A-ding and Bato… A-darna: A Short Entry Not Related to Labor and Industrial Relations in Any Way

ANTO COMETA

Jef and I just finished drinking at Kyusinero, an establishment a couple of meters away from Tree House along Matalino Street in Diliman area. It was around 2:30 in the morning when we decided to call it a night (or day - since it’s already morning). We didn’t have any plans of going there but since our favorite drinking spots within the village – Tree House and Taberna Ocho (along Maginhawa Street) were already closed, we were forced to drink there. Actually, we didn’t have any plans of drinking at all since we were already exhausted after doing the paper to be passed to one of our subjects in graduate school that week. However, due to the irresistible craving for alcohol (as always) we were hauled to that place. The place was ok, in fact it was better than we initially thought – food was cheaper compared to Tree House and they close at 4:00 in the morning. It was really a good deal. We stayed there for almost two hours talking crap and disclosing my problems regarding my personal life.

Jef decided to take the route to Kalayaan Avenue on our way home (good ol’ neighbors) when he noticed a new establishment at the right side of the road just across BPI Kalayaan. I looked at it and said – “Yeah, kabubukas lang n’yan two weeks ago, Adarna”. He suddenly exclaimed “A-darna” as if shouting like a local female super hero. I said “teka, dapat ganito, A-ding ang bato… A-darna”. Both of us laughed hard. We made fun of the establishment’s name and even connecting it with an Ilocano (or northern language) word. Obviously, it was a corny remark, but the two of us laughed as if it was really funny. On second thought, it was quite hilarious (on our standards) since we laughed.

Advancing Non-discrimination and Equality in the Workplace: The Case of Company Z

ANTO COMETA

Efforts to advance and uphold non-discrimination and equality in employment and occupation have been a major struggle for workers in order to achieve impartiality in aspects whereby personal as well professional qualifications are put into reservation. The abovementioned dilemma that companies are faced with is not something uncommon as this has been an enduring characteristic of labor markets across countries (Tomei, 2003). Managing diversity in the workplace through company policies and programs leads (at the very least) to tolerance and acceptance of differences amongst individuals within the organization.

Company Z is a European owned and managed Web Services Company operating in the Philippines. They develop PHP-based commercial grade software and performance-based internet marketing services for clients outside of the country. As far as creation and implementation of policies and programs are concerned with reference to non-discrimination and equality, none have been disseminated nor put in black and white. By practice (based on assumption) in the organization, acceptance of workers were based on the competency and merit of the individual and not based on the person’s physical attributes, political views and socio-cultural origin and affiliation.

It could be viewed that articulation of non-discrimination and equality is unnecessary as the organization has been liberal in accepting various individuals having different personal characteristics such as sexual category and sexual orientation. In hind sight this is fairly equitable. However, by means of actuality, non-articulation in any form does not mean approval of such matter. It could be a case of just being apathetic since it would not affect the operations of the business or restrained in view of the fact that discriminative actions could lead to violation of several labor and employment policies and laws which could bring about several negative implications to the company.

Non-articulation does not eliminate bigotry in any way within the organization. Thus, protection against discrimination in the workplace should be enforced (or reinforced) to safeguard individuals from probable adverse consequences that may arise from it. Companies fail to notice the benefits that they could get by implementing and promoting non-discrimination and equality in the organization. Administrating and harboring diversity at work leads to effective workforce management which in turn results to effective and efficient business operations. It does not only foster a good working environment for the welfare of its workers but also provides a stable groundwork for the business to thrive since workers are the chief elements of running the business. Workers play a major role for both the successes and failures of the business. Investing on equality of treatment and opportunity through equal remuneration (compensation and benefits) as well as general undertakings and conduct within the organization would provide an excellent avenue for growth and development for both the individual and the organization.