Informal sectors are urged to practice occupational safety and health (OSH) as part of the Vision 1 Million of the OSH Center of the Department of Labor and Employment.
In view of this, the OSH Center opened a category for the informal sectors, along with micro-enterprises in the Gawad Kaligtasan at Kalusugan (GKK), which recognizes companies and individuals with occupational safety and health practices, programs, innovations, and contributions.
Other categories include private companies from agriculture, mining, quarrying, manufacturing and transportation, electricity, gas, steam and water supply, construction, real estate, education, accommodation and food services, arts, entertainment and recreation, human health and social work, information and communication, BPO, security banks, financial and insurance and the like.
Another category is set for local government units, government-owned and controlled corporations, government financing institutions, and DOLE-Accredited OSH practitioners and consultants.
“We decided to open the informal category because we have been getting requests from various informal sectors like the small industries, cooperatives, barangay groups,” Diana Joy G. Romero, information officer of OSH, told reporters during the launch at SMX Convention Center, Lanang.
“This has been only our second year since we included a category for GKK for informal sectors but some sectors from a coffee cooperative and a water refilling station have already been awarded in the ASEAN,” said Romero.
“We are hoping more informal sectors will join on the GKK,” Romero urged.
Among the categories, the informal sectors have the only cash prize with P20,000 in the national level while others are given the distinction.
The deadline for GKK document review and initial screening is set on March 29, 2019 for the regional scheme. Those who will qualify for the regional GKK champions will vie for the national GKK competition.
