DOLE-OSHC awards Regional GKK champions in CAR

Baguio City – the Texas Instruments Philippines, Inc. (Baguio), SN Aboitiz Power Ambuklao and Binga Plants and Engr. Engr. Holis Fernandez bagged the last slots for the Gawad Kaligtasan at Kalusugan Regional Champions today, June 28, 2016.

“We at the Occupational Safety and Health Center are grateful for the inspiration you give us with your outstanding safety and health policies and programs. These encourage us to continue collaborating with all the industries in integrating the OSH culture into each and every work process,” said OSHC Executive Director Ma. Teresita S. Cucueco, MD, CESO III.

For the first time, the GKK is held in a two-tiered scheme with the Regional and National Levels. Regional GKK Champions will be competing in the National GKK to be held in October this year. A separate category was opened for government offices.

“We are happy to note that this year we have many new contenders as well as a growing number of entries from the micro-enterprises or informal sector category and the government sector,” added Cucueco.

A total of 288 nominees from four categories: establishments, individuals, micro-enterprises and government offices across the country joined the search for winners of the GKK. Out of this, 17 companies and seven individuals emerged as Regional Champions. The winners in other regions will be awarded in separate ceremonies in the next two weeks.

The GKK is a biennial award given by the DOLE to companies and individuals with outstanding occupational safety and health practices, programs, innovations and contributions. It is one of the five good housekeeping seals under the DOLE Incentivizing Compliance Program which aims to encourage companies to voluntarily comply with general labor laws and occupational safety and health standards.

For the new, two-tiered scheme, the DOLE Regional Offices provided the OSHC with a list of companies which were issued Certificates of Compliance on General Labor and Occupational Safety and Health Standards. They also nominated individuals, micro-enterprises and government offices with notable achievements on OSH.

Those who passed the document review and initial screening conducted by the Regional GKK Secretariat, composed of personnel from the OSHC and Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) Regional Extension Units and DOLE Regional Offices, underwent the regional validation.

For the regional validation, a team of experts from OSHC, ECC, DOLE Regional Offices, as well as representatives from the employers’ and workers’ groups visited the establishments to confirm if the OSH programs and contributions mentioned in submitted documents are indeed in place. Results of the validation were deliberated by the Regional Selection Committee chaired by the DOLE Region V Director Ma. Karina P. Trayvilla.

The Regional GKK Champions will undergo the last phase – the final judging and deliberation to vie for the National GKK. A Board of Judges composed of representatives from the employers’ and workers’ groups, Social Security System, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth), professional groups, the academe, and DOLE offices will rate the contenders based on best OSH practices and programs.

Any question on this release? Please contact Ma. Teresita S. Cucueco, MD, CESO III, executive director, Occupational Safety and Health Center, North Avenue corner Agham Road, Diliman, Quezon City with telephone numbers 929-6036 to 39 and e-mail address: oshcenter@dole.gov.ph