By Jennifer P. Rendon
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)’s Single Entry Approach (SEnA) again proved that it could provide a fast, less expensive, fair and accessible procedure for settling labor issues.
Recently, DOLE-Region 6 has facilitated the payment of P93,040,365.82 representing the separation pay of 50 employees.
But unlike other SEnA cases, this time around, it was the employers who filed the request for assistance (RFA) with the DOLE-6 for the final wages and other benefits of their “separated” employees.
Panay Power Corporation (PPC) and Panay Energy Development Corporation (PEDC), two of Western Visayas’ biggest power generation companies, sought assistance of the program.
The settlement came after the two firms decided to implement a redundancy program and retrenched fifty 50 employees.
DOLE-6 said the companies cited that the current market conditions and increasing fuel cost caused them to suffer from reduced operations and it can no longer maintain its manpower complement.
The companies filed for an RFA on February 28.
DOLE06, through its Iloilo Field Office, immediately took action to the request and supervised the payment of separation pay through SEnA Desk Officer Nilo Durban. It only took one day to close the RFA.
Forty-three (43) workers from PPC and 7 workers from PEDC were paid with their separation pay amounting to P75,999,305.94 and P17,041,059.88, respectively.
Atty. Sixto T. Rodriguez, Jr., DOLE-6 regional director, has cited the DOLE field office for the fast and immediate release of money claims to the workers.
He also stressed that due process should always be observed and the rightful benefits should be given to where it is due.
