Ang Manggagawa at ang Mensahe ng World Environment Day!

Sa darating na Huwebes, June 5 ay World Environment Day (WED) na naman. Ang buong buwan ng Hunyo ay World Environment Month! Taon taon itong ginugunita ng buong mundo bilang paalala sa atin na ang kalikasan at ekonomiya ay magka-ugnay at di hiwalay!

Pero ano ba ito? Ano ang kinalaman ng manggagawang Pilipino dito? Ang logo sa kaliwa ay nagpapakita ng tema ng 2008 na WED commemoration. Simplehan natin para mas malalim at naiintidihan.

Marami pa din ang di nakakaalam o ayaw maniwala na may malaking kasalukuyang crisis sa buhay ng boung mundo (kasama na ang mga komunidad ng tao) na nagsisimula ng baguhin at pasamain ang ating pamumuhay. Ito ay ang biglang pagbabago ng klima na dulot ng biglang pag init ng mundo. Ito ang CLIMATE CHANGE at GLOBAL WARMING. Sa maniwala kayo't hindi mas matinding krisis ito kaysa sa krisis ng ating gobyerno o krisis ng ating mga suweldo!

Ang bugang carbon mula sa mga pabrika, mga sasakyan, taniman; lalong lalo na mula sa mga ekonomiya at lifetyles ng mga tao sa mga nauang industriyalisadong mga bansa and dahilan sa biglaang global warming o pag-init ng mundo.

Ang biglaang pag-init na ito ng mundo ay nagpapabago sa normal na kaayusan ng ating klima at iba pang weather patterns. Ito ay may matinding epekto sa food production; paglala ng mga sakit; pagtaas ng tubog sa dagat mula sa mga natutunaw na yelo sa mundo na maglulubog sa mga isla at maraming coastal communities.

Ang mga manggawa; kasama na ang mga mangagawang Pilipino bilang labor at intellectual force ng ating eokomiya at bilang mga consumer din na may desisyon sa pagtnagkilik ng mga partikular na uri ng mga produkto at servisyo ay malaki and magagawa upang labanan ang masamang epekto ng climate change.

Mensahe ng WED sa taon na ito ang kahalagahan ng pagpili nating lahat sa mga gawaing pang ekonomiko at uri ng pamumuhay (lifestyle options) na simple at iwas pagdagdag sa napakarami ng carbon emission na patuloy na nagpapalala ng global warmign at climate change.

Mahalag ding pagnilaynilayan na turo ng kristiyanismo na tingnan ang lakas paggawa bilang bahagi ng ating papel bilang taga pangalaga o steward ng ginawa ng Diyos (steward of creation o co-creator.

Organic lifestyle is for Filipino workers too!

There are already many organic products including food and basic household supplies; available for Filipino households today. Many of these products are developed and produced by Filipino communities and innovators.

They are healthy and safe; produced and marketed in ways that sustain and protect the natural environment, the communities and workers that produce them.

However, we are told that organic products are only for the rich because they cost higher than the regularly available products. This is not because of production costs, but because of the lower market demand. In short, while organic products can be made available, not too many of us prefer and look for them when we buy. This is what is weakening the organic industry in the country.

Filipino workers, mostly poor, have the same rights as more affluent Filipino families for healthier, safer and better products for our consumption. Organic products are also for Filipino workers! We can have it if we demand for it as consumers. The key is to link organic producers to organic consumers directly.

LABOREM RESPONSE...

In response to this problem, the LABOREM's Ecology and Environment Committee plans to promote organic lifestyle among our members and members of other workers' organizations in the next two (2) years. Workers will then become catalyst in building a stronger consumer base who will buy from organic producers and make the organic industry more viable, thus, the price of organic products more affordable to all.

We intend to organize the following:

• Promote organic lifestyle & enterprise education to LABOREM chapters and members
• Partner with chapters to organize ORGANIC FAIRS in their unions assemblies, meetings leading to regular ORGANIC SHOP enterprises within chapter and across LABOREM

As a kick-off event, we would like to invite all LABOREM members and the public on June 21 (Saturday) from 9am to 3pm at the Organic Center in AANI Herbal Garden inside the Quezon Memorial Circle to the:

ORGANIC FORUM & BUSINESS NETWORKING MEETING
Back to Back with the Orientation and Planning Meeting of the LABOREM Ecology and Environment Committee

This event is being organized in partnership with the Organic Alliance (OA), and Partido Kalikasan Institute Inc.

Tentative Program

Program starts at 9am

• Introduction on the Challenges & Opportunities of the Organic Industry to Workers Organizations
• Talk on the Rice Crisis and the Organic Rice vs. GM (Genetically Modified) Rice Options
• Product and Business Partnership Presentations by Invited Organic Food and Organic Household Product Manufacturers & Marketers

1pm - 3pm:

• LABOREM Ecology and Environment Committee Orientation and Action Planning Workshop for the 2008-2009 Workplan.

Join our work for 2008-2009!

Welcome to our blog!

This is the Ecology and Environment Committee of the LABOREM. For the next two (2) years, we intend to do the following:

1. Produce regular information on environmental and sustainable development issues related to workers' interest and share these across LABOREM members and other workers organizations.
2. Develop and pilot-test module son related environment and sustainable development laws in the PASIMBA (Paralegal Training Program) of LABOREM.
3. Promote organic lifestyle among members and our immediate public.

For LABOREM members who wish to join the committee, please subscribe to our egroup:

Click to join laborem_environment

For more information, please contact:

Roy Cabonegro
Committee Chairperson
Mobile 0916 4755004
Email: ecolaborem@yahoo.com