The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said Tuesday it will make more green jobs available to Filipinos in 2010 to make workplaces clean and green and responsive against climate change.

Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito Roque said the department has been mobilizing its partners in the industrial front as it gears up for more green workplaces and heed calls on the need to address climate change.

“DoLE is more than jobs. It is also concern about climate change,” Roque said during a press conference.

“We will explore new opportunities and prospects in the green jobs. Since climate change affects employment, DoLE in collaboration with different companies will be working to help the labor sector adjust with it,’’ he added.

Next year, Roque said the DoLE will hold seminars on introduction to greenhouse gas accounting and international GHG protocol and carbon trading and clean development mechanism to educate employers and workers on greenhouse gas emission.

The department will likewise spearhead the National Green Jobs Conference which seeks to address the concerns of concerned sectors with different types of exposure to climate change policy drivers, he said.

“These sectors are in energy generating, renewable energy, alternative energy, employment sensitive, competition intensive, and sectors vulnerable to climate policies and climate sensitive,’’ according to Roque.

Cynthia Cruz, executive director of Institute for Labor Studies, said the green jobs include among others green investments such as recycling and organic farming.

“Environmental awareness should be embedded in every job,’’ she said.

Currently, Roque said there are companies who are already implementing green workplace and promoting green jobs while an increasing number of firms have expressed desire to invest in green jobs.

He said the growing consciousness among firms about the need of greening the workplaces will not only address climate change but also boost the country's employment since the goal is to help generate green jobs. These objectives are part of DoLE's Project Green Workplace Advocacy which was launched earlier.

During its 76th green anniversary celebration, which commenced the other day at the Eco-park at La Mesa Compound in Quezon City, the DoLE adopted the theme “Climate Smart @ 76’’ to highlight its advocacy of consciousness of workers with emphasis on the Green Pact. The Green Pact, a tripartite agreement among the government, employer and workers’ representatives, is a list of commitment and steps to protect the environment through building adaptive capacity to the impact of climate change.

The labor department reiterated its call on stakeholders concerned to promote green workplaces in view of global concerns on climate change caused by global warming that is now threatening the world.