The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) on Sunday said it will establish a network of outlets to help resell high quality, but low-priced medicines to marginal families, particularly those dependent on fixed-wage earners.
"We are just waiting for the implementing guidelines of the new law. Once they are finalized, we will definitely come in and give more meaning to the law by getting involved in the retail distribution of imported, affordable medicines," said Ernesto Herrera, TUCP secretary general.
Herrera was referring to the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Law of 2008, or Republic Act 9502.
"We've already had preliminary discussions with Senator Mar Roxas on the matter. He has promised to help us find ways to make vital medicines more accessible to workers," Herrera said in a statement.
Roxas is principal author of RA 9502 and chairman of the Senate committee on trade and commerce.
Herrera said the labor center may get its supply of medicines from the state-run Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC), just like the Botika ng Bayan outlets, or from other accredited importers.
"We may enlist the help of member-labor federations, local unions or even a number of partners from the private sector, if necessary," Herrera added.
"Affordable medicines have become an absolute necessity, especially now that workers and other consumers have to cope with soaring food and other commodity prices," Herrera pointed out.
Herrera made the statement shortly after the Drug Store Association of the Philippines (DSAP) expressed concern over a provision in RA 9502 that requires all pharmacies to carry certain medicines imported by the government via the PITC.
The DSAP stated its concern during a recent public hearing conducted by the Department of Health (DOH) to solicit the inputs of consumers, the pharmaceutical industry and medical groups before the IRR of RA 9502 is drawn up. The DOH held its second public hearing on the IRR on Sept. 5 in Angeles City.
The DOH has a Nov. 4 deadline to release the IRR of the new law, which seeks to provide Filipinos greater access to inexpensive drugs by reinforcing the PITC's parallel importation scheme, and by allowing any entity to import patented medicines sold cheaper in other countries.
The new law relaxes existing patent rules by declaring that parallel importation does not violate trademarks, as long as the medicines brought in are determined to be genuine counterparts produced in other countries.
Herrera lamented that health protection in the country remains grossly inadequate, with only one of every three citizens covered by medical insurance. He said the government's insufficient financial resources have hampered universal health insurance coverage.
As a result, Herrera said Filipinos have to take out of their own pockets more than 40 percent of all health-related spending, including the purchase of high-priced medicines.
MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / September 7, 2008)
http://www.mindanaoexaminer.com/news.php?news_id=20080907004053
May 12, 2007
Jan 21, 2007
Reproductive Health Project for the Working Youth
Sexual and Reproductive Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Among Filipino Adolescents
A View from the Workplace
Conclusions and Recommendations
A. Knowledge augmentation
1. Broaden working youth's knowledge of STDs. There are other varieties of STDs apart from the ones they reported as gonorrhea, HIV and AIDS, syphilis, candidiasis, genital warts, public lice and scabies.
2. Continue imparting the correct definition of HIV and AIDS, especially the former definition as this was hardly known among the working youth.
3. Modify several misconceptions of the transmission routes of HIV. Examples of misconceptions requiring modification are those that specify that the virus is transmissible through mosquito bites or by holding someone with AIDS.
4. Broaden young people's knowledge of effective means of preventing pregnancies and STIs.
B. Attitudinal and behavioral formation
B.1 Restrained attitudes and practices
1. Promote the non-acceptability and non-practice of sexual relationships between single adolescents and married individuals;
2. Promote the acceptability and use of abstinence;
3. Promote the acceptability and practice of sexual intercourse only within marriage;
4. Promote the non-acceptability and non-adoption of sexual relationships among individuals who are not ready to face the dire consequence of sex;
5. Promote the acceptability and adoption of self-stimulation of masturbation as an alternative to dyadic intercourse;
6. Promote the acceptability and adoption of non-penetrative sexual acts as alternative sexual practices;
7. Strengthen the non-acceptance and non-adoption of abortion as the first course of action to resolving pregnancy;
8. Promote the acceptability and adoption of moderation in the practice of sexual and non-sexual behaviors; and
9. Promote the non-acceptability and non-adoption of sexual relationships without adequate and effective protection.
10. Promote the recognition, acceptability and use of individual's decision (rather than the decision of the partner or couple) as basis for using protection.
B.2 Permissive attitudes and practices
11. Promote the acceptability and adoption of sexual relationships so long as these are within the contexts of love relationships and with the view towards marriage;
12. Promote the acceptability and adoption of sexual relationships so long as adequate and effective protection is used.
13. Strengthen the acceptance and adoption of abortion as a justifiable recourse of action to resolving pregnancy; and
14. Further promote the acceptability and judicious use of contraceptives.
C.General
0.Include other non-sexual activities in the program's concerns, such as young people's patronage of pornographic materials, alcohol intake, drugs and the like;
1. Introduce alternative activities (such as sports and quiz games) in which healthy physical and non-physical lifestyles may be promoted;
2. Utilize television, advertisements, teachers, and movies as media for imparting messages;
3. Utilize similarly aged peers and young people as interpersonal channels of information and communication, but their knowledge and attitudinal base has to be broadened and developed.
4. Promote the seriousness of the immediate and long-term consequences of unprotected premarital sexual experience; and
5. Introduce non-judgmental, anonymous and accessible counseling services that adolescents can whenever problems arise.
6. For enhanced effectiveness and greater impact, impart messages using visuals, role-playing and emotion-rousing situations.
7. Embed all the foregoing suggestions within a sound theoretical framework.
A View from the Workplace
Conclusions and Recommendations
A. Knowledge augmentation
1. Broaden working youth's knowledge of STDs. There are other varieties of STDs apart from the ones they reported as gonorrhea, HIV and AIDS, syphilis, candidiasis, genital warts, public lice and scabies.
2. Continue imparting the correct definition of HIV and AIDS, especially the former definition as this was hardly known among the working youth.
3. Modify several misconceptions of the transmission routes of HIV. Examples of misconceptions requiring modification are those that specify that the virus is transmissible through mosquito bites or by holding someone with AIDS.
4. Broaden young people's knowledge of effective means of preventing pregnancies and STIs.
B. Attitudinal and behavioral formation
B.1 Restrained attitudes and practices
1. Promote the non-acceptability and non-practice of sexual relationships between single adolescents and married individuals;
2. Promote the acceptability and use of abstinence;
3. Promote the acceptability and practice of sexual intercourse only within marriage;
4. Promote the non-acceptability and non-adoption of sexual relationships among individuals who are not ready to face the dire consequence of sex;
5. Promote the acceptability and adoption of self-stimulation of masturbation as an alternative to dyadic intercourse;
6. Promote the acceptability and adoption of non-penetrative sexual acts as alternative sexual practices;
7. Strengthen the non-acceptance and non-adoption of abortion as the first course of action to resolving pregnancy;
8. Promote the acceptability and adoption of moderation in the practice of sexual and non-sexual behaviors; and
9. Promote the non-acceptability and non-adoption of sexual relationships without adequate and effective protection.
10. Promote the recognition, acceptability and use of individual's decision (rather than the decision of the partner or couple) as basis for using protection.
B.2 Permissive attitudes and practices
11. Promote the acceptability and adoption of sexual relationships so long as these are within the contexts of love relationships and with the view towards marriage;
12. Promote the acceptability and adoption of sexual relationships so long as adequate and effective protection is used.
13. Strengthen the acceptance and adoption of abortion as a justifiable recourse of action to resolving pregnancy; and
14. Further promote the acceptability and judicious use of contraceptives.
C.General
0.Include other non-sexual activities in the program's concerns, such as young people's patronage of pornographic materials, alcohol intake, drugs and the like;
1. Introduce alternative activities (such as sports and quiz games) in which healthy physical and non-physical lifestyles may be promoted;
2. Utilize television, advertisements, teachers, and movies as media for imparting messages;
3. Utilize similarly aged peers and young people as interpersonal channels of information and communication, but their knowledge and attitudinal base has to be broadened and developed.
4. Promote the seriousness of the immediate and long-term consequences of unprotected premarital sexual experience; and
5. Introduce non-judgmental, anonymous and accessible counseling services that adolescents can whenever problems arise.
6. For enhanced effectiveness and greater impact, impart messages using visuals, role-playing and emotion-rousing situations.
7. Embed all the foregoing suggestions within a sound theoretical framework.
Aug 1, 2004
Isang paglilinaw sa mga usapin ng samahan
Mga Kapatid sa Jollibee:
Isang mainit at makabuluhang pagbati sa inyong lahat!
Kami, inyong mga inatasang opisyales ng unyon ay nais magbigay ng paglilinaw ukol sa mga isyu at kaganapan ukol sa ating CBA negotiations. Ang paglilinaw na ito ay bunsod na rin ng mga liham na aming natanggap mula sa ilang miyembro ng kasapian at dahil na rin sa aming kagustuhang ipaalam sa inyo ang ilang kaganapan.
1. Sa isyu ng pagkilos ng unyon noong Hulyo 22, 2004
Kung legalidad ang pag-uusapan, ang ating ginawang pagkilos noong Hulyo 22 ay bahagi ng ating basehang karapatan bilang mga manggawa at mamamayan. Ang pagpapahayag ng saloobin sa mapayapa at maayos na paraan ay di kailanman maaring sagkaan.
Ang mga sumama sa pagkilos ay walang nilabag na batas o regulasyon, ng bayan man o maging ng ating kumpanya. Ang pagkilos ay ginanap sa labas ng Commissary at sa pampublikong lugar. Lahat ng sumama ay off-duty at walang operasyon ng kumpanya ang nagambala o napinsala sa pagkilos. Lalong wala rin silang intensiyon na yurakan ang imahe ng Jollibee.
Ang pagkilos na nabanggit ay bunsod ng tila mala-pagong na pag-usad ng negosasyon sa CBA at ang patuloy na pagbibingi-bingihan ng mga negosyador ng kumpanya.
2. Sa isyu ng offer ng kumpanya
Wala pong pagtatalo sa usapin na tanggapin ang pinakamagandang offer ng kumpanya, kung meron man. Kami mga opisyales ay walang ibang saloobin kundi ang makakuha ng pinakamaganda at pinakamakatarungang dagdag sahod at benepisyo para sa ating lahat.
Subalit tila bingi ang mga negosyador ng Jollibee sa mga paliwanag at "justifications" ng ating unyon. Wala po tayong hinihingi sa kumpanya na sa tingin ng unyon ay di kayang ibigay ng ating kumpanya na isa sa pinakamalaking kumpanya, di lamang dito sa ating bayan kundi sa buong mundo. Ang P16.25 na kanilang ibinibigay ay mababa pa sa "increase" sa minimum wage na kailan lang ay ibinigay ng NCR wage board.
Ang mas masakit, ang mga negosyador na inatasan ng Jolibee ay tila patuloy sa panglilinlang sa aming mga opisyal at sa ating kasapian. Ang negosasyon ay umabot na ng limang buwan. Bagama't mayroon silang binabanggit na P18 o P20 sa labas ng pormal na negosasyon, ito raw ay "unofficial" at kailangan hingiin mismo ng Unyon kay Sir Ato. Ngunit, pag dating naman sa pormal na hapag ng negosasyon ay sarado pa rin sila sa offer nilang P16.25.
Di namin sila maintindihan. Sa aming pananaw, ito ay isang taktika upang hatiin ang unyon at kasapian.
3. Sa isyu ng pagtiwalag sa KILUSAN-TUCP
Ang isyung ito ay isang malaking kasinungalingan. Ang buong liderato ng Unyon, kasama lahat ng opisyales, ay buo at lubos ang pagtitiwala sa pamunuan ni Kapatid na Valerio at di kailanman nagbalak na kumalas sa KILUSAN-TUCP.
Ito ay isyu na pilit ibinebenta ng mga negosyador ng Jollibee at ng kanilang mga sugo.
Kaming mga opisyal ninyo sa KILUSAN sa Jollibee ay walang ibang hangarin kundi mapabuti ang ating pamumuhay at kalagayan sa pamamagitan ng matuwid at makatarungang negosasyon sa ating CBA.
Kami ay nakikiusap sa kasapian na huwag magpabulag sa signing bonus at sa lump sum na inaalok ng mga negosyador. Marapat nating isipin ang pangmatagalan kagalingan at di na panandalian alok na pera.
Huwag tayong magpadala sa sulsol at intriga na gawa-gawa ng ilan na maaring bumasag sa ating kapatiran.
Ang aming kabuhayan, ang aming mga pamilya, pati na rin ang aming buhay ay nakataya sa mga pagkilos na ito. Ngunit ito ay di namin inaalintana, dahil sa aming mga sinumpaang tungkulin sa inyo.
Kami ay umaasa sa inyong pakikiisa at pagkakaisa.
Ang Jollibee ay lumago at patuloy na lalago dahil sa pagtutulungan ng Jollibee management at nating mga manggagawa. Ni hindi dumapo sa aming isipang sirain ang relasyon na ito, lalu na ang magandang imahe ng Jollibee.
Ngunit hindi rin kami handa na tumalikod sa aming mga sinumpaang tungkulin na itaguyod ang interes at kapakanan ng bawat isa sa atin.
Para sa atin lahat ito!
Ituloy natin ang inumpisahan at huwag magpalinlang!
Mabuhay ang Kilusan sa Jollibee!
Mabuhay ang Jollibee!
Pahayag ng Kilusan sa Jollibee
Ika-1 ng Agosto, 2004
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