18 February 2015 – The Philippine Consulate General in New York and the New York and Philadelphia District Offices of the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) signed on February 12 an Arrangement establishing a collaborative relationship between them. The signing ceremony was held athe Kalayaan Hall Annex of the of the Philippine Center, with Philippine Consul General Mario L. De Leon Jr. signing for the Consulate General, and EEOC New York District Director Kevin Berry and EEOC Philadelphia District Director Spencer H. Lewis signing for their respective offices.
The signing in New York came on the heels of the signing ceremony at the Philippine Embassy in Washington,D.C. between the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), with Philippine Ambassador to United States Jose Cuisia, Jr. signing for DFA, and US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, with Chairperson Jenny R. Yang signing for EEOC.
The Arrangement is the result of efforts by both sides to ensure promotion of equal opportunity in the work place and greater protection for Filipino workers residing and working in the US Northeast, including the disabled, vulnerable, undocumented migrants, and elderly who need greater protection under the law. The Consulate General and the EEOC both aim to raise the awareness of worker’s rights and employer’s responsibilities. Both parties also aim to provide protection against discrimination, especially for those workers who are vulnerable to abuse because of lack of awareness or understanding of the resources offered to them under US law. The EEOC New York District Office covers the states of New York, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and Northern New Jersey while the Philadelphia District Office covers the states of Pennsylvania, Delaware and Southern New Jersey.
Under the Arrangement, the Consulate General and the EEOC will partner to promote information dissemination, guidance and access to the services and resources of the EEOC among the Filipino community. In particular, the Arrangement will enhance cooperation in three main areas: Training and Education, Outreach and Communication and Promotion of Dialogue. The overall objective is to educate Filipinos on their rights as workers and empower them when faced with discrimination at the workplace.
In his remarks, Consul General De Leon noted the significance of the Arrangement, emphasizing that, in the end, the protection of worker’s rights is vital in preserving a harmonious working atmosphere. Director Lewis, speaking on the EEOC’s part, expressed his hope that the Arrangement would prove beneficial to the thousands of Filipinos working in the United States, and specifically the Filipinos working in the US Northeast. Director Lewis also echoed Consul General De Leon’s sentiments on protecting the rights of workers and preserving harmony in the workplace.
The signing ceremony was attended by EEOC staff, led by Brian White, as well as members of the Filipino community and various Filipino organizations and civic organizations, such as National Federation of Filipino Associations Region I, Filipino American Legal Defense and Education Fund and National Federation for Filipino Concerns, who voiced their approval of the Arrangement and stated that they looked forward to seeing the results of the programs under the Arrangement in the coming months. END