Solon pushes for 'flexitime' to save energy
05/29/2008 | 10:07 PM
MANILA, Philippines - A congressman on Thursday proposed a bill aimed at clarifying how to apply flexible working arrangements in Philippine labor.
The proposal, House Bill 3609, was filed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's brother-in-law, Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Arroyo.
In his proposal, the congressman said labor flexibility is slowly becoming a trend as industries call for more adaptable working arrangements.
According to lawmaker, it is for this reason that the Philippine Labor Code should be amended since its provisions are no longer responsive to changes in the working environment.
"The intense competition in the world trade pushed the domestic industries to devise various flexible working arrangements in order to survive the global market competition," Arroyo said.
The solon cited studies showing how flexible working arrangements served as cost reduction and labor input flexibility measures devised to cope with the changing economic circumstances.
"A few years ago, the issue of flexible working arrangements to accommodate activities employees engaged in outside of their working lives would not even be the subject for discussion among human resource practitioners," Arroyo said.
"The choice was clear cut for the employee torn between his/her career and non-work related obligations: either stick to prescribed working hours and/or work location, or ship out," Arroyo added.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) reported that as early as 1992, 73% of factories in the Philippines were already practicing labor flexibility.
"The definite and indefinite contracts of workers shall not be terminated except for just or authorized cause provided by the law and for those contracts with definite period upon expiration of the stipulated period," Arroyo said.
In pushing for the passage of the bill, Arroyo revealed studies showing that employees on flexible work arrangements strive more to ensure that they perform well, in an effort to ensure that their flexible work arrangement is not compromised. - GMANews.TV
The proposal, House Bill 3609, was filed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's brother-in-law, Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Arroyo.
In his proposal, the congressman said labor flexibility is slowly becoming a trend as industries call for more adaptable working arrangements.
According to lawmaker, it is for this reason that the Philippine Labor Code should be amended since its provisions are no longer responsive to changes in the working environment.
"The intense competition in the world trade pushed the domestic industries to devise various flexible working arrangements in order to survive the global market competition," Arroyo said.
The solon cited studies showing how flexible working arrangements served as cost reduction and labor input flexibility measures devised to cope with the changing economic circumstances.
"A few years ago, the issue of flexible working arrangements to accommodate activities employees engaged in outside of their working lives would not even be the subject for discussion among human resource practitioners," Arroyo said.
"The choice was clear cut for the employee torn between his/her career and non-work related obligations: either stick to prescribed working hours and/or work location, or ship out," Arroyo added.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) reported that as early as 1992, 73% of factories in the Philippines were already practicing labor flexibility.
"The definite and indefinite contracts of workers shall not be terminated except for just or authorized cause provided by the law and for those contracts with definite period upon expiration of the stipulated period," Arroyo said.
In pushing for the passage of the bill, Arroyo revealed studies showing that employees on flexible work arrangements strive more to ensure that they perform well, in an effort to ensure that their flexible work arrangement is not compromised. - GMANews.TV
