DepartmentofLaborandEmployment

Bellobares8PointLaborandEmploymentAgenda
DatePosted:August17th,201603:16AM
LaborandEmploymentSecretarySilvestreH.BelloIIIyesterdayrevealedhisinitialEightPointPlatformand
PolicyAgendatoensureinclusivedevelopment,prosperity,andlaborjusticeforFilipinoworkersandtheir
families.
SomeaspectsoftheDOLEsinitialeightpointplatformandpolicyagendaareyetinbroadstrokes,oraworkin
progress,whilesomerequirespecificandimmediateaction,saidBello.
TheEightPointLaborandEmploymentAgendaisthecontributionoftheDepartmenttohelpachievePresident
RodrigoR.Dutertesoverallvisionforourworkersandtheirfamilies,aswellasforemployers.PresidentDuterte
hasvowedtotransformthebureaucracyintoanhonest,efficient,effective,transparent,andaccessible
institutionthatissubservienttotheFilipinopeople,headded.
SecretaryBelloaddedthattheEightPointPlatformandPolicyAgendaisanchoredonthepromotionof
employmentandhumanresourcedevelopmentensuringworkersprotectionandwelfareandpromotionofa
sound,stable,anddynamicindustrialpeaceasasharedresponsibilityofoursocialpartners.
TocarryoutPresidentDutertesmarchingorder,DOLEsservice,projects,andprogramwillbeanchoredonthe
EightPointLaborandEmploymentAgenda.
ThefirstitemintheEightPointLaborandEmploymentAgendaistocontinuouslyenhanceandtransformDOLE
intoanefficient,responsive,purposeful,andaccountableinstitution.
Wewillstartwithkeepingourhouseinorder,andpositioningittomeetpresentandfuturechallenges.To
jumpstartthereviewprocess,Ihavedirectedallagenciestoidentifyandsubmitthetransactionsand
processesundereachoftheprogramstheyarecurrentlyimplementing,andtoindicatetheprocesscycletimes
andaccountableofficersinvolvedincompletingthesetransactions.AsourPresidenthascommitted,wewill
ensurethattothefullestextentpossible,alltransactionsshallbecompletedoracteduponwithin72hours,
saidBello.
HeaddedthattheDepartmentwillmakesurethatexistingDOLEhelpdesks/publicassistancedesks,aswellas
quickreactionteamsinalloffices,arecapabletobethefirstlineofactioninimplementingthe72hour
transactioncycle,inrespondingtocomplaintsinvolvingviolationoflawsandcorruptioninallagencies.
Theseconditeminourlaborandemploymentagendaistoaddressthepersistentproblemsofunemployment
andunderemployment.Weknowthecausesareinadequateemploymentopportunities,mismatchesbetween
skillsandjobs,andlimitedaccesstolabormarketinformation.

Bellonotedthatwhiletheprivatesectorisprimarilyresponsibleforgeneratingemployment,theDOLEis
mandatedtohelpincreasethecapacityoftheeconomytoproducegoodsandserviceswithanadequateand
steadysupplyandmovementofskilledandtrainedhumanresources.
Thethirditeminouragendaistoensurefullrespectoflaborstandardsandthefundamentalprinciplesand
rightsatwork.TheDepartmentismandatedtoprotectandrespectallrightsatworkasapreconditionfor
promotingdecentwork.Weexpectemployerstodothesame,ideallyinavoluntarymanner,saidBello.
However,BelloclarifiedthatinspectionwillremaintobethemainprogramoftheDepartmentthrough
enforcementoftheworkersrightsinenforcingtheserights,withcomplianceasitsoutcome.
Includedinthisoutcomeisthereductionofendo,orillegitimatecontractualization,by50percentandits
abolishmentby2017.DOLEiscommittedtostrictlyandequitablyimplementthelawonsecurityoftenure,and
willusethefullextentofitsregulatoryandenforcementpowertostoporpreventpracticesthatcircumventit,
especiallypracticeslikelaboronlycontracting,Bellosaid.
ThefourthitemintheagendaistocontinuouslystrengthenprotectionandsecurityofouroverseasFilipino
workers.TheultimatepolicygoalofPresidentDuterteistocreateanenvironmentthatwillgenerateenough
decentandadequatelyremuneratedworkforeveryFilipinohereinourowncountrysothatnoonewillhaveto
seekoverseasworkasamatterofcompulsionornecessity,saidBello.
ThefifthitemintheLaborandEmploymentAgenda,accordingtoSecretaryBello,istobringmorefocusand
accessibilityinworkersprotectionandwelfareprograms.Ourmaininvolvementinsocialprotectionhastodo
withprograms,premisedontheexistenceofemployeeemployerrelationships.Theconventionalmechanisms
aresocialsecurity,health,employeescompensationandhousing.Weshouldthereforefocusontheseareas
byseekingtoaddresstheproblemsofaccesstoprograms,adequacyofbenefits,sourceoffunding,and
sustainabilityofthesocialinsurancesystems.Movingbeyondtheshortterm,weshouldbeactivelyengagedin
thepolicyprocessesinvolvingemergingissueslikeunemploymentinsuranceandtheestablishmentofasocial
protectionfloor,saidBello.
Thesixthiteminouragendaistoachieveasound,dynamic,andstableindustrialpeacewithfreeand
democraticparticipationofworkersandemployersinpolicyanddecisionmakingprocessesaffectingthem,
saidBello.
HedisclosedthatDOLEwillensureanactive,functional,andmutuallybeneficialsocialpartnershipbetween
workersandemployers,developmeanstoenhancecollectivebargainingandotherformsoflabormanagement
participationwithinandoutsideenterprises,andreconstitutetripartitebodiesandothermechanismsfor
tripartismandsocialdialogue.
Theseventhiteminouragendaistohavealabordisputeresolutionsystemthatensuresjust,simplified,and
expeditiousresolutionofalllabordisputes,saidBello.Aspartofthestrategytoachievethisagenda,Secretary
Bellohasalreadydirectedalllabordisputeresolutionandsettlementagenciestosubmittheirrespectiveplans
ofactioninreducingandeventuallyeliminatingcasebacklogs.

Healsocalledonareviewofthevariousrulesofprocedureforsimplificationandadoptionofsummary
proceduresforcertaincases.
Andfinally,theeighthiteminouragendaistohaveresponsive,enabling,andequitablelaborpolicies,laws,
andregulations,saidBello,addingthattheEightPointLaborandEmploymentAgendawillensurethatDOLE
willbeanenablerforworkcreationandprotectorofworkersrights.
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