DOLE BATANGAS EDUCATES FUTURE WORKERS IN A LABOR EDUCATION LEARNING SESSION FOR GRADUATING STUDENTS

As the academic year draws to a close, the transition from the halls of the university to the complexities of the corporate world can be daunting. 

To address this, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Batangas, led by Labor and Employment Officer II, Ms. Patricia Ivana C. Magsino, conducted a comprehensive Labor Education for Graduating Students (LEGS) seminar at the Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) – Batangas. 

Ms. Patricia Ivana Magsino, Labor and Employment Officer II during her discussion of the Labor Standards (Photo: Contributed/Official Documentation)

The seminar served as a vital initiative to equip soon-to-be graduates with the necessary knowledge on labor rights, government regulations, and social protection programs, ensuring they enter the workforce not just with academic credentials, but with the confidence to navigate their professional journeys.     

For graduating students like Richard Jarabelo, a BS Nursing student, and Lendzey King Mendoza, an aspiring International Travel and Tourism Management professional, the LEGS program was described as an "eye-opener."

 Mr. Lendzey King Mendoza, an International Travel and Tourism Management Student (Photo: Contributed/Official Documentation)

"Entering the world of work of course there are many fears and there are certain things that I am scared of and struggling," Mr. Mendoza admitted.

Hence, for Mr. Mendoza, the seminar highlighted a generational shift on how young professionals prepare for the future. "My parents had to learn all of these things by themselves, often the hard way. Introducing these concepts to us while we are still in school is a huge advantage. This knowledge shouldn't be limited to a few; it should be accessible to every student who has the capacity to learn” he remarked. 

As the students prepare to step into the labor market, both graduates emphasized the importance of taking the LEGS program seriously.

 Mr. Richard Jarabelo, a BS Nursing student on his active participation to LEGS (Photo: Contributed/Official Documentation)

Meanwhile, Mr. Jarabelo shared he realized the importance of understanding the salient features of laws governing the rights of every worker in the country especially for them as new entrants to the world of work.

"Having a background or knowledge about labor rights will definitely protect you moving forward because if you are already employed, there are certain times that you might feel that your [right are] being violated. And if you have the ideas or background about labor, work, and employment, definitely, you will be able to protect yourselves.” Mr. Jarabelo remarked.

The students expressed their sincere appreciation to DOLE Batangas and LPU Job Placement Office for the initiative. Looking ahead, they suggested that future programs could include more interactive components, such as mock interviews during job fairs, to further prepare students for the realities of the corporate world.

"We are very grateful and thankful for your help because not only did you broaden our knowledge but it also helped us to open wide in terms of the path that we are gonna be taking in the future. This is a very generous gift not only given to us students but to future professionals such as ourselves. We are very thankful, not only in your support at this moment as we are graduating students but also in the future support and assistance that you will be giving to us as future professionals,” they shared.

Graduating Students of LPU Batangas with the University Officials and Speaker of LEGS (Photo: Contributed/Official Documentation)

Aside from the students of LPU Batangas, DOLE Batangas officers already conducted labor education learning sessions in various schools in the province totaling to 4,171 from February to April 2026, fostering an environment of awareness and preparedness to the Filipino workforce and ensuring that the graduates are well-equipped to contribute meaningfully to the nation's economy and beyond.#