HRM (Assignment 8)

The SONA 2009

Her administration faced many challenges, full of accusations and threatens by the opponents who fight for what they believe in. But despite the allegations that surround her undisputed presidency, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo delivered her State of the Nation Address last July 27, 2009.

The said SONA receives both critique and salutation. As we could expect, her opponents will continue to throw their mouths on her and for those who believed her will give her applause.

On her SONA, the president cited the progress of the country despite global crisis. And one area that was mentioned was related to the Human Resource Management. What are these manpower relations and how will these become a way to improve our quality of life?

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW’s)

The country cannot support the needs of jobs for many of the Filipinos, thus, most of our countrymen has to find their luck to the other countries. With these, the OFW’s played a very dramatic role in supporting our dying (as many said) economy. It records $ 16 B last year and is expected to grow this year. What an advantage isn’t it? But the hard work, perseverance and sacrifices of our fellowmen cannot be equalized. For they endure loneliness to be away from home.

“Meanwhile, we should make their sacrifices worthwhile,” the president quoted. She said that we have to protect and give importance with the earnings the OFWs gained. And that was through a stronger consumer protection for OFWs to property and products back home. Thus, Investors Protection Task Force is addressed.

When we will try to see the brighter side of this area, we could say that it contributed an improvement and progress to our quality of life. Aside from the fact that the government cannot suffice our needs for jobs, we should have to work for the family to have a better life style. And some find the answer through going across the sea. Though it was very hard then to be far away from home, looking at the future will give courage to choose an overseas work if there’s an opportunity. It improves the quality of life because as we could see, if one will find a better job there, then he/she could support the financial needs of the family. The shelter, education, foods, clothing etc… Therefore, we could see the difference if we will just sit here and wait for the years to come and the problems will still not be addressed or find the right thing to do at the moment despite that the exchange would be our happiness, if it’s for the betterment of the family, we can bear the pain and loneliness. Filipinos are tough!


Technical Education and Skills Training

This one is really a big help. The popularity of TESDA has contributed a lot of opportunities for those who had never get the chance or those who doesn’t like to enroll in degree courses. Like the one the president had mentioned, “Narito si Jennifer Silbor, isa sa sampung milyong trainee. Natuto siya ng medical transcription. Now, as an independent contractor and lecturer for transcriptions in Davao, kumikita siya ng P18,000 bawat buwan. Good job, Jennifer”. It only shows that there are many possibilities and chances to improve our quality of life only if we have the courage to find it. And of course, the government had been helping to made it possible. And this type of trainings engaged in a less consuming time, therefore, you will not spend many years to have the changes in your life. And with hard work, honesty and perseverance, a successful life would be a guarantee.


CARP


The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) was a land reform law mandated by Republic Act No. 6657, signed by President Corazon Aquino on June 10, 1988. It was the fifth land reform law in fifty years, following the land reform laws of Presidents Manuel Quezon, Ramon Magsaysay, Diosdado Macapagal and Ferdinand Marcos.
According to RA 6657, CARP aims “for a more equitable distribution and ownership of land.” It meant to distribute lands to farmers in a span of 10 years, but was extended by the 11th Congress due to delays in land distribution and lack of budget allocation.
Section 3 of RA 6657 defined agrarian reform as the “redistribution of lands, regardless of crops or fruits produced, to farmers and regular farm workers who are landless” and “all other arrangements alternative to the physical redistribution of lands, such as production or profit-sharing, labor administration and the distribution of shares of stock which will allow beneficiaries to receive a just share of the fruits of the lands they work.”
Vast agricultural lands are distributed to the farmers tilling the land, whereas only a maximum of five hectares can be retained by the landlords and three hectares for each of their children.
However, a common CARP loophole was that landlords escaped relinquishing their lands through land reclassifications. Lands classified by local zoning ordinances as residential, commercial and industrial lands are excluded from CARP.

SOURCE:
Department of Agrarian Reform website, http://www.dar.gov.ph (By Neil Jerome C. Morales)

“Sa pagpapamahagi ng milyun-milyong ektaryang lupa, 700,000 na katutubo at mahigit isang milyong benepisyaryo ng CARP ay taas-noong may-ari na ng sariling lupa. Hinihiling ko sa Kongreso na ipasa agad ang pagpapalawig ng CARP, at dapat ma-condone ang P42 billion na land reform liabilities dahil 18% lamang ang nabayaran mula 1972. Napapanahon, it’s timely because it will unfreeze the rural property market. Ang mahal kong ama ang nag-emancipate ng mga magsasaka. Ii-mancipate naman natin ngayon ang titulo”, the president said.
The passage of this Act gives hopes to the people who dedicate their life in tilting the land to have their own. As the president has told, millions of hectares have been distributed for the people to have their own land. And since this State policy promotes the rights and welfare of landless Filipino farmers and farm workers, as well as social justice, in pursuit of sound rural development and industrialization. The many years of sacrificed have been justified. It is established to help landless Filipino farmers to own directly or collectively the lands they till or, in the case of farm workers, to have a share of the fruits harvested or produced. Thus, it improves the quality of living because the farmers will not depend on their landlords when it comes to their shares during reaping time. They can have their own income and there’s no need to cut portions that won’t equal their effort. They could produce their own farm products without a need to worry that they might receive less than what they sow. They wouldn’t be a slave to their own right but they were now a master of their own property.


Education

“Ang magandang edukasyon ay susi sa mas magandang buhay, the great equalizer that allows every young Filipino a chance to realize their dreams”, president Arroyo.

"It seeks to mainstream early childhood development in basic education. Our children are our most cherished possession. In their early years we must make sure they get a healthy start in life. They must receive the right food for a healthy body, the right education for a bright and inquiring mind—and the equal opportunity for a meaningful job".

They said that the quality of manpower of a nation can be justified by the figure of educated persons belonging in it. Will it mean that education must be a key to achieve progress and development? Probably yes! If we could see, powerful nation’s starts with their creative minds, thus, they were able to sustain the needs and growth of their territory. But it doesn’t meant that the Filipinos were left behind in terms of powerful minds, maybe, we were just influenced by our culture, thus, affecting our drive to a more progressive way of living.

Our educational system should make the Filipino fit not just for whatever jobs happen to be on offer today, but also for whatever economic challenge life will throw in their way. For the government believes that education is one strongest way to establish a strong nation. From basic to vocational school or college, the government tried to sustain their needs, financial needs.

Education improves the quality of life. If all of the Filipinos can have the chance to enroll themselves and went to school, everyone can get a better job, everyone knows how to use their time, everyone knows their responsibility as an individual, everyone knows how to be productive and no one will have to suffer poverty. Though others might say that education is not the only way to uplift their status, it can’t be denied that it is the main door to enter the possibility of our dreams. Education improves the quality of life because it has its way that people will realize the importance of their existence. And more so…

Tax Revenues

“We will work to increase tax effort through improved collections and new sin taxes to further our capacity to reduce poverty and pursue growth. Revenue enhancement must come from the Department of Finance plugging leaks and catching tax and customs cheats. I call on tax paying citizens and tax paying businesses, help the BIR and stop those tax cheats”.

This will help the improvement because the returns can be a benefit to all. The infrastructures, the roads, and any other government projects help the people. Though many claims that they cannot feel the benefit from the taxes they’re paying, still, it cant be denied that, sometimes, we were just trying to ignore the existence of the projects that the government give back to our community.