CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)–The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-10 champions industrial peace in the region through its Single Entry Approach (SEnA) program with 100% of the 431 Requests For Assistance (RFA) related to labor and employment disputes in the private sector disposed for the first semester of the year.
DOLE-10 Regional Director Albert E. Gutib said the regional office has more than surpassed its target of 85% settlement rate, benefitting 772 workers who received a total of P9,427,300 monetary benefits. He said that there is an improvement of the settlement rate from last year’s first semester of 72%.
Gutib said aside from its mandate to maintain peaceful relations among workers and management, under his lead he makes sure that the Single Entry Approach Desk Officers (SEADOs) region-wide are regularly capacitated on their knowledge, skills and abilities in handling RFAs.
With the COVID-19 cases declining in the region, Gutib said settlement among parties are now faster, comparing to last year’s conferences that took longer due to the unavailability of either parties who were infected with the virus.
Moreover, DOLE-10 Lanao del Norte Provincial Field Office SEADO Annie Raidah Mua received a complaint by an employee against a certain establishment in Iligan City for non-payment of overtime, holiday and separation pay on 18 July 2022.
She acted immediately by scheduling a mandatory conciliation-mediation conference between the complainant and the respondent on 1 August 2022.
During the scheduled conference, Mua highlighted the compliance of Labor Standards among both parties resulting for both to agree on a full claim settlement in the amount of 150,000. The whole amount was given to the requesting party immediately thereafter.
“Ning duol ko sa DOLE para mangayo og tabang sa akong kahimtang. Pero wala ko nag-expect nga insigida ug paspas kaayo ilang aksyon. Nagpasalamat ko sa akong previous employer kay wala siya’y daghan istorya ug ning bayad diretso. Ug mas dako akong pasalamat sa DOLE, ug kay Ms. Annie Mua kay iya na explain ug tarong sa ako and sa akong employer sa kalabot sa responsibilidad sa employer sa iyang empleyado ug tungod niini nabayaran ko insigida. Salamat DOLE!” the requesting party said.
[(I approached DOLE to ask assistance about my (work) situation but I did not expect their action and settlement was very quick. I am thankful to my previous employer for being undemanding and without reservations paid me right away. I am most thankful to DOLE thru Ms. Annie Mua for explaining thoroughly the responsibilities of the employer and worker, the reason I was paid immediately. Thank you DOLE!)
Gutib cited this notable feat as among the many testaments of the immediate settlement of DOLE thru SEnA. A proof that any issue can be settled conclusively with the cooperation and coordination of both involved parties. He said DOLE-10 with its determination and dedication is looking forward to resolve more issues that may be beneficial to the public.
SEnA program is an administrative approach to provide a speedy, impartial, inexpensive and accessible settlement procedure for all issues/complaints arising from employer-employee relations to prevent them from ripening into full blown disputes. Under this approach, all labor and employment disputes shall undergo a 30-day mandatory conciliation-mediation process to effect settlement among the contending parties. (DOLE-10/PIA-10)
