DOLE Western Visayas tackles workplace concerns at Iloilo forum

ILOILO CITY — Questions about working conditions and employment terms took center stage at the Industrial Peace and Workplace Cooperation Conference held Aug. 5-6 at Richmonde Hotel Iloilo.

The concerns and recommendations gathered during the conference will help the Department of Labor and Employment improve its labor policies and programs.

Organized by DOLE Regional Office VI, the two-day hybrid conference brought together workers, employers, government representatives and other stakeholders.

The conference allowed participants to raise workplace concerns, seek clarification on government policies and recommend possible reforms.

The event supported the administration’s commitment to protect Filipino workers while helping businesses and industries provide decent and sustainable employment.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has emphasized that industrial peace requires not only the enforcement of labor laws but also open communication, mutual understanding and shared responsibility among the government, workers and employers.

Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino has also stressed the department’s commitment to making labor governance more accessible through education, consultation and responsive public services.

During a dialogue, participants raised concerns about wage distortion, overtime compensation, holiday and weekend pay, unauthorized employee absences, paternity leave and temporary layoffs or “floating status.”

DOLE explained that wage distortion occurs when a mandated wage increase eliminates or severely narrows intentional pay differences among groups of employees within the same establishment.

Those differences may be based on skills, length of service or other reasonable distinctions in an employer’s wage structure, according to the National Wages and Productivity Commission.

Transport sector representatives also raised concerns about compensation on days when fewer commuters use their services.

Employers sought guidance on handling workers who are absent without leave and on the notice requirements for employees who resign.

DOLE advised participants to use the Single Entry Approach, or SEnA, to resolve labor disputes before they develop into formal cases.

Institutionalized in 2013, SEnA provides a 30-day conciliation-mediation process intended to offer workers and employers a speedy, impartial, inexpensive and accessible way to settle labor issues.

Other concerns may be discussed through the Regional Tripartite Industrial Peace Council or referred to the appropriate agency, including the National Labor Relations Commission.

DOLE Western Visayas Regional Director Sixto T. “Popoy” Rodriguez Jr. said listening to workers and employers is an essential part of responsive labor governance.

Rodriguez said social dialogue helps the government understand workplace conditions and identify issues requiring immediate action, further study or policy intervention.

The conference was part of DOLE Region VI’s Strategic Compliance Plan, particularly its education pillar, which promotes industry-based learning sessions for employers’ and workers’ groups.

The initiative also provided guidance on labor standards and social legislation while gathering sector-specific recommendations and emerging workplace concerns.

The conference’s second day focused on key elements employers use to build safe, fair and productive workplaces.

Participants then discussed how those principles applied to their experiences and raised additional workplace questions.

Several participants said they were not fully familiar with some DOLE guidelines and labor policies.

Others said their companies were already following the guidelines but found the discussions helpful in clarifying their proper application.

Participants also said the conference gave them greater knowledge and confidence to apply what they had learned in their workplaces.

The initiative forms part of DOLE Western Visayas’ continuing effort to encourage voluntary compliance, strengthen cooperation between labor and management, and promote industrial peace through education, consultation and social dialogue.

DOLE Region VI said industrial peace begins with open conversations in which workers and employers can ask questions, raise concerns and be heard.

By keeping those conversations open, the department hopes to foster productive and harmonious workplaces where rights and responsibilities are understood and concerns are addressed early.