Turn to page 7

For newly appointed Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III, the marching order of President Rodrigo R. Duterte is crystal clear: End all illegitimate

forms of contractualization, including ‘endo’ by 2017. “I plan to reduce contractualization by 50 percent by the end

of 2016 and its abolishment by 2017. Workers under “endo” or “555” receive less than the mandated minimum wage without social protection benefits such as Social Security System (SSS), Pag-ibig, and Phil-Health.

Bello said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will come out with a department order which will amend or scrap Department Order 18-A, as well provide directives to the DOLE Regional Offices to start the clearing out of companies which are practicing illegitimate forms of contractualization.

“Establishments which practice unlawful contractualization deprive workers of overtime, holiday pay, and other benefits,” said Bello, adding that “endo” or “555” is a work arrangement whereby workers are only hired for only about five months without security of tenure, monetary, non-monetary, and social protection benefits.

To ensure that workers are provided with security of tenure, the Department of Labor and Employment’s 17 Regional Offices are in full blast of assessing priority industries that have high incidence of contractualization.

“The 17 Regional Offices are now assessing and re-assessing medium to large companies in industries where contractualization is prevalent,” said Bello.

Bello said that the DOLE’s 500 Labor Law Laws Compliance Officers (LLCO) were grouped by the 17 Regional Offices into several teams to ensure that all establishments in the identified priority industries are assessed.

The priority industries where there is widespread practice of contractualization are manufacturing, malls, food chains, and hotel and restaurant.

Bello added that the DOLE’s 17 Regional Offices are also conducting massive information campaign to help establishments know and understand prohibited contracting and subcontracting arrangements.

“The Regional Offices are urging employer groups to cooperate in the elimination of illegitimate practices of contractualization. In our information campaign we ask employers to voluntary comply and absorb or regularize their contractual workers,” said Bello.

The Department’s conduct of joint assessment is in support of the first track of the DOLE’s three-pronged action plan on putting a stop to abusive employment arrangements.

DOLE gears up to stop illegitimate contractualization practice

Included in the three-pronged action plan is the strict enforcement of labor laws through inspection, joint assessment, and compliance visit; policy review of the existing Implementing Rules and Regulations, particularly on contracting and subcontracting; and amendment of the Labor Code provisions on contracting and subcontracting and security of tenure.

In August, Bello issued a memorandum directing the DOLE Regional Offices to profile contractors and subcontractors based on the findings of the Labor Laws Compliance Officers (LLCOs) of the Department.

DOLE also issued Department Order No. 162 and Labor Advisory No. 10 as part of the government’s effort against illegitimate contractualization.

Department Order No. 162 suspended the registration of new applicants as contractors or subcontractors under Department Order No. 18-A as part of the government’s effort against illegitimate contractualization.

Meanwhile, Secretary Bello also ordered the DOLE Regional Offices to ensure that the job fairs conducted by the Department do not have establishments which are practicing contracting and subcontracting employment.

By Celeste T. Maring

DOLE CHIEF MEETS KMU PROTESTERS. Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III meets the Kilusan Mayo Uno (KMU) protesters infront of DOLE Building in Intramuros, Manila to listen to their issues and concerns.

2 August 2016

EditorGERRY S. RUBIO, OIC-Director, IPS

Associate EditorCATHERINE MARIE E. VILLAFLORES

Staff WritersCELESTE T. MARINGALTHEA LOUISE D. MAJANTEEPHANIE D. LADERAS

Graphic ArtistGREGORIO I. GALMAN

PhotographersJOMAR S. LAGMAYALEJANDRO P. ECHAVEZ

Circulation ManagerGIRLIE MARLYN E. ARCE

The DOLE Good News is published by the Department of Labor and Employment, with editorial office at the Information and Publication Service, 6th Floor, DOLE Building, Intramuros, Manila. The views expressed herein are those of the writers and/or their sources and do not necessarily reflect those of the DOLE’s or the Philippine Government’s.

Readers’ queries, comments, and suggestions are welcome. Mail or fax them in, or call us at telephone numbers 527-3000 loc. 621. Our fax number is 527-3446. You may also visit our website: www.dole.gov.ph.

DIANA JOYZ ESGUERRA - NCR

JULIENNE FORTUNATO - CAR

ARLY S. VALDEZ - Region 1

REGINALD B. ESTIOCO - Region 2

JEREMIAH M. BORJA - Region 3

FRANZ RAYMOND AQUINO - Region 4A

ROSEMARIE CAMPOS - Region 4B

RAYMOND P. ESCALANTE - Region 5

AMALIA N. JUDICPA - Region 6

LUCHEL TANIZA - Region 7

MELDY TABANAO - Region 8

GAY IRIS TANGCALAGAN - Region 9

MILDRED E. DABLIO - Region 10

SHERWIN B. MANUAL - Region 11

MICHELLE T. OLOG - Region 12

IRIS C. ASIS - Caraga

Contributing Regional Writers

Good NewsDEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT

Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III has approved the Overseas Workers Welfare

Administration’s Board Resolution No. 06 Series of 2016, which allocates P500 million in emergency assistance to distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Saudi Arabia.

“The cash relief assistance will consist of P 20,000 per affected worker, and another P 6,000 cash assistance per family,” Bello said during a meeting of OWWA Board of Trustees.

Bello, who is the chairperson of the OWWA Board of Trustees, hopes that the financial support will somehow ease the suffering of OFWs heavily affected by the economic crisis in the Middle East due to the oil price slump.

The distressed overseas Filipinos workers were employed in nine

Bello approves allocation of P500-M OWWA emergency assistance to stranded OFWs in Saudi

DOLE Good News

beleaguered companies in Saudi, which include Al Mojil Group (MMG), Saudi Bin Laden Group, and the Saudi Oger. These companies suffered financial reverses that affected their capabilities to fulfil their contract obligations, causing delay or non-payment of salaries, and end-of-service payments and other benefits.

The Saudi companies with distressed OFWs are Mohammad Al-Mojil Group, Saudi Oger Ltd., Saudi Binladen Group, Rajeh H Al Merri Contracting & Trading Company, Real Estate Development Investment Co. Ltd., Al Barghash Trading and Contracting Co, Arabtech, Fawzi Salah – Al Nairani Contracting Company, and Saudi Binladin Group-Alumco.

The OWWA Board, which cited the report and recommendation of

the DOLE Special Mission to Saudi Arabia on 7-11 March 2016 led by Undersecretary Ciriaco A. Lagunzad III, and the Department of Foreign Affairs Team on 7 July 2016, said both missions saw the serious need to respond immediately to the plight of the distressed OFWs through provision of food, medicines, relief packages, and other relief contingencies.

Present during the OWWA Board meeting chaired by Secretary Bello were OWWA Administrator Rebecca J. Calzado, DOLE Undersecretary Ciriaco A. Lagunzad III, DBM Undersecretary Luz M. Cantor, DFA Undersecretary Jesus I. Yabes, POEA Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac, and Women Sector Representative Estrella D. Añonuevo.

By Gerry S. Rubio

ENSURING THE WELFARE OF OFWs IN THE MIDDLE EAST. Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III vows to provide welfare assistance to distressed OFWs in Riyadh and Jeddah, especially to those who were formerly employed in companies that were affected by Middle East oil crisis. During his recent visit in the Middle East, Secretary Bello appraised the living conditions of the distressed OFWs and assured them of necessary assistance, such as repatriation, transfer of employment, claims for back wages, and P500 million in emergency assistance through the OWWA.

DOLE Good News

3August 2016

In line with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to ensure timely delivery of government

services, Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III issued Administrative Order No. 409, Series of 2016 directing all heads of DOLE’s attached agencies, regional offices, and Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs) to set-up their respective 24/7 DOLE Hotline Call Services.

The hotline aims to provide immediate response to all workers in crisis and emergency situations, and to provide them relief from unsafe, unhealthy, and unjust conditions of work.

The hotline will also cater to victims of illegal recruitment and trafficking-in-persons; separated workers claiming unpaid wages and benefits; workers engaged in temporary or atypical work arrangements not in accordance with existing labor laws and regulations; and local and overseas workers claiming social and health insurance benefits

Bello issues administrative order directing the establishment of 24/7 DOLE Hotline Call Services

within the jurisdiction of DOLE agencies.

The 24/7 Hotline Services will also assist workers who are inquiring about applicable wages and wage related benefits, such as minimum wages, overtime pay, holiday pay, and similar concerns; and workers with cases filed in DOLE offices, attached agencies, and POLOs claiming unpaid wages and benefits.

Through the administrative order, Secretary Bello further directed all heads of agencies and offices to submit their implementation plan which shall include the purpose, protocol, recording and tracking system, list of personnel, name of person-in-charge, and phone numbers dedicated to the hotline call services.

The hotline call services shall be simultaneously launched by September 2016.

After three months, the implementation of the hotline services by the agencies and offices shall be evaluated. Based on the findings of the evaluation, a standardized, fully integrated, and accessible 24/7 DOLE information and emergency dispatch system for labor and employment related concerns of workers shall be designed and implemented.

The DOLE’s Internal Audit Service shall lead in the development of the computerized tracking system which will include a standard recording format and reference coding system.

The DOLE’s Human Resource Development Service (HRDS), meanwhile, shall lead in the development and implementation of a continuing training program for all hotline call assistants, officers, and coordinators based on feedback on the human resource needs of implementing agencies and offices.

By Althea Louise D. Majan

File photo shows DOLE Call Center officers prior to the launching of a 24/7 Hotline call service.

DOLE Good News

4 August 2016

The conci l iat ion-mediat ion mechanism implemented by the DOLE continues to be a

valuable tool for resolving disputes, when another labor dispute filed by a seaman has been settled through the Notice to Arbitrate (NTA).

Jayremy G. Juarez, a seaman, filed on 18 February 2016 the NTA against Leonis Navigation Company, Inc., before the Regional Conciliation and Mediation Branch-National Capital Region (RCMB-NCR), claiming entitlement to disability benefits and reimbursement of transportation and lodging expenses.

In the initial meeting initiated and facilitated by RCMB-NCR on 29 February 2016, it has found out that a similar case was pending at the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), an attached agency of the DOLE, which is tasked to promote and maintain industrial peace by resolving labor and management disputes involving both local and overseas workers through compulsory arbitration and alternative modes of dispute resolution.

Upon agreeing to dismiss the case pending at NLRC, both parties then submitted the case to RCMB-NCR.

On 26 April 2016, following the effective conciliation efforts of Conciliator-Mediator Cresencia M. Pawingi, the NTA was finally resolved, after the manning agency agreed to pay Juarez the full settlement of his claims amounting to P3,428,925.00.

Juarez thanked the RCMB-NCR for its prompt action to address his grievances.

“I thanked the DOLE-RCMB-NCR for extending valuable assistance, particularly in facilitating the immediate settlement of my grievances,” Juarez said.

Juarez held the position of an ordinary seaman until his repatriation to the Philippines sometime in February 2016 due to physical injury.

Leonis Navigation Company, Inc., is a POEA-licensed maritime personnel provider.

Through conciliation mediation, RCMB-NCR facilitates the release of P3.2-M monetary claims to seaman

By Teephanie D. Laderas with report from Renato R. Canutal

DOLE Good News

5August 2016

DOLE Good News

In its bid to help empower returning women overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) through provision

of livelihood opportunities, the Department of Labor and Employment-National Reintegration Center for OFWs (DOLE-NRCO), in partnership with the Coca-Cola Far East Limited (CCFEL) recently awarded livelihood starter kits to 10 Women REACH! scholar-graduates in Manila.

The WOMEN REACH! or “Women Entrepreneurs Reintegrated and Economically Active at Home” is a convergence program of DOLE attached agencies that implements reintegration program for OFWs and CCFEL. These are the NRCO, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC), International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB) and DOLE Regional Offices.

During the awarding ceremonies at the Waterfront Manila Pavilion Hotel in Manila, the 10 Women REACH! scholars, representing the first batch of 43 Women REACH! scholar-graduates, received micro-business package containing one sack of rice, assorted canned goods, toiletries, grocery items, and other tools and jigs to start with their chosen micro-business enterprise.

The rest of the scholar-graduates will get their respective livelihood starter kits at the DOLE Regional Offices and OWWA Regional Centers that are nearest to their community or residence.

Before qualifying to avail the starter kits, the first batch of Women REACH! scholar graduates consisting of undocumented and distressed women OFW-returnees underwent a 12-day training on business and financial management which was sponsored by the Coca-Cola Philippines, TESDA, and NRCO under the Balik Pinay, Balik-Hanapbuhay program.

DOLE-NRCO, Coca Cola award starter kits to returning women OFWs

DOLE Undersecretary Ciriaco Lagunzad III, in his inspirational message, challenged the scholar-beneficiaries to find additional means to further grow their micro businesses. “Please do not be dependent on what can be obtained from your business. Explore other resources. For instance, engage in training to further enhance your business capacity. This will lead you to think outside the box, and enable you to venture in other profitable trade, such as rice retailing, health and wellness salon, or food production business,” said Usec. Lagunzad.

One of the 10 beneficiaries, Maria Liezel Macato, was beaming with gratitude upon receiving her micro-enterprise assistance.

“Maraming salamat po sa tulong na ito ng DOLE-NRCO at Coca Cola. Makakaasa po kayo na amin po itong paka-iingatan at palalaguin,” said Macato.

Women REACH! is a combination of the Coca Cola 5by20 initiative which seeks to empower five million women

entrepreneurs worldwide within the company’s global value chain by 2020.

It was conceptualized by the DOLE and Coca Cola as a public-private partnership under the DOLE’s Assist WELL Program.

Present during the awarding ceremonies were DOLE Undersecretary Ciriaco A. Lagunzad III; Coca-Cola Philippines Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications Atty. Adel A. Tamano; NRCO Director Chona M. Mantilla; TESDA Director Sonia Lipio; Coca Cola Phil. Sustainability and Community Affairs Manager Gilda Maquilan, with Ms. Joy Munsayac; Marikina City Public Employment Service Office (PESO) Mr. Gildegardo Munar; Marikina OFW Family Circle Assoc. Inc. Pres. Dr. Ernita Santos; DOLE National Capital Region OIC-Div. Chief Ms. Aurora Halcon; DOLE BWSC representative Ms. Eva Carpio; and OWWA representative, Ms. Daisy Furaque.

By Teephanie D. Laderas with report from NRCO

NRCO Dir. Chona Mantilla, together with Coca-Cola offcials, joins the first batch of 43 Women REACH! scholar-graduates who received livelihood starter kits for their chosen micro-business enterprise.

DOLE Good News

6 August 2016

The National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP), an attached agency of the Department of Labor

and Employment (DOLE), formally received state-of-the-art maritime training equipment from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in a hand-over ceremony held recently at the NMP Training Complex in Brgy. Cabalawan, Tacloban City.

“I would like to commend the very quick response that JICA has made in assisting the NMP. Indeed, your generosity and commitment to help our country is truly invaluable”, said Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III in his acceptance message, which was read by Undersecretary Nicon Fameronag on his behalf.

The donation is under the grant aid from the Government of Japan for the implementation of the NMP’s program for rehabilitation and recovery from Typhoon Yolanda.

The donation includes the delivery, installation and commissioning of training equipment or simulators that

DOLE-NMP receives maritime training equipment from JICA

consist of a tanker-type totally enclosed lifeboat and davit, fast rescue boat and davit, full mission global maritime distress safety system simulator, full mission engine room simulator, and various safety equipment.

NMP OIC-Executive Director Manuel C. Roldan expressed his gratitude to the government of Japan after narrating how the agency recovered from the devastation of typhoon Yolanda following its interventions through the JICA grant.

“When disasters happen, we should not just recover from it, but reconstruct in such a way that it could mitigate damage if another disaster happens. The equipment rehabilitation of the NMP that we have turned-over was designed with the ‘build back better’ policy in mind,” said First Secretary Koji Otani who represented His Excellency Kazuhide Ishikawa, Ambassador of Japan to the Philippines.

“With this assistance, we hope to help the Philippines train world-class seafarers and at the same time provide

equipment that will be used in times of disasters,” he added.

Yuki Kawada, Project Formulation Advisor of JICA, said that the agency is pleased with the opportunity to extend their assistance to the Philippines as it is their advocacy to uplift the social and economic conditions of partner countries through technology transfer and human resources development.

General Manager Akira Kinoshita of Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding led the turnover of the final drawings and operation and maintenance manuals to NMP OIC-Executive Director Manuel C. Roldan; while Captain Hiroshi Sekine, President of Japan Marine Science confirmed that the project was successfully completed and that the equipment were installed properly.

The final acceptance certificate was signed by Undersecretary Fameronag, NMP OIC-Executive Director Roldan, General Manager Kinoshita, and Captain Sekine.

The hand-over ceremony was witnessed by Tadashi Okano and Professor Kenji Ikenishi of Japan Marine Science (JMS) Consultant Group; Kunihiko Murai and Junji Shirai, project engineers of Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding (MES); Masayoshi Ueda, Hisao Uenishi and Katsuhide Akeno, project engineers from Terasaki Electric Co., Ltd.

Also in attendance were officials and representatives from the DOLE-Regional Coordinating Council 8, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), other NMP officials and employees, and several media personnel.

In his closing message, NMP OIC-Deputy Executive Director Jeffrey D. Cortazar said the agency, through a technical cooperation program, has been a beneficiary of Japan’s assistance since 1984. He said that the cooperation had gone a long way in training more than 320,000 seafarers.

The NMP, the only government-owned maritime training center in the Philippines, was established to provide world-class maritime training to Filipino seafarers through specialized safety courses and to continue conducting researches useful for policy formulation. It is located in Cabalawan, Tacloban City, Leyte.

By Althea Louise D. Majan

DOLE Good News

7August 2016

The Department of Labor and Employment commended two local firms in Region V

for voluntarily absorbing contractual employees in response of the government’s intensified campaign to eliminate ‘contractualization’ or ‘endo’ and other forms of prohibited practices.

This was after DOLE Bicol conducted a regional intensified campaign in mapping active manpower agencies, contractors and sub-contractors and in launching information drive to convince principals or employers to absorb their contracted workers.

DOLE Bicol’s campaign went on a high gear after DOLE Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III instructed DOLE regional offices to enforce workers’ rights to security of tenure.

As a result, the manpower agency of two renowned local firms, Hotel St. Ellis in Legazpi City and Stance Sales Distribution in Naga City, submitted a report to DOLE Bicol on the number of contractual employees who were voluntarily absorbed by the two principals.

“We thank these firms for positively answering our call to absorb contractual employees. We are positive that more establishments in the region will follow suit,” DOLE Bicol OIC-Regional Director Atty. Ma. Karina Perida-Trayvilla said.

In recognition of their efforts, DOLE Bicol commended Hotel St. Ellis and Stance Sales Distribution for absorbing their contractual, agency-based workers into permanent direct hire employees. DOLE Bicol also lauded Personnnel Solutions, the manpower provider of Hotel St. Ellis and Stance Sales Distribution, for their cooperation and support to DOLE’s campaign to eliminate contractualization.

“Five former agency-based employees are now enjoying permanent direct hire status, two for Hotel St. Ellis and three for Stance Sales and Distribution, and more is coming. Weekly, we will monitor the number of workers who will be absorbed by their principals here in Bicol,” OIC Regional Director Perida-Trayvilla said.

The contractual employees who were absorbed as permanent employees holds the position of field

DOLE lauds two firms in Bicol for voluntarily absorbing contractual employees

office associate, accounting staff, sales personnel, company driver and helper.

It can be recalled that in May this year, 22 contractual linemen were also appointed as permanent employees of Casureco IV with a retroactive permanent status effective January 2016 after a successful Single Entry Approach (SENA) proceedings before the regional office.

“We want other establishments here in Bicol to look up to Casureco IV, Hotel St. Ellis and Stance Distribution. If these companies can make it happen, then others can, too,” OIC RD Perida-Trayvilla said.

Based on records, there are 27 manpower agencies in the region, and about 15 of them were already assessed by DOLE Bicol through its Labor Laws Compliance System (LLCS) Program over the past weeks. The remaining agencies will be mapped on the succeeding weeks.

“We want to know the exact number of contract employees in the region and from there, we move on with the subsequent campaign on eliminating contractualization,” OIC-RD Trayvilla added.

As of press time, DOLE Bicol is intensifying its campaign in convincing other companies in the region to absorb their contracted employees.

By Raymond P. Escalante

“This is part of our efforts to reduce the number of establishments practicing ‘endo’ and labor-only contracting by 2016 and abolishing it by 2017,” said Bello.

He added that illegitimate contractualization and ‘endo’ are practices which constitute labor-only contracting or other similar arrangements where the duration of employment is fixed for a short period for purposes of circumventing workers’ rights to security of tenure, self-organization and collective bargaining, labor standards, and other basic workers’ rights.

DOLE gears up . . . from page 1

“We thank these firms for positively answering our call to absorb contractual employees. We are positive that more establishments in the region will follow suit.” — DOLE Bicol OIC-Regional Director Atty. MA. KARINA PERIDA-TRAYvILLA

Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III announced that the Governing Board of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has approved and issued GB Resolution No. 13, Series of 2016, which calls for the development of a universal identification system for Filipino seafarers.

“The Governing Board Resolution is aimed at developing a universal ID system for seafarers that is acceptable to all government agencies and port states in compliance with relevant conventions,” said Bello, who is also the chairperson of the POEA Board.

Under the resolution, the POEA will be coordinating with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) to develop an online registration system for seafarers by 15 September 2016 and will conduct an information dissemination campaign to Filipino seafarers and licensed manning agencies to create awareness of the benefits of the online registration system.

Secretary Bello added that Filipino seafarers are given Seafarer’s Registration Certificate with ID numbers for easy access to their POEA records and for the efficient processing of their employment certificate.

“The POEA has established a Seafarer’s Registry to maintain a pool of qualified seafarers. This is essential for policy research and supply and demand analysis,” said Bello.

MARINA, on the other hand, issues Seafarer Identification and Record Book (SIRB) in compliance with the International Labor Organization Convention No. 108, 1958, which serves as the Filipino seafarers identification document while on board ships.

ILO has also adopted Convention 185, or the Seafarer’s Identity Document Convention, which introduced modern security features into the seafarer’s ID that shall be recognizable to all member states accessing the ID Cards through the implementation of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Documents 9303.

POEA, MARINA to develop universal ID system for Filipino seafarers

Good NewsDepartment of Labor and Employment AUGUST2016

By Celeste T. Maring