DOLE convenes 104 members of Bataan Tripartite Groups on labor laws

CITY OF BALANGA, Bataan – Some 104 members of different industrial tripartite councils (ITCs) in the province gathered for a discussion on labor laws and jurisprudence with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

The discussion forum was conducted during the recently concluded General Assembly of the Bataan Industrial Tripartite Councils (BITCs) held at the Crown Royale Hotel, this City.

DOLE Regional Director Atty. Dione reported to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III that officials and members of all four ITCs actively participated in the one-day learning session.  

“With new leadership at the DOLE, we continue to communicate our various reforms in our labor laws to our partners from the different ITCs in the region. In Bataan, we are fortunate that our ITCs here are well-represented by their officials and members and we’re looking forward to an insightful learning session as well as the opportunity to review and improve our Voluntary Code of Good Practices (VCGPs) to further sustain industrial peace in the province,” Dione said.

Bataan province currently has four BITC-members which include ITCs from the Education, Construction, Hospital and Medical, as well as the Hotel and Restaurant sectors.

Aside from the ITCs, other attendees to the said discussion forum are some members of the Coalition of Labor Unions in Bataan or CLUB.

DOLE Bataan Field Office head Leilani Reynoso emphasized the significant role of the ITCs in fostering industrial peace through tripartism.

“Let’s continue to be partners in harmonizing various issues and concerns faced by our industries through tripartism. Our respectively-signed VCGPs, tailored-fit to our industries, are proof of our desire to continue to boost good working relationship between labor and management,” Reynoso said.

DOLE Assistant Regional Director Geraldine Panlilio kicked-off the one-day event with a comprehensive lecture on Labor and Management Relations.

Her lecture tackled Basic Labor Rights on Labor Standards, Benefits, and Social Legislation, Health and Safety at Work, Equal Employment Opportunities, and Self-Organization and Collective Bargaining, among others.

Panlilio urged the ITCs to always take the proactive step in fostering the culture of voluntary compliance with labor laws and occupational safety and health standards.

“When we take care of our workers, they in return will be at their best in performing their duties because they know in their hearts that their welfare at the workplace is addressed by management,” Panlilio said.

Meanwhile, Mediation Arbiter Atty Remedios Vegim-Teves, for her part, provided a lecture and discussion on the latest Labor Laws and Jurisprudence.

Her lecture covered the areas of Employer-Employee Relations, Management Prerogatives, Contracting out of Services, Grounds for Termination of Employment, and other Causes of Termination.

Vegim-Teves also discussed the much talked about “labor-only contracting” or LOC and some of the latest jurisprudence on recent court-decided labor cases vis-à-vis applicable labor laws.

Aside from the DOLE, representatives from the Social Security Services (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Company (PhilHealth), and Home Mutual Development Fund (Pag-IBIG) provided updates in their respective agencies.

To have a better understanding of the topics that were presented, an open forum was facilitated for both labor and management ITC member-representatives.

The last activity was an action planning workshop anchored on planned activities for the remaining months of this year relative to each ITCs respective VCGPs with the DOLE.

The discussion forum was an insightful learning session which will benefit both labor and management said Antonina Abella, who represented the Education ITC.

“We’re very thankful that the DOLE always initiates important activities like this because it will truly benefit our working relationship with management. We are continuously being informed and educated with what’s new in our labor laws and how these should apply in our organization. We hope that the DOLE continues to educate people on labor matters and how they can benefit both labor and management,” Abella said.