Collaboration was clearly front and centre during the International Labour Organization’s recently concluded culminating event “Strengthening Partnerships: Livelihood at the Forefront of Recovery following Haiyan” for the project, Emergency Employment and Livelihood Recovery for Typhoon Haiyan.

 

In attendance were representatives from national government agencies, members of the diplomatic corps, development partners, local governments, international and local non-government organizations, academe and beneficiaries. Some institutions of note were the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Local Government Units from Cebu and Leyte and various implementing partners and peoples’ organizations from Haiyan-affected areas in Leyte, Cebu, Palawan and Bohol.

 

Mr Lawrence Jeff Johnson, Director of the ILO Country Office for the Philippines (ILO CO-Manila) in his Opening Address highlighted the 160,000 workers and their families reached by the ILO’s Emergency Employment, Local Rresource-based work, Skills Development, and Enterprise Development. Mr Johnson then underscored the fact that these were not just humanitarian activities but also, and more crucially, paths to sustainable recovery via decent work that give workers their dignity back.

Mr Johnson acknowledged the massive scale of the post-disaster response and said, “no one group could do this, so we had partners at the international, national, and local levels.... This work could not have been done without real partnership.”
 

 The Honourable Rosalinda D Baldoz, Secretary of DOLE in her Keynote Message (as delivered by the Hon. Rebecca Chato, Undersecretary of DOLE) emphasized that the true objective of building back better is capacitating communities to reduce their vulnerability to risk and making them more prepared and resilient in the face of hazards.
 

 

“Providing immediate income support after Haiyan with social protection restores life with dignity. Part and parcel of human dignity is ensuring decent work. Humanitarian assistance should not be stripped of humanitarian values. Emergency employment provides 100 per cent minimum wage, orientation on occupational safety and health, provision of personal protective equipment, and enrollment in micro-insurance,” said the Honourable Baldoz.

 Plaques of appreciation were awarded to the Governments of Japan and the United Kingdom for their invaluable support in the ILO’s Haiyan initiatives. Receiving the plaques were Mr Hiroyuki Enoki, Labor Attache of the Embassy of Japan and Mr Stephen Laysaght, Head of the Political Section of the Embassy of the United Kingdom.
 

A sense of solidarity was clearly apparent in the first discussion as Japanese and Filipino counterparts shared their personal experience of disaster (an earthquake and tsunami, and a super typhoon respectively) that resonated with one another. The presenters were Ms Yoko Tanaka, Managing Director of Tohoku Workers Cooperative Union; Mr Yoshikazu Shimada, former Deputy Mayor of Kamaishi City; Ms Megumi Hikichi, Representative Director of Watalis Incorporated; Honourable Susan Ang, Mayor of San Isidro, Leyte; and Mr Allan Monreal, Head of Damgo sa Kaugmaon, Inc., in Bantayan, Cebu. The proceeding open forum was moderated by Mr Atom Araullo (Correspondent, ABS-CBN News).
 

 Ms Tanaka put forward the idea that human interaction engendered by emergency work can be more important than economic growth. A true richness in the region and in life is built by the people’s own hands in the form of crisis awareness, a strong desire to survive, pride in history and culture, an attachment to nature, and cooperative work. Meanwhile, Mr Shimada, in the process of explaining his city’s rebuilding effort, called attention to the effects of disaster response work on people: welcoming challenges and creativity, respecting each others expertise, connecting with society, and giving life its purpose. Ms Hikichi likewise drew inspiration from human cooperation when, in response to the disaster, she tapped into a rich cultural history of sewing and gift-giving in order to gather hometown women to work together in a small enterprise. Pouch-making not only made economic sense but also gave the women self-confidence and a way to heal their hearts.
 

 

 

 

Mayor Ang acknowledged the indispensable support of various government and non-government agencies that all converged to help in post-disaster recovery. It was only through their collaborative effort that her municipality was able to get back up on its feet. She also looked up to the Japanese, who are trained since childhood in disaster awareness, as a model for preparedness. On the other hand, Mr Monreal, an entrepreneur, demonstrated how businesses could engage in social enterprise. In his case, they manufactured and sold interlocking compressed earth blocks in partnership with local peoples’ organizations that needed to work out of the disaster. He emphasized that climate change adaptation, resiliency and sustainability can be best achieved through community-based initiatives.

 

The second discussion group, moderated by Mr Howie Severino (Vice President, Professional Development at GMA Network, Inc), included Honourable Ciriaco Lagunzad, Undersecretary of DOLE; Mr Ned Olney, Country Director of Save the Children; Mr Baron Jose Lagran, Regional Director IV-B of Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA); Honourable Mariano Martinez, Mayor of San Remigio, Cebu; and Mr Arturo Barrit, Education and Information Officer of Associated Labor Union (ALU). This panel shared their ideas on “Spearheading Sustainability and Livelihood Recovery through Collaboration”.

Some of the key points raised were the following:

 The final discussion, moderated by Ms Lala Rimando (Managing Editor, Forbes Magazine Philippines), focused on “Social Protection in Haiyan Disaster Response”. Participating in the panel were Hon. Leopoldo Dominico Petilla, Governor of Leyte; Ms Vilma Cabrera, Assistant Secretary of Department of Social Welfare and Development; Ms Judy Frances See, Senior Vice President of Social Security System; Mr Walter Bacareza, Regional Vice President of Philippine Health Insurance; and Mr Edgardo Lacson, President of Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP).

Highlights of the conversation were the following:

Mr Jonathan Price, Chief Technical Adviser of Emergency Employment and Livelihood Recovery for Typhoon Haiyan ILO Project, concluded the culminating event. Aside from affirming the many ideas discussed during the entire day and reiterating the accomplishments of the ILO’s Haiyan response, he called on everyone in attendance to further action. While the ILO has assisted thousands, the typhoon has affected a total of 2.6 million vulnerable workers; many more are still in need of livelihood assistance, stable employment, and permanent housing. He stressed that the ILO will continue to seek opportunities to work in Haiyan-affected areas and support the communities’ longer-term development for them to build back better. One such effort is a media campaign being planned with Save the Children and Oxfam. Its aim is to increase the demand and supply of decent work in Haiyan-affected areas by promoting compliance among employers and discernment among workers.