OLD HANDS - Philippine officials responsible for labour programs in Canada are "old hands" in this country. After signing of a labour accord with British Columbia in Vancouver last January 29, standing from left are Vancouver Consul-General Ruth Morales Prado, Philippine Labour Secretary Arturo D. Brion, Ambassador Jose Brillantes, and Labour Attache Frank Luna. Con-Gen Prado was a former consular official in Toronto in the early 90's; Secretary Brion was called to the bar and resided in Ontario for eight years; Ambassador Brillantes was the first labour attache and studied law in Canada in the early 70's; and Luna was a former practising lawyer in Ontario for 14 years. The Philippines has signed labour agreements with the western Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Manitoba, and expects to sign an agreement with Alberta next month. Last March 17, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed Secretary Brion as 15th associate justice of the Philippine Supreme Court.

The Philippines Overseas Labour Office (POLO) in Toronto has urged the Filipino-Canadian community to report "exploiters" of Filipino workers in Canada, even as it continues to negotiate labour agreements with Canadian provinces for the orderly and ethical deployment of workers in this country.

The exploitation takes the form of unauthorized charging and collection of recruitment fees, foisting of "bogus" employers, workers being released upon arrival, abuses in the workplace, and distressed workers being terminated or abandoned by their employers, lawyer Frank Luna, consular officer in charge of the POLO said in an interview with Atin Ito recently.

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Malacañang disputes reports of rice ‘crisis’

March 28, 2008, 10:24:14 PM

The government on Monday demanded a definition of terms from its critics, particularly those who said that the country faces a rice—if not food—crisis.

“We must define crisis, it is easy to sensationalize the issue of food security by coming up with doomsday scenarios and cute one-liners, but the President is acting positively and with resolve to address these concerns,” said Lorelei Fajardo, deputy press secretary.

Fajardo was reacting to a statement made last week by Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas 2nd, who said President Gloria Arroyo is on a denial mode for saying there is no rice crisis.

Roxas also on Monday warned that the country may be in for a “perfect storm” without a concrete survival plan, as he expressed concern over rising oil and rice prices, a recession in the United States, and a global food shortage that could greatly erode people’s purchasing power.

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Cory Aquino battling colon cancer –Kris

March 28, 2008, 10:19:07 PM

Former President Corazon Aquino has been diagnosed with colon cancer, her children said Monday, asking the country to pray for the 74-year-old’s speedy recovery. “The results show our mother is suffering from cancer of the colon,” Kris Aquino, the former president’s daughter,

said during a press conference in Quezon City with her brother, Sen. Benigno Aquino 3rd, by her side.

After experiencing high blood pressure, breathing difficulty and notable weight loss, Mrs. Aquino recently decided to undergo medical checkup, Kris Aquino said. She added that besides prayers, the family is also asking for the public and the media to respect her mother’s privacy.

Kris Aquino said it was her mother’s decision for the family to release a statement regarding her health.

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RP Opens Labour Offices in Vancouver and Calgary

February 28, 2008, 08:24:50 PM

Philippine Labour Secretary Arturo Brion and Manitoba Premier Gary Doer signs a Memorandum of Understanding on the deployment of Filipino workers to Manitoba and human resources development in the Philippines last February 8 at the historic Manila Hotel. This is the third MoU between the Philippines and the Canadian provinces. The Philippines had earlier signed a similar MoU with the province of Saskatchewan last December 18, 2006 and with British Columbia last January 29, 2008. A similar MoU is expected to be signed with the province of Alberta in late March or April, 2008. The Western Canadian provinces are in acute need of skilled workers and have looked towards the Philippines to satisfy their labour market demands.

After almost 40 years, the Philippines will be opening two new labour offices in Canada to cover the increasing number of temporary workers in that Western part of the country.

A new Philippine Overseas Labour Office (POLO) will be opened soon in Vancouver, and a satellite office manned by an Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) official will be established in Calgary, where there is a huge demand for foreign temporary workers.

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RP-B.C. Labour Accord Inked

January 30, 2008, 10:45:23 PM

Charging of Recruitment Fees to Workers Prohibited B.C to Promote Human Resource Dev't in RP 2 More Provinces to Sign Up Next Month

ACCORD - Philippine Labour Secretary Arturo D. Brion (seated right) signs the Philippines-British Columbia Memorandum of Understanding on Labour Deployment and Human Resource Development with Minister Colin Hansen of the B.C. Ministry of Economic Development. Looking on (standing from left) are Labour Attache Frank Luna, Labour Undersecretary Carmelita Pineda, Philippine Ambassador Jose S. Brillantes, B.C. Member of Legislative Assembly Richard Lee, a B.C. Ministry Official, and Consul Robespierre Bolivar.

VANCOUVER, B.C, January 29. - Philippine Labour Secretary Arturo Brion signed today a labour agreement with Minister Colin Hansen of the Economic Development Ministry of British Columbia to help reduce the shortage of skilled workers in that western Canadian province.

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Key RP Labour Officials in Talks with Canadian Provinces

December 25, 2007, 07:45:19 PM

3 MOUs Possible in Next 2 Months

Philippine labour officials with John McPhail, VP for HR, Albeta Health Region, Carol Graham, Exec. Director of the Calgary Health Region and Janet Dorey, Director of Health, of Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry.

Two senior Philippine labour officials flew in to Canada in the last two days of November to forge labour arrangements with three Western Canadian provinces' experiencing severe shortages of skilled labour.

This was disclosed recently to Atin Ito by Frank Luna of the Philippine Overseas Labour Office based in Toronto.

Administrator Rosalinda Baldoz of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and Administrator Marianito Roque of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OW WA) held marathon talks with their; counterparts in British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba in hopes of having labour agreements with those provinces in place early next year.

The talks were held in Edmonton, Alberta last November 29 and 30.

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