Web Forum[HRM]: SONA 2008

[Note: This is a reply to the post in Mr. G.'s Web Forum (HRM subject). Assignment 7: On the assumption that you heard/read the SONA of the President yesterday, July 28, 2008, identify at least 3 areas related to Human Resource Mangement and explain how these areas can improve our quality of life.]

State of the Nation Address of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the 2nd Regular Session of the 14th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines

28 July 2008

Okay. I have actually heard a portion of the President's State of the Nation Address in the news. But I was not able to catch up some points related to our subject in Human Resource Management. So, assuming I have taken into my notes what she said (assuming I have my source), I have to identify 3 areas related to HRM and..elaborate it. :-)

So here are my 3 picks:

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"In training, 7.74 million took technical and vocational courses over the last seven years, double the number in the previous 14 years. In 2007 alone, 1.7 million graduated. "

This is a good point to note. It only shows that our young Filipinos are acquiring skills through training and vocational courses offered by some government projects. This is a way of developing the abilities of students in their preparation to the real world of work. Even though they can't afford to enroll in degree programs, at least they are being trained and oriented technically for their employment opportunity in the future.

***

"Employers have funded the two increases in SSS benefits since 2005. Thank you, employers for paying the premiums.

GSIS pensions have been indexed to inflation and have increased every year since 2001. Its salary loan availments have increased from two months equivalent to 10 months, the highest of any system public or private—while repayments have been stretched out."

Benefits and other added compensation are essential for the workforce of a company. It is one way to keep the employees motivated to be productive in line with the company's goal. So granting we have this SSS and GSIS benefits, etc provided by the employers, the company's human resources and the future workers of it are lucky enough to gain such rights and privileges.

***

"Bukod sa libreng edukasyon sa elementarya at high school, nadoble ang pondo para sa mga college scholarships, while private high school scholarship funds from the government have quadrupled.

I have started reforming and clustering the programs of the DepEd, CHED and TESDA. "

This is a very beneficial help especially to the aspiring students and their poor families. As with the crisis affecting every aspect of life in the world, more families can't afford to let their children go to school. In result, we are acquiring higher literacy rate and weaker workforce in the country. But through these scholarship programs by the government, the four corners of learning are now being accessible to students and even out-of-school youth who wanted to grab education in their hands. As we conceive, education is very important to a person because it is in formal learning where he can get skills training, personal and intellectual development,etc to be one of the best and competitive employees and employers in the future for they shall make the human resources of our country's workforce.

I have noted that there are so many points stressed by the President during her SONA 2008 but most of them focused more on the rice production, land reforms, and VAT. Nevertheless, in spite of the global crisis affecting the people from all walks of life especially our fellow countrymen below the poverty line, her words express optimism for the country's economic development. Such a strong-willed leader.

Source: SONA 2008 Speech Text (courtesy of a SONA link in Ymreb's blog)