Corporate Social Responsibility

Therma Marine is 10th regional GKK awardee

June 20, 2016

THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 11 gave AboitizPower subsidiary Therma Marine, Inc. (TMI) Mobile 1 in Maco, Compostela Valley the highest distinction available for companies that are committed to ensuring the safety and health of their workers in the workplace.

DOLE 11 Regional Director Joffrey Suyao handed over the Gawad Kaligtasan at Kalusugan (GKK) award to TMI vice president for operations Jan Risager on May 30, 2016.

The  GKK  is  a biennial national  award  given  by DOLE in recognition  of  the outstanding achievements of establishments and individuals in terms of responding to the safety and health needs of workers, workplaces and community.

AboitizPower's 300-MW baseload power plant Therma South, Inc. located in Binugao, Toril, was also nominated for the award.

"This is an achievement of all our team members. Through them, we aim to be a world-class organization," TMI VP for Operations Jan Risager said.

“Truly you are a testament that there is a lot to gain by raising the benchmark of excellence in OSH (occupational health and safety), protecting the workers and inspiring the whole Philippine labor force to regulate such achievements,” said Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) Deputy Executive Director Jose Maria Batino during the awarding.

For the first time, winners were selected from regional and national levels from four categories: industry, individual, micro-enterprises and informal sector, and government offices. All companies with notable achievements under the four categories were invited to participate.

Qualified applicants for the regional validation were subject to site visits by a team of experts from OSHC, ECC and DOLE regional offices, including representatives from each applicant’s company.

The results of the regional validation were deliberated on by the Regional Selection Committee, chaired by the DOLE regional director to determine the regional GKK champions that garner an average score of not less than 80%.

All Regional GKK champions underwent final judging to determine the National GKK Champions. A board of judges composed of representatives from the Social Security System, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, professional groups, the academe and DOLE offices will rate the contenders’ OSH practices and programs.

Aside from the 10th regional GKK award, TMI was also 2013’s Regional Awardee of Tripartite Certificate of Compliance on Labor Standards (DOLE) and No. 1 Real Property Taxpayer from 2014-2015 from the local government of Maco, Compostela Valley.

The company was the regional nominee to the Search for Outstanding Volunteers from the National Economic & Development Authority - Phil. National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency last 2015.

​TMI also earned recognition from the National Coast Guard through the Marine Environmental Protection Command for the Oil Spill Awareness and Emergency Response Seminar, and for the Marine Mammal Stranding Response for Pygmy Sperm Whale from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region XI.

The two Therma Marine power barges in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte and Maco, Compostela Valley are currently providing 200 MW of dependable peaking power to Mindanao.

It is one of the most efficient peaking power plants in the region and it is helping 23 customers - electric cooperatives and distribution utilities - by cutting brownouts in these areas significantly.

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