451 WORKERS, EMPLOYER REPRESENTATIVES JOIN DOLE BPO-INITIATED LABOR EDUCATION SEMINARS

To raise awareness of the updated rules and regulations concerning labor and employment, the Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office IV-A Batangas Provincial Office in partnership with the Batangas Province Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (BPTIPC) conducted labor education seminars at the DOLE Batangas Training Center, Lipa City, Batangas, January 23-February 3.

Two batches of participants joined the first leg of the events comprising 83 attendees from workers and management representatives from 46 different subcontractors and contractors.

Meanwhile, the remaining 368 participants from private establishments joined the awareness and learning sessions for companies with different schedules.

Sherwin Perez, an employee from the banking industry shared his gratitude for the department’s initiative of conducting substantial learning sessions.

“This initiative is very crucial as we open countless possibilities and opportunities to collaborate more between DOLE and a lot of establishments in promoting the welfare and uplifting the lives of our people and our employees as well,” Perez shared.

In her message, Director Predelma Tan welcomed the participants and expressed her sincerest gratitude for their eager participation in the event.

The resource speakers discussed substantial topics on the 2nd Tranche of Wage Order No 19-22, Wage Distortion, General Labor Standards, Occupational Safety, and Health Standards, Department Order 147-15 series of 2015, and for the contractors and subcontractors, the updated rules and issuances on Department Order No. 174 series of 2017.

Through a teleconferencing application, representatives from the Bureau of Working Conditions including Ms. Jenny Obien, Dr. Felix F. Labanda Jr., MD, Ms. Cae Capupus, Ms. Pauli Andrenette Grace Ong, and Ms. Lalaine M. Familara, also discussed during the program.

Atty. Dennis R. Manzanero and Atty. Rosita Villaluz from DOLE Regional Office IV-A Mediation-Arbitration and Legal Services Office and Atty. Rio Ariel Soriano with Mr. Edgar Avila also conducted their talks during the event.

Aside from the distinguished guest speakers, management representatives from the BPTIPC including Ms. Madonna Dio, Vice-Chairpersont, Ms. Manolita Baryan, Secretary, Mr. Mehel Christian Viatales, Auditor, Ms. Digna Lapitan, First District Representative, Ms. Jeanne Lyn Manalo, Fifth District Representative, and Mr. Russel Latorre, Sixth District Representative as well as the Public Relations Officer of the Council, Mr. Patrick Villegas also graced the series of seminars.

Ms. Cristina Barayang, Senior Labor and Employment Officer of DOLE BPO shared that the event received positive feedback from different stakeholders.

“In my small way, it would somehow make them realize their labor-related rights and responsibilities as partners in attaining and maintaining harmonious labor-management relationships,” she uttered.

The labor relations unit of DOLE BPO plans to conduct similar seminars for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises and other companies with pending deficiencies in the department to infuse knowledge on workers’ and employers’ rights and responsibilities, as well as to emphasize work ethics, values, and skills in attaining more cooperative labor-management relations.

The first batch of contractors and subcontractors attended the one-day seminar on the Mental Health Policy, Safe Space Act, Wage Distortion, 2nd Tranche Implementation of Wage Order IVA-19-22, and D.O. 174-17 (Implementing Rules on Contracting and Subcontracting), January 23.

Workers and employer representatives participated in the first leg of the awareness and learning seminar for companies in Batangas Province, January 25.