33% requirement was fully met by only 16 member-states (see table below) that already ratified the convention.

Irony

Touted as a leading supplier of seafarers to the world, the Philippines ought to have been the first one to jump at the opportunity to ratify a landmark document that would ensure protection of its seafarers plying the world’s oceans.

Ironically, until now the government is silent about the matter. Not even both houses of Congress have passed a single law aimed to protect the rights of seafarers despite cases of exploitation and labor malpractices they are exposed to.

The Apostolate of the Sea in the Philippines, an international Church-based organization that provides practical and pastoral care for seafarers is urging government to act swiftly in protection of the seafarers by ratifying the MLC 2006.

Fr. Paulo Prigol, CS, the AOS National Director says the national government was very quick in crafting a bill to protect the rights of OFWs, (land-based) but so slow in the case of seafarers.

“Isn’t it an irony that the largest and the leader supplier of seafarers in the world is nowhere to be found in the MLC radar?” he asks.

Another convention that is waiting to be ratified by the Philippine government in favour of the seafarers is the Seafarers Identity Document (SID) Convention, (2003, No. 185), that has been in full force since February 9, 2005. The SID Convention was adopted by ILO during its 91st session in 2003. To date, only 19 countries so far have ratified the SID convention.

Implications

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center had resulted in some countries applying stringent measures in its international ports, requiring seafarers to have a visa in every port they docked. Since Philippines is not a signatory to the SID convention, Filipino seafarers whose ship calls port in Brazilian shores are not allowed to go on shore leave.

Prigol says the Brazilian Federal Police may only allow Filipino seafarers to go on shore leave provided they have a “visa 5” which they must secure before departing the Philippines. A single entry visa costs P5,500.00 or around US$130.00.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has tasked concerned agencies like DOLE (Department of Labor and Industry) and DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) to advise all manning agencies in the country to require Brazil-bound Filipino seafarers to secure the proper visa before leaving for Brazil. Meantime, AOS gets an assurance from DFA that the government is working towards ratification of ILO C185.

Pinoy seafarers favoured over foreign counterparts

Back in 1975, the Philippines was considered as the number one supplier of seafarers in the world. At present, seafarers from other nations like China, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Greece, Indonesia and India work side by side with Filipinos in manning the world’s ocean-going vessels.

But compared with other nationalities, Filipino seafarers are still the most sought after maritime workers in shipping industry across the globe. Among other qualities, Filipinos’ facility of the English language puts them ahead of other nationalities who are also vying for the same job.

Prigol said Filipinos are still the most preferred seafarers by foreign maritime companies mainly for two reasons.

"Because they speak English, and they are well trained," he said.

But Teodoro Dalaguan, a seafarer from Surigao who presently stays at Stella Maris Center in Ermita while waiting to be deployed, believes that it is their industriousness and dependability that give Filipinos an edge over their foreign counterparts.

Hundreds of thousands of contracts processed annually

Each year, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) deals with hundreds of thousands of contracts of seafarers.

In 2009 alone, the POEA has processed 435,115 contracts of seafarers but only 330,424 seafarers were deployed in the same year.

“It means that 105,091 were not able to find a job,” Prigol says. “That’s a daily average of 290,” he furthers.

On the average, around 903 seafarers leave the country everyday to board their ships docked in other countries.

Regular deployment

One of these regularly deployed is Nelson Pimentel, a 45 year-old bachelor from Cebu City. A Marine engineering graduate, Pimentel first boarded a ship in 1988.

Pimentel says it was relatively easy during his time. He did not have to wait long to get onboard. He worked as an apprentice in an inter-island vessel after graduation. After a short stint, he went to Manila and applied in an international shipping company. He believes his experience as an apprentice helped him land a job at once.

“During my time, only few were taking up this course (marine engineering), but now many are already taking up this course,” he says.

In his 23 years as a seaman, Pimentel has worked in 25 ships. Like everybody else, he started from the lower ranks and worked his way up. He started as an oiler with a monthly salary of US$600. He is now a third engineer and gets a salary of US$4,500 a month.

Officers have an advantage than the ratings since they don’t have to wait too long for deployment. In the case of Pimentel, this year he was on leave for barely two months. His ship called port only last June and he went onboard again just last month.

But for the ratings (ordinary seamen), waiting time for the next deployment sometimes stretches from six to seven months due to stiff competition, according to Pimentel.

He says the salary they get for working seven months onboard a ship sometimes is just enough to cover the expenses they incur during months of waiting time for the next deployment.

Although the current shipping company he works for pays relatively well, he nonetheless admits that his job is difficult and demanding. He discloses that he has been injured at work a few times, and their ship once was almost overtaken by pirates.

Piracy attacks

Piracy attacks is rife along the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea in Africa, mostly carried out by Somali pirates, who make a living out of attacking ships and holding seafarers captives in exchange for hefty ransom.

According to the Piracy Reporting Centre of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), as of August 18, 2011, reported cases of piracy attacks worldwide has reached 314, while hijacked ships totalled 31. In these piracy attacks, 178 has been carried on by Somali pirates, who successfully hijacked 22 ships and taken 362 seafarers as prisoners while killing seven others. Currently, Somali pirates are holding 18 vessels and 355 hostages.

With Filipino crews manning 51,000 of the world’s maritime vessels, it is expected that every ship taken hostage by pirates have Filipinos in it. Based on latest data released by DFA on 11 June 2011, 78 Filipino seafarers are on board of 8 vessels still held in captivity by pirates.

With the increased cases of piracy through the years, seafaring has become a dangerous trade not only in terms of human cost but financial as well. In the span of four years, from 2006-2010, around 542 Filipino seafarers had been hijacked aboard 45 vessels, as reported by DFA. Of these, 461 had been released on board 39 vessels. In 14 April 2011 report, 155 Filipino seafarers remain hostage by pirates.

Just this year, news of a Filipino seafarer killed by Somali pirates along the Indian Ocean hit the headlines. Farolito Vallega, whose ship M/V Beluga was hijacked by Somali pirates on January 22, 2011, was killed when a rescue mission was launched a few days after.

Last May, another Filipino became a casualty of piracy attacks. Christopher Ceprado who worked as a crew of tanker M/T Sea King, was also killed when their ship was attacked by pirates in Benin.

The piracy attacks come with a “high price” to pay not only in terms of financial ransom, but also in the psychological, emotional and physical trauma that the seafarers and their families have to endure for a long time in life.

Policies that work

A magna carta for seafarers has been introduced in the Senate a few years ago, but until now, lawmakers have not acted on it. In the light of the recent tragedies, lawmakers in both houses of Congress are pushing for a law that would ensure equal protection for seafarers especially those who have fallen victims to piracy.

Just over two months ago, President Benigno Aquino III has issued Proclamation No. 183 giving due recognition to the invaluable contribution of the seafarers to the country’s economic development.

The presidential proclamation signed on June 3 by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. seeks to recognize and acknowledge the important role of Filipino seafarers in the “global maritime community.”

“The Conference of Parties, under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), that adopted major revisions otherwise known as the 'Manila Amendments' to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) for seafarers and its associated Code that was held in Manila from 21-25 June 2010 approved a resolution declaring every 25th Day of June each year as the “Day of the Seafarer,” the proclamation stated.

But what does this one-day recognition mean or impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of seafarers who have to contend daily with threats of piracy and other physical dangers while toiling out there at sea?

More than just paying them lip service, the Philippine government should put in place aggressive maritime laws that would ensure the safety and protection of seafarers from exploitative working conditions and physical dangers they are exposed to while working onboard ocean-going vessels.

The nation’s unsung “heroes” who keep the country’s economy on the roll by their P3 billion remittances yearly deserve more than just a day of recognition from their government that is supposed to provide livelihood to its people and protect its citizens from exploitation.