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PBSP Portfolio Manager for Health Jerome
Daclison assists Philip Liwanag, nurse of AAI
Worldwide Logistics Services Inc. in assessing
his company's workplace health training program.
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WITH the
increase in health risks faced by employees, more companies are seeing the need
for health programs in their workplaces. However, setting up one does not just
include conducting thrice-a-week Zumba classes, or putting up a “No Smoking”
sign in their offices but so much more.
While many have started to set up their own workplace
health initiatives, several others do not know how to do it the proper way, the
extent of each program, or even how to evaluate their entire health program.
In the recent iFLY Program Management Training conducted
by Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) at the Benpres
Building in Pasig City
The “iFLY Program Keep Fit, Live Well, Stay Young” was
launched in 2012 by the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote a healthy
change in the workplace, and address specific health risks and conditions that
affect the health and productivity of workers. It harnesses the CHANGE
communication strategy, which was developed in collaboration with the United
Nations and other national partners. This strategy encourages workers to drop
harmful habits and stick to the ones that help them achieve their goals.
CHANGE stands for C – Cigarette smoking; H – HIV and AIDs,
and STIs; A – Alcohol; N – Nasal and Lung Ailments; G - Good Nutrition and
Exercise; E - Exclusive Breastfeeding and Good Maternal and Child Care
Practices.
PBSP which was tapped by WHO to implement the program,
will conduct another iFLY Program Management Training on April 23 and 24 at the
Nestle Center
in Rockwell, Makati
City
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| PBSP Regional Portfolio Coordinator for Health Rommel Mercado explains anti-smoking programs. |
Interactive and insightful
THE workplace
health training last February proved to be a useful and effective tool to
participants. For instance, Meilene T. Dizor, the Employee Relations manager of
St. Lukes Medical Center in Quezon
City
“I found the program very helpful and interactive at the
same time because its not only lectures, unlike some of the trainings which
only have lectures and no engagement from the audience. I found the program
management process very helpful especially in how you educate you target
participants, as well as in the implementation, and application,” said Lyka G.
Pardo, HR manager of CATS Motors.
Hannah Soleil Francisco, the company nurse at DuPont Far
East, Inc. said the training gave her the direction and valuable tips in
creating a wellness program that is just not effective but also fits their
limited budget.
“I learned three things. First is the appreciation for
what we are doing. Second, it gave me a direction on what path to follow. The
third and most important lesson is practice, because what you are teaching is
what I see in you (PBSP). So if you’re teaching us organization, we are seeing
the way you handle the training which is very credible,” said Ryan Anthony B.
Bogayan, a company nurse at Energy Development Corp.
Rachel Trinidad, a Wellness assistant of Asalus Corporation’s
HR Department also found the helpful despite already having a complete program
in place.
“I see that there is still room for improvement especially
in the assessment (of our program) because top management had been asking us
about the gains of the program which we’ve been doing for years, and where the
budget is being allotted to. So now, I would be able to examine the program
further and determine the areas for improvement,” she added.
In the case of Philip Liwanag’s company AAI Worldwide
Logistic Services, Inc., the iFLY training didn’t just provide him the
direction and guidance but the resolve to make workplace health a policy in his
company. Just recently, a provision on the healthcare needs and welfare of
their employees has been included in the company’s Workplace Family Planning
Program.
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| PBSP Portfolio Manager for Health Jerome Daclison discusses the expectations the participants wrote on meta cards about the workplace health training program. |
“It’s very hard to make such programs and to convince
management and the employees to support it. That’s why, I am happy to be in
this training. I am gaining a lot of knowledge and I think it enhanced my
management skills to prepare such programs
based on other’s experiences. I wrote down everything, especially the
best practices so I can see how I can adopt a similar one for my company,” said
Liwanag.
Meanwhile, First Balfour’s company doctor Dr. Marie Yvette
S. Jaramillo said that she attended the iFLY training to see the finished
product of the program she helped create. She was part of the technical working
group for occupational safety and health programs composed of the International
Labour Organization (ILO), WHO, DOLE, Occupation and Health
Center , DOH, Employers Confederation
of the Philippines and the
Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines
“The product is good. I’m happy that PBSP is implementing
it, and even made the modules easily understood by the participants. Kudos to
the facilitator. Although I already know these things, there were still a lot
that I’ve learned during this training. My knowledge on health and wellness
increased. It’s hard to make a program for this but with the framework, I can
see that this is a good tool or guide for the attendees on how to start the
program. I suggest that PBSP also must present this to top management. Before
you educate the people, you have to educate top management. To convince them,
you have to educate them,” she said.
Unhealthy lifestyles
THE Department
of Health (DOH) reported that five of the top 10 leading causes of morbidity
and mortality in the  |
| A participant shares her opinion on the iFLY training program. |
The DOH also reported a total of 646 new cases of HIV
infections in February 2015 which translates to 21 new infections every day or
roughly one case per hour.
Companies also attested to have been losing more income to
unhealthy employees through paid sick leaves, employee replacement and or
overtime costs, opportunity costs from advanced payment of SSS sickness
benefits, and cost of productivity loss and decrease in work quality.
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About
Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP)
ESTABLISHED
in 1970, Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) is the largest
business-led social development organization in the country committed to
poverty reduction. With more than 267 large, small and medium-scale companies
as members, PBSP helps uplift the lives of Filipinos through social development
programs that focus on Health, Education, the Environment, and Livelihood &
Enterprise Development (HEEL). Since the start, PBSP has been at the forefront
of advocating for stronger corporate citizenship with the aim of supporting
inclusive national development.
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The
views expressed in this article are those of the PBSP
and do not necessarily
represent the views of,
and should not be attributed to this blog's author.