BINONDO-INTRAMUROS BRIDGE OPENS IN APRIL

Taganito Mining is national winner of industrial peace award

TAGANITO, Claver, Surigao Del Norte -- Taganito Mining Corporation (TMC), a subsidiary of Nickel Asia Corporation, has been declared the national winner of the 2021 Search for Outstanding Labor Management Cooperation (LMC) Program for Industrial Peace.

TMC received the award December 15, 2021 during the virtual Twin Search on Outstanding Labor Management Cooperation and Grievance Machinery for Industrial Peace, jointly organized by the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) and the Labor Management Cooperation Practitioners, Inc. (PHILAMCOP).

The biennial search aims to promote harmonious labormanagement relations and acknowledge the role of labor management councils throughout the country in improving workers’ welfare and sustaining corporate viability amidst the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Accepting the award, TMC Resident Mine Manager Engr. Artemio E. Valeroso highlighted the history of sustained partnership between the company and its labor union, the Taganito Labor Union (TLU).

Valeroso said the labormanagement cooperation over the years reflects TMC’s ethos to focus on employee’s welfare, as encapsulated in one of its corporate slogans: “Sa TMC-BIDA Kami.”

“It’s a great honor to accept this award on behalf of everyone at Taganito Mining Corporation—from the TLU officers, members here in the mine site, and to all our teams,” he said.

Edgardo Z. Buligan, NACTMC senior human resources manager, said the award demonstrated TMC’s leadership in industrial peace and labormanagement cooperation.

‘“The award is a recognition of the effective LMC mechanism fostering not only in industrial peace but also for boosting productivity and promoting a safe and healthy workplace at TMC,” Buligan said.

Buligan noted that since the start of its mining operation 30 years ago, NAC-TMC has not experienced any labor unrest.

NCMB described this year’s as a “special edition, in recognition of LMCs that have remained focused and true to the very essence of “cooperation and partnership– despite the COVID-19 pandemic that tested their significance and relevance amidst retrenchments and company closures.”

TMC has received numerous labor-management recognitions over the years, the latest of which was in 2019 when it won the outstanding LMC for industrial peace award in the regional level.

Taganito Mining’s Labor Management Council (top photo) composed of management and labor union officers, after the announcement of winners for the 2021 Search for Outstanding Labor Management Cooperation (LMC) Program for Industrial Peace.

ENVOY: BINONDO-INTRAMUROS BRIDGE OPENS IN APRIL

The construction of the Chinafunded Binondo-Intramuros (B-I) bridge is almost complete and will be opened by April 2022, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said.

During an on-site inspection, Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian said the bridge would significantly ease traffic congestion on both sides of the Pasig River, with its capacity to accommodate 30,000 vehicles daily.

“The project started on July 17, 2018 and has now been completed. The completion and the opening ceremony will be held next month,” he said.

It features two arch ribs leaning against each other, a symbolic design Huang said reflects “the unity of China and the Philippines, side by side, hand in hand”.

The envoy noted that “highly efficient and energy-saving” construction equipment, as well as locally-produced materials, were used during the construction of the bridge.

“The B-I Bridge purchased materials such as steel, engineering equipment, and building materials produced by local enterprises in bulk, with a total value of 2.47 billion pesos, which directly motivates the development of related industries,” he said.

Apart from the bridge, a Philippine-China friendship park is expected to rise in the area through the donation of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry Inc. (FFCCCII), the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Association of the Philippines Foundation Inc. (FFCAP), and the Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc. (PCCCII).

The envoy said “commercial procedures” have also been completed for the North and South Harbor Bridge, the Eastbank-Westbank Bridge, and the Palanca-Villegas Bridge projects in Manila.

99.7% of Filminera, Phil. Gold workforce in Masbate vaxxed

Masbate Gold Project’s total workforce has reached a significant 99.7% COVID-19 vaccination rate.

“This statistic is incredible and truly exceeds anything I could have hoped for. It is the highest rate that I know of for any company, anywhere,” Dan Moore, President of Phil. Gold Processing & Refining Corp. (PGPRC) stated in the message sent to all employees recently.

Moore related that planning for the vaccination of the workforce started in mid-2020 and plans were tweaked to address challenges until its realization.

He commended the team who managed the companies’ Vaccination Program headed by the Medical Team, OHS, Human Resources and Administration Departments.

As of the middle of February, fully vaccinated employees of both companies and their contractors comprised 2,170 of the 2,177 workers. The vaccination program is now focused on administration of booster doses and 1,567 employees have received their booster shots.

Geronimo Badulis Jr., Filminera Resident Manager also acknowledged the assistance of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) of Masbate, as well as the Rural Health Unit (RHU) of Aroroy in conducting the vaccination program for the companies’ workforce.

Doctors and nurses from both the PHO and RHU administered the vaccination of the employees.

“This is another testament of our dynamic partnership with our local government unit and officials,” said Badulis.

Meanwhile, a total of 10,500 doses of Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines were donated to the Masbate Provincial Health Office as its contribution the host province’s vaccination program.

In addition, about Php5 million worth of cash assistance have been given by FRC and PGPRC to the Provincial LGU to amplify its COVID response efforts.

PGPRC and FRC commit to strive and contribute to the vaccination efforts to fight the spread of COVID-19 virus in the country.