PALSCON, other groups unite to end “Contractualization,” “ENDO,” “5-5-5”

Tweet

The Philippine Association of Legitimate Service Contractors (PALSCON), linked up with other groups with the hopes of sending a united voice to end the illegal employment practice of “contractualization” or “End of Contract,” more popularly known as “ENDO” and “5-5-5.”

During its recent General Membership Meeting held in this city, PALSCON invited various employers’ groups and other associations such as the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), the Makati Business Club (MBC), the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries of the Philippines, Inc. (SEIPI) and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), to name a few, for a dialogue on the issue. 

The objective of the historic dialogue between PALSCON and the associations was to unite and find winnable solutions to end “ENDO” and “5-5-5.” Many from the government and labor groups are clamoring for an end to these illegal labor practices that they see as detrimental to the economy and the growth of the Filipino labor force. 

In light of this important meeting, PALSCON already came up with a draft manifesto and provided it to all the groups, who promised to look and review said manifesto. As soon as all issues are thoroughly discussed, PALSCON and the groups will issue a joint statement regarding the result of their discussion.

ECOP President Donald Dee said they welcomed the invitation of PALSCON to dialogue regarding the issue. “We are glad that PALSCON invited us to sit down with them together with other concerned groups and hopefully, we can resolve this together very soon.”

The Board of Trustees of the Philippine Association of Legitimate Service Contractors (PALSCON) are shown in photo together with Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) President Donald Dee (6th from left) and PALSCON National President Ms. Rhoda Caliwara (5th from right).

Others in photo are (left to right) Jojo Jabines, PALSCON Treasurer, Henry Nuqui, PALSCON Vice President, Sarah Deloraya, PALSCON past President, Fermin Cunanan, PALSCON past President, Lea Soriano, PALSCON Auditor, PALSCON past President Butch Guerrero, and Armand Gutierrez Jr. and Agnes Escalona, PALSCON Directors.

George Barcelon, President of PCCI, for his part, said that they fully support PALSCON and the call to end “ENDO” and “5-5-5”once and for all.

Both acknowledged that PALSCON’s draft manifesto is a good step to have the voice of the service contractors be heard and promised that they will both study its contents.

“Time and again, PALSCON is at the forefront of combating illegal labor practices. ‘Service contracting’ is already a globally accepted labor trend. Our objective is to help educate the public and our Filipino workers and of course the government regarding service contracting and hopefully, we will reach our objective together with our partners here today,” declares Rhoda Caliwara, President of PALSCON.

Caliwara said service contracting cannot be banned since it is already an accepted labor practice with many benefits among major countries such as the United States, China, Japan and in many countries in Europe, and that most workers are satisfied under an “agency” setup. “Agency work is the first to adjust to major market fluctuations, and most of all provides flexibility to corporations,” says Caliwara. 

She said in the Philippines, service contracting is allowed under Articles 106 to 109 of the Labor Code. In 2011, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) passed Department Order (DO) 18-A which raised the standards of service contracting to include higher capitalization in order to prevent “labor-only” contracting. The DOLE pegged a minimum capitalization requirement of P3 million for agencies, a registration fee of from a measly P100 to P25,000, and a minimum administrative fee of 10% to prevent cut-throat competition in the industry.

DO 18-A’s stringent requirements, according to Caliwara, also helped PALSCON police its ranks and reduced the number of service contractors from more than 16,000 to only more than 5,000 in 2015 to eliminate the so-called “fly-by-night contractors.” 

“We hope the government should inspect first these ‘fly-by-night’ agencies rather than the registered contractors who are the ones complying with the law.” 

Be informed of the latest issues in ending "ENDO" and "5-5-5". Attend the PALSCON 6th National Forum happening on November 14, 2016 (8am to 5pm) at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, Ortigas Center, Quezon City. Don't be left behind! Limited Slots only!

Register now and be a part of the biggest gathering of Service Contractors.

For inquiries, email palscon_6thnationalforum@yahoo.com.

Acer Academy honored new and loyal members at awards night

Tweet

From left to right: Acer Philippines Sales and Marketing Manager Sue Ong-Lim; Acer Philippines Managing Director Manuel Wong; St. Dominic College of Asia President Dr. Greg Andaman and wife; Joselito Dominguez and Fritz Agapito of Metro Manila College; Ivar Nelson Bingcang and Jenald Rodelas of Adventist University of the Philippines; Raul Acapulco of Immaculada Concepcion College; Fr. Uly Rimabawa and Rodelio Barcenas of Don Dosco Technical College; Carlo Anthony Nakpil and Ana Niguidula of Holistic Development Center; Acer Commercial Channel Sales Manager Carren Garcia

Local IT giant Acer Philippines, Inc. recently honored members of its Acer Academy program during the awards night held at the Manila Ocean Park.

Acer introduced the new members of its growing Acer Academy program. The event also served as a platform to showcase its continuing efforts in strengthening its partnership with the academe in setting new benchmarks in the education sphere.

Loyalty awards were also given to schools that were part of the program for no less than 3 years. Benefits included rewards based on purchases where points are earned and can be converted into training opportunities, free devices for the school, discounts and freebies. For walk-in purchases at the Acer Concept Store, the faculty will be awarded with outright discounts upon showing of their school ID and upon availing of the Extended Faculty Purchase Program from the loyalty program. This offer is good for one year only.

The new members for Luzon include Metro Manila College, St. Dominic College of Asia, Adventist University of the Philippines, Immaculada Concepcion College, Don Bosco Technical College, Holistic and Development Center, and Faith Academy. The Loyalty awardees are Saint Pedro Poveda College, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, and Holy Angel University.

Acer also showcased its various impressive new products for the education sector, particularly its latest desktops, laptops, tablets, projectors and other modern teaching equipment for today’s 21st Century classrooms during the event, themed “Dive into Discovery: Experience the world of innovation.”

From left to right: Sue Ong-Lim, Acer Philippines Sales and Marketing Director; Manuel Wong, Acer Philippines Managing Director; Carlo Anthony Nakpil and Ana Niguidula of Holistic Development Center; Acer Philippines Sales Manager for Business Development Alexis De Guzman; Acer Philippines Commercial Channel Sales Manager Carren Garcia.

Major event highlights include the inspirational talks from two of Acer’s latest brand ambassadors. Francis Kong, an award-winning business columnist and speaker, talked about the challenges he faced early on in his career and how he aspired for greater goals in order to succeed. Megan Young, Miss World 2013, on the other hand, talked about how her aspirations to succeed pushed her to achieve her goals through hard work and determination.

Prior to the Acer brand ambassadors’ speeches, an exciting “Mermaid Show” was performed by the Manila Ocean Park Mermaid team. Later in the evening, a thrilling treat was provided by Acer Philippines where member-schools toured the Manila Ocean Park and visited some of its most notable attractions like the “Oceanarium,” “Fish Spa” and “Trails to Antarctica.”

Carren Garcia, Channel Sales Manager, Acer Philippines, also provided updates regarding the program, which now has 97 members, a far cry from only 11 member-schools when the program started several years back. “The target was to grow the membership to 100 schools by year-end. Definitely we are on target of surpassing that number,” she pointed out.

The Acer Academy Program started in 2012. The membership now includes colleges and universities nationwide, with the biggest coming from Luzon, followed by Mindanao and then the Visayas. As member-schools of the program, the school and students enjoy several benefits such as Acer’s sponsorship of school events and activities, free training for the school faculty and IT personnel, participation in campus tours, and students of an Acer Academy program member are prioritized under Acer’s internship program where they get first crack at on-the-job or even possible hiring opportunities.

Garcia also announced that they are looking at growing the number of the program’s member-schools. More importantly, however, she said it is all about retaining more member-schools for it to be able to serve the academe. “Our plan next year is to engage even the students of member-schools and not just the faculty. We are also looking at creating an annual programming and design skills competition using Acer devices, technology and other gadgets. The mechanics is already being crafted. Initially, we’re looking at senior high school to college students as participants.”

From left to right: Sue Ong-Lim, Acer Philippines Sales and Marketing Director; Manuel Wong, Acer Philippines Managing Director, Raul Acapulco of Immaculada Concepcion College; Acer Philippines Sales Manager for Business Development Alexis De Guzman; Acer Philippines Commercial Channel Sales Manager Carren Garcia.

Other plans, Garcia said, include the launching of the “Acer Cloud Professor,” which will utilize software programming and robotics, plus conducting outreach programs where Acer will seek the help of member-schools in identifying certain indigent communities by helping share technologies and other CSR-related activities.

From left to right: Acer Philippines Sales and Marketing Director Sue Ong-Lim; Acer Philippines Managing Director Manuel Wong; Jenal Rodelas and Ivar Nelson Bingcang of Adventist University of the Philippines; Acer Philippines Sales Manager for Business Development Alexis De Guzman; Acer Philippines Commercial Channel Sales Manager Carren Garcia.

From left to right: Acer Philippines Sales and Marketing Director Sue Ong-Lim; Acer Philippines Managing Director Manuel Wong; Fritz Agapito and Joselito Dominguez of Metro Manila College; Acer Philippines Sales Manager for Business Development Alexis De Guzman; Acer Philippines Commercial Channel Sales Manager Carren Garcia.

For more about the Acer Academy Program, go to www.acer.com.ph, follow Acer via Twitter (twitter.com/acerphils) or www.Facebook.com/AcerPH. 

Protecting Patient Health with Gabay Generika

Tweet

Improper use of medicines has long been a global health issue . It occurs when patients do not have access to safe, effective, and affordable medication that meet their clinical needs at the right time, and at the right dosage. According to a World Health Organization study, Promoting Rational Use of Medicines: Core Components, over 50% of all medicines are prescribed, dispensed, or sold inappropriately while 50% of patients fail to take them correctly. As a response to this situation, Generika Drugstore now provides Gabay Generika services to help promote the proper use of medicine and to address health concerns of Filipinos ensuring that their health and well-being is well taken care of. 

Under Gabay Generika, patient health is protected through the PLUS services that Generika provides. Filipinos who cannot avail of paid check-up in hospitals and clinics can have free medical consultations in Generika Drugstore branches with scheduled physicians. Under their guidance, patients can better understand their health problems and be provided with the correct treatment plan – including a prescription if medication is deemed necessary. 

Patients purchasing medicine in any Generika Drugstore will be assisted by knowledgeable and well-trained pharmacists. With their help, a patient has the opportunity to clarify anything about the medicines they are about to buy. This service of patient counselling in the context of proper medication intake is intended to support a physician’s treatment plan, helping ensure that the patient fully understands the medicine and prescription given to them. Through this advice, patients can also learn the importance of following the right dosage and medication schedule as indicated by their doctor. 

The core of Gabay Generika’s patient protection lies with the Gamot Guide, a new pharmacy service that is only being offered by Generika. It is the first ever in the industry and it serves as a tool for customers to help them understand how to take their medicines and ensure compliance of medication. The information written on the Gamot Guide consists of a drug’s generic name, dosing schedule and instructions, storage requirements, possible side effects, and helpful do’s and don’ts about the specific drug. Each purchased medication will have its own printed Gamot Guide, whose specific contents can be adjusted by the pharmacist depending on the patient’s prescription. The guide will be explained by the pharmacists so that patients will fully understand the best and safest ways to use their prescribed medicines.

Being a community drugstore that advocates for the protection and well-being of its customers, Generika will continue to provide innovative and meaningful value adding services for the overall health and well-being of Filipinos.

Generika Drugstore is in its 13th year of serving the Filipino People by providing access to safe, effective, and affordable generic drugs. This legacy of protecting patient health is continued through the new Gabay Generika PLUS services, affirming its commitment to bridge the healthcare gap in the country. Now thanks to free medical consultations, patient counselling, and the Gamot Guide, more and more Filipinos are educated on proper medicine intake and can safely purchase and use their medication whenever they need it the most. 

To learn more about Generika Drugstore, simply visit   "http://www.generika.com.ph/" http://www.generika.com.ph/ or like its Facebook page at  "https://www.facebook.com/Generika.com.ph" https://www.facebook.com/Generika.com.ph.

Beyond the dining plate : A quick look at the story of food, from farm to plate to landfill

Tweet

For most of us, little to no thought goes into how our food got onto our plates.

Let’s start with your typical chicken: we go to the grocery, buy the plumpest frozen poultry we can find, then take it back to the kitchen to be fried, stewed, or roasted for tonight’s dinner. Simple enough, right?

Food is a source of nutrition, and therefore ingredients should be wholesome and nourishing. Knowing the whole story of where your food comes from may make you want to reconsider your choices.

Hidden dangers

Conventional food production techniques are designed to boost yield so farms can deliver more meat and more crops. ‘Quantity’, however, isn’t necessarily synonymous to ‘quality’.

In the case of crops, a number of synthetic pesticides are applied to fields to eliminate insects, fungi, and rodents so that farms can stock supermarkets with smooth, almost flawless-looking fruits and vegetables.

Sadly, these toxic substances are absorbed by the plants, which in turn introduce harmful chemicals to the food that goes into our bodies. That doesn’t take into account how pesticides poison harmless organisms living on farmlands, while also spreading to nearby bodies of water, grazing fields, and human settlements through wind and runoff.

Many farms today also think little of their methods when it comes to raising chickens for their eggs and meat. Apart from being confined in tiny, cramped cages throughout their lives, these animals are fed with a diet they don’t normally eat like soy, and are given antibiotics to keep them alive amidst unsanitary and inhumane living conditions.

Additionally, egg-laying hens are constantly exposed to artificial lighting and are injected with hormones so they produce as many eggs as they can instead of letting them do so within the means of their natural cycle.

This treatment is not only cruel and against animal welfare standards. Because of all the drugs pumped into the chickens, their meat and eggs are saturated with harmful substances that endanger consumers. Their waste also becomes contaminated with hazardous toxins that threaten human health and the environment when disposed.

Sustainable and healthy

Food is critical not only to our health but also the welfare of our planet. If we truly want us to live full, healthy lives, it’s vital that we change the narrative of what we eat.

As consumers, we can do this by supporting companies that practice sustainable and humane farming. Healthy Options, for instance, ensures food quality by sourcing ingredients from farms that only use natural growing methods.

Healthy Options also ensures that all their chickens are able to roam freely in clean, spacious, and weather-protected grounds so they can forage for bugs and worms—organisms that chickens are designed to eat—on top of organic and natural grain feed.

Unlike factory-farmed chickens, these birds also get to enjoy the light of day while living life as intended by nature. With living conditions maximized for good health and proper egg production, they don’t have to be artificially stimulated or given drugs.

The result is healthy and happy chickens that people can eat without worry.

Check this out .... Know the Whole Story  http://www.healthyoptions.com.ph/"http://www.healthyoptions.com.ph/

Healthy Options is committed to helping people attain and maintain vitality and wellness through superior products. Stores are located in key cities nationwide, including Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City; Rustan’s Supermarket, Makati City; Festival Supermall, Filinvest, Alabang; Ayala Center, Cebu City; SM City, North EDSA, Quezon City; SM City Manila; SM Megamall B, EDSA, Mandaluyong City; SM Pampanga; SM Mall of Asia, Pasay; SM Clark; Bonifacio High Street, Taguig; Trinoma, North EDSA, Quezon City; SM City Davao; Rockwell, Makati; SM City Cebu; Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City; Commerce Mall, Alabang Town Center; Abreeza Mall, Davao City; Robinsons Magnolia, Quezon City; Excelsior, Eastwood City, Quezon City; SM Aura, Taguig; Century City, Makati; Glorietta 2, Makati City; Centrio Mall, Cagayan de Oro; Kidzania, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig; and now at Solenad 3, Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Chef Anton Amoncio, the Asian Food Channel's Asian Food Hero

Tweet

Congratulations to Chef Anton Amoncio, Grand Winner of the Asian Food Channel's Asian Food Hero.

Held in Singapore recently, Chef Anton was chosen from among chefs coming from different Asian countries. He was accompanied to Singapore by Boy Abunda, President and Chief Executive Officer of Asian Artists Agency where Chef Anton is a talent. Also with them is Gasper Gozo, General Consultant of Asian Artists Agency.

As part of the prize, Chef Anton becomes a new host for several programs shown on Asian Food Channel (AFC) and The Food Network channel.

Chef Anton was chosen as one of the finalists when he presented videos of his signature Filipino dishes “Tinola” and “Fried Chicken Adobo sa Gata”.

27 - year old, Chef Anton is a graduate of the Center for Culinary Arts in Quezon City.

Chef Anton owns and runs Antojos, a Filipino specialty restaurant in Quezon City.

During the competition and awarding, Chef Anton Amoncio, Grand Winner of Asian Food Channel's Asian Food Hero is with his manager, Boy Abunda, President and Chief Executive Officer of Asian Artists Agency. Photo taken after Chef Anton won Asian Food Hero contest held in Singapore