DOLE-RO1 sets priority programs

December 21-22, 2010 - The Depart-ment of Labor and Employment-Regional Office 1 conducted its Year-End Performance Assessment (YEPA), particularly to appraise the areas where the Department excelled, as well as to determine the weak points which need improvement.

Anchored on Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III’s commitment towards transforma-

tional leadership, DOLE-RO1 has taken steps to contribute in great leaps to-wards this end through its programs and services carved and drafted through thorough planning and target setting to meet the needs of Filipino workers. For 2011, DOLE-RO1 has lined-up its priority programs and services along the lines of improving productivity, strengthening tripartite consultation with social partners leading to indus-trial peace, addressing jobs mismatch Turn to page 3

After the completion of its Emergency Employ-ment Program, the De-partment of Labor and Employment-Regional Office 1 reports that it has successfully helped 1,392 workers recover from the havoc wrought by last year’s super ty-phoon Juan. For the period October 2010 to first week of January 2011, the DOLE 1 facilitated the employment of affected workers in infrastruc-ture projects initiated by local government units identified to be worst hit by the typhoon. The workers’ salaries, which

are equivalent to the minimum hiring rates of the LGUs, were drawn from the DOLE. “Once again we have succeeded in protecting our most disadvanta-geous workers from the debilitating effects of a natural calamity through our safety nets,” DOLE 1 Director Henry John Jalbuena said. Jalbuena said the EEP concretizes President Benigno S. Aquino III’s thrust to transform gov-ernment anti-poverty programs that instill dole-out mentality to

Emergency employment helps worker victims survive Juan

well-considered programs that build ca-pacity and create opportunities among the poor and the marginalized in the country.

“For this EEP, the DOLE has disbursed a total amount of P7.1 million repre-senting the workers’ salaries for a 30-day period. It was sufficient to help them recover from the calamity, and get back to normal lives,” Jalbuena said. Turn to page 4

Volume 2 Issue 1 JANUARY 2011

Taking off from our gains

last year, we look at the

year 2011 with greater

resolve to fulfill the labor

reforms which, through

the cooperation of our

partners, we have started

under President Benigno

S. Aquino III’s platform of

good governance.

Set against a backdrop of

transformational leadership, we have fashioned

our priority programs and thrusts for calendar

year 2011 to fit our goals of increasing produc-

tivity; creating quality employment opportuni-

ties and boosting employment; achieving indus-

trial peace within the context of social justice;

elevating working standards; and instituting re-

forms in labor case disposition.

The strategies which will be used are still part of

our wide-ranging and far-reaching labor and

employment platform we have initiated in the

last half of year 2010 to dignify the Filipino

workforce.

Foremost in our productivity agenda is the pro-

posed two-tiered wage fixing system which is

now the subject of deliberations and multi-

sectoral consultations.

In response to employment concerns in the re-

gion, we will intensify the implementation of our

Skills Registry System (SRS) and Career and

Employment Coaching (CEC); advocate among

stakeholders the results of the Project Jobs Fit;

strengthen relationship among private, PESO

and other entities on job facilitation; and con-

tinue institutionalization of PESOs in local gov-

ernment units.

We seek to further strengthen tripartism as a

key to promoting industrial peace and elevating

working standards. With tripartite cooperation,

we will strive to encourage all industries in the

region to formulate and adopt voluntary code of

good practices. The code will empower indus-

tries to observe self-regulation on matters af-

fecting labor, employment, social and economic

issues, thus, enabling them to set flexible rules

which are beneficial to both.

To institute reforms in labor case disposition,

Turn to page 4

Editorial Board Dir. Henry John S. Jalbuena

Editorial Technical Consultant

Arly Sta. Ana-Valdez

Editor-In-Chief

Contributors:

Jeridee C. Orate

Agnes B. Aguinaldo

Fredderick L. Gaerlan

Rommel Ioannis E. Mendoza

Violeta J. Buenaventura

Mary Aurea de Jesus

Leonavella S. Dadiz

Layout and Design:

Jennelyn S. Malong

1 DOLE Gazette is the official monthly publication of the Depart-

ment of Labor and Employment-Regional Office 1, with address at

the Arnel Bldg., Mabini St., Catbangen, City of San Fernando, La

Union. Contact Details: (072)7002520; 7004371; 2421753; fax:

(072)6078114;email add: dole_ro1@yahoo.com; web-

site:ro1.dole.gov.ph

The title is a play of the Department’s name and the numeral

number 1.

The numeral number 1 signifies Region 1 and oneness of the

DOLE Regional Office 1 and its attached agencies in program

implementation.

Normally, the acronym DOLE 1 is used. However, as this newslet-

ter debuts at the dawn of a new administration’s strengthened

coherent policy and program complementation under a 22-point

labor platform, we deem it more emphatic to affix the number 1

before DOLE to represent both purposes.

THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR’S CORNER THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR’S CORNER THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR’S CORNER

PAGE 2 1 DOLE GAZETTE

What’s Inside

About the TitleAbout the TitleAbout the Title

DOLE-RO 1 sets priority programs Emergency employment helps worker victims survive Juan

The Regional Director’s Corner 2 Editorial Board About the Title

DOLE 1, PRPAs tackle recruitment procedures 3

18,758 receive 13th month pay 5 Events

Region 1 all set for RN HEALS Calendar of activities February 2011

NCMB RB 1: Labor front generally peaceful 4

PAGE 3 1 DOLE GAZETTE

through the conduct of comprehensive employabil-ity and productivity en-hancement seminars and establishing a reliable data-base of manpower skills which will serve as a possi-ble pool of competent work-force, promotion of capacity building activities and crea-tion of livelihood opportuni-ties that will alleviate the living conditions of the un-derprivileged, reinforcing the Integrity and Efficiency Boards and adherence to the provisions of the Anti-Red Tape Act so that a stream of honest and dedi- cated public servants can be developed. DOLE-RO1 will work with much perseverance to ad-dress the needs of its client-

DOLE-RO 1 sets ... ele. With focus on the above mentioned priority deliver-ables, DOLE-RO1 will cater to the specific employment-related needs of the Ilocos Region through the imple-mentation of the Skills Reg-istry System, the conduct of Career and Employability Coaching, strengthening both private and public sec-tors i.e. PESO and employ-ers, and Jobs Fit among other regular programs relative to employment fa-cilitation. In relation to promoting harmonious employer-employee relationships, the Department will strive to work with private and labor sector to strengthen tripar-tite cooperation, hence-forth, the drafting of

Voluntary Code of Good Practices for the various industries in the Region and better compliance to labor standards. Reformed conciliation-mediation proc-esses will be implemented through the Single Entry Approach (SEnA) leading to amicable settlement. In restoring integrity and fair-ness in the system through

the Integrity and Efficiency

Boards set up within the vari-

ous agencies, it is the ultimate

goal of the Department to

serve better and be better at heeding to the needs of the

real boss. - jco

DOLE 1, PRPAs tackle recruitment procedures

City of San Fernando, La Union – Representatives of licensed Private Re-cruitment and Placement Agencies and the Depart-

ment of Labor and Em-ployment-Regional Office 1 met recently to clearly define roles and proce-dures in the conduct of Special Recruitment Ac-tivities in the region. “The event is the first of a series of consultation-dialogues which the DOLE 1 plans to organize, to concretize our commit-ments to the Aquino ad-ministration’s goal of eradicating human traf-ficking and illegal recruit-ment,” Regional Director

Henry John Jalbuena said. Memorandum Circular No. 17, series 2002 and Depart-ment Order No. 7, series of

2002 were revisited to en-sure that all principal ac-tors have a shared under-standing of the step-by-step activities to be undertaken for the holding of SRAs. Jalbuena added that the undertaking is done in light of prioritizing the protection and promotion of Overseas Filipino Workers’ welfare, which is also foremost in the President’s labor agenda. “We need to create a har-monized structure and

clear-cut guidelines con-cerning the recruitment and deployment of our Filipino workers to afford them qual-ity overseas employment op-

portunities and total care. Every concerned agency will be enjoined to support this endeavor,” Jalbuena said. Among the areas of concern are the following: 1) strict observance of the prescribed periods and requirements in the conduct of pre/post-recruitment activities; 2) reportorial requirements; 3) close monitoring system among involved agencies; 4) individual roles of stake-holders. The possibility of organizing the recruitment agencies was also explored to further strengthen partnership be-tween and among them and the government in providing comprehensive services to OFWs, including their fami-lies. - asv

RCC UpdatesRCC Updates

PAGE 4 1 DOLE GAZETTE

NCMB RB 1: labor front generally peaceful

The National Conciliation and

Mediation Board-Regional

Branch 1 has reported its ac-complishments for the past

year, emphasizing that these

have been achieved through its

intensified flagship programs

focused on strengthening col-

laboration with social partners as outlined in President Benigno

S. Aquino III’s Labor Reform

Agenda.

NCMB-RB 1 Director Carmina B. Alonzo said their office is pro-

moting unorthodox initiatives to

help in re-engineering moral re-

covery program for workplace

productivity and profitability.

This has resulted in a generally

peaceful situation in establish-

ments in the region.

Alonzo said that in Workplace

Cooperation and Partnership,

the Branch facilitated 367% ac-

complishment for unionized es-

tablishments and 267% accom-

plishment for non-unionized es-tablishments.

“For Workplace Disputes and

Settlement activities, the Branch

achieved 104% performance in the unionized companies and

150% in non-unionized compa-

nies,” she said.

Alonzo said that social dialogues

and alliance with Region 1 in-

dustrial practitioners has

brought the strengthening and

enhancement of plant-level

mechanisms, i.e. 135% for un-ionized companies and 165% for

non-unionized companies.

The Branch was also able to forge agreements with LMC –

GM advocates, Local Association

of Accredited Voluntary Arbitra-

tors, the Integrated Bar of the

Philippines, the academe and

National Labor Relations Com-

mission as a multi-partite ven-ture, yielding a 125% accom-

plishment in mainstreaming pro

-active framework for genuine

industry harmonious relations

and expedient labor dispute

resolution mechanism.

“We have also achieved 100%

disposition rate of all concilia-

tion-mediation cases; preventive

mediation cases were disposed within 5.93 days from date of

filing from the 22 days target; a

200% performance rate on vol-

untary arbitration cases was

accomplished with 10 days dis-

position from the date of filing; notice of strike case was dis-

posed within eighteen (18) days

from date of filing viz – a – viz

the 29 days target of disposi-

tion,” Alonzo said, adding that their office was able to deliver a

110% performance under the

Single Entry Approach (SENA).

She also reported that a total of

eighty-eight (88) technical as-sistance were rendered to walk-in clientele and 131 companies reached through advocacy and networking; while a 173% performance was achieved in terms of trainings and seminars.

“Compounding all the enu-merated accomplishments, we could not have been more effective and efficient without the collective support of all the stakeholders in the in-dustry sharing their talents, skills and resources to make our tasks lighter,” Alonzo said, adding:

“NCMB – RB I multiplied our value to our clientele in the

unionized and non-unionized sectors, as we were inspired to articulate profes-sionalism and excellent pub-lic service in our pursuit to

give quality and speedy deliv-ery of our functions under the mantle of our self-imposed creed that we do our job with excellence.” - w/ Ce-

sar D. Cacayuran

Emergency employment . . .

He reported that the beneficiar-

ies are distributed among the

following provinces: Pangasinan (942); La Union (250); Ilocos Sur

(100); and Ilocos Norte (100).

The identification of recipient

municipalities were done using data and information supplied

by the Department of Agricul-

ture, Office of Civil Defense and

other concerned agencies. - asv

The Regional Director’s . . .

our Single-Entry Approach

affords speedy, impartial, in-

expensive and accessible set-

tlement of issues arising from

employer-employee relations

by encouraging amicable set-

tlement within a 30-day man-

datory mediation-conciliation

period.

These reforms will not come

easily, especially in light of nu-

merous factors that have sub-

stantial impact on our labor

and employment conditions.

But we at the Department will

make every effort to place the

Filipino worker in equal footing

with global standards enjoyed

by workers of other nations.

PAGE 5 1 DOLE GAZETTE

18,758 workers receive 13th month pay

The measures being un-dertaken by the Depart-ment of Labor and Em-ployment-Regional Office 1 to exact compliance with the 13th month pay law are now paying off as compliance reports from employers have begun to flood its Field Offices. Initial reports show that 18,758 workers have been paid their 13th month pay in the total amount of P127,340,623.89. This positive response from employers in the region is attributed to the intensi-fied advocacy conducted by the DOLE 1 as early as November last year.

Last year, Labor Chief Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz directed all DOLE Regional Offices to under-take steps to elicit compli-ance and “to report on the extent or the number of complaints from workers about the non-payment of the 13th month pay.” Jalbuena said the DOLE, through its six Field Of-fices, continues to moni-tor and exact compliance with the 13th month pay law. The 13th month pay is mandatory pursuant to PD 851. - asv

“We have leveled up our tri-media advocacy to en-join all employers to com-ply with the 13th month pay law. Aside from this, our Office had sent re-minders to all establish-ments to submit their compliance reports,” Jal-buena said. He added that only three complaints about non-payment of the 13th month pay had been re-ceived by the DOLE 1, and these are now being conciliated-mediated un-der its 30-day mandatory Single Entry Approach (SENA).

EVENTS

All systems go. Region 1 will proceed with the RN HEALS as planned, as members of the Regional and Provincial Project Management Teams finalized the project implementa-tion details in a meeting held recently at the Max’s Restaurant, City of San Fernando, La Union. DOLE 1 Director Henry John Jalbuena (inset) said the RN HEALS is one of government’s responses to the problem on the glut of inexperienced and unemployed nurses who are even forced to pay “volunteer fees” just to be able to gain experience in hospitals. The DOLE 1, as the chair of the previous Project NARS, recommended for the extension/expansion of the project to reach out to more unemployed nurses. Under a new name and chairmanship, the project will again deploy 10,000 nurses nationwide to en-hance their learnings in both public and clinical settings.

For the modern day heroes. As part of its expanded protection program for migrant workers, the DOLE 1 takes steps to ensure quality overseas employment opportunities and safe working conditions for Overseas Filipino Workers and their families. Photo shows Ms. Teresa Bonavente, Officer-In-Charge of the Technical Services Support Divi-

sion (top left photo), and Ms. Bernadette May Mamitag, Senior Labor and Employment Officer (bottom right photo), meeting with representatives of various Private Recruitment and Placement Agencies in the region to im-prove recruitment procedures and explore possibilities of

organizing them to be able to further assist OFWs.

JANUARY 2011 1 DOLE GAZETTE

Region 1 all set for RN Heals City of San Fernando, La Union - It’s

all systems go for the Registered Nurses for Health Enhancement and

Local Service for Region 1 after the Regional Office of the Department of

Labor and Employment and its part-

ners finalized its implementation de-tails.

Recently, members of the Regional

and Provincial Project Management Teams on RN Heals met to agree on

the schedule of activities, logistical

requirements and to firm up commit-ments to be able to proceed with the

project as planned by the National Project Management Team.

In attendance during the meeting were representatives of the Depart-

ment of Health-Center for Health Development; Department of Social

Welfare and Development; Depart-

ment of the Interior and Local Gov-ernment; Professional Regulation

Commission; Philippine Nurses Asso-ciation; DOLE-Regional Office 1, and

the provincial counterparts of the

DOH.

As the lead agency, the DOH-CHD will be mobilizing its provincial coun-

terparts to hold simultaneous provin-cial pre-deployment orientations on

February 11-12.

“As scheduled, the deployment of

nurses will be on February 14,” DOLE 1 Director Henry John Jalbuena said.

Out of the 10,000 nurses who will be

deployed nationwide, 522 have been allocated for Region 1.

Accord-

ding to Jalbuena, the official list of

successful nurse applicants will be posted in the DOLE website on Feb-

ruary 8.

“At the close of the registration pe-

riod, we will be ready with our short- list of qualified applicants, and on

February 5 and 6, interviews will be conducted at the DOLE Regional Of-

fice to validate information supplied by the applicants in their registration

forms,” Jalbuena added.

The DOLE is the lead agency in the

recruitment activities for the project. As part of this function, it is respon-

sible in receiving applications and

screening nurse applicants for train-ing. - asv

Calendar of ActivitiesCalendar of ActivitiesCalendar of Activities February 2011February 2011February 2011

1 1 1 Regional and Provincial Project

Management Teams Organiza-

tional Meeting on RN Heals,

Max’s Restaurant, City of San Fer-

nando, La Union

4 Panel Interview of applicants for

OSH Accreditation, DOLE-RO1

Conference Room, City of San Fer-

nando, La Union

5-6 Interview of shortlisted applicants

for the RN Heals, DOLE-RO 1,

City of San Fernando, La Union

7 Employment promotion and man

power development

8 Board Meeting

RTWPB-R1, City of San Fernando,

La Union

Posting of List of Successful RN

Heals Applicants

11-12 Simultaneous Provincial Predeploy-

ment Orientation of RN Heals bene

ficiaries

14 Deployment of RN Heals nurse-

beneficiaries

16 Regional Tripartite Industrial Peace

Council Meeting, Max’s Restaurant,

City of San Fernando, La Union

21-22 Strategic Planning Workshop

Cozy Place Resort, Rosales, Pangasinan

21-24 DOLE-Wide Corporate Planning Exercises

Canyon Cove, Nasugbu, Batangas

22 Budget Consultation and Review with the Re

gional Development Council-Regl. Development

Budget Coordinating Committee

NEDA-R1, City of San Fernando, La Union

24 RDC Annual State of the Region Conference

Hotel Ariana, Bauang, La Union

“I believe in the dignity of labor, whether with head or hand; that the world owes no man a living but that it owes every man an op-portunity to make a living.” - John D. Rockefeller