Moving swiftly to address pressing labor issues, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Francis N. Tolentino personally engaged the NAGKAISA! Labor Coalition in a high-level dialogue to tackle fair wages, union rights, and precarious work.
The coalition, led by its Chairperson, Atty. Jose Sonny G. Matula, commended DOLE’s proactive leadership, particularly highlighting Secretary Tolentino’s direct intervention to defend NCR Wage Order No. 27 in court.
“I’m very happy na makita na kayo pa mismo ang nagpunta sa Pasig [Regional Trial Court Branch 152] at nagpasa [ng Motion for Reconsideration]. We believe that this sends a very strong message sa publiko, lalo na sa hanay naming mga manggagawa na may kakampi [kami] sa inyong liderato. Thank you for that,” SENTRO Secretary General Josua Mata said.
Secretary Tolentino highlighted the Department’s continuing efforts to uphold workers’ rights and promote decent work under the Marcos Jr. administration, including the implementation of the Tripartite Roadmap on Freedom of Association, which seeks to promote an enabling environment for the free and responsible exercise of the right to organize, consistent with national laws and international labor standards.
On April 30, 2023, President Marcos Jr. established the Inter-Agency Committee under Executive Order No. 23 (EO 23 IAC) to reinforce labor rights and institutionalize swift government action on workers’ FOA. Chaired by the Executive Secretary, with the DOLE Secretary serving as Vice-Chairperson, the high-level body integrates the efforts of various state agencies to investigate, prosecute, and resolve cases involving labor violations, extrajudicial killings, and harassment against trade unionists.
DOLE also reiterated its ongoing efforts to advance wage reform discussions through established tripartite mechanisms, including the upcoming National Wages Conference, which will bring together tripartite partners to discuss the methodology for determining a living wage.
On the issue of contractualization, DOLE shared that it is currently reviewing Department Order No. 174 and is intensifying labor inspections, complaint investigations, compliance monitoring, and appropriate enforcement actions to strengthen the implementation of rules against labor-only contracting.
The Department also highlighted its employment facilitation and livelihood programs aimed at addressing unemployment and underemployment, including its job fairs, emergency employment through the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) program, and the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP).
Concerns regarding the protection of workers in the public and education sectors were likewise addressed by Secretary Tolentino, who reaffirmed his commitment to working closely with stakeholders to ensure workers’ rights are upheld.
“We pray likewise, ending this meeting, that the rest of the country would experience industrial peace,” Secretary Tolentino said in closing.
The dialogue reaffirmed DOLE’s commitment to sustained engagement with the labor sector and pursuing concrete solutions to workers’ concerns through meaningful social dialogue and tripartite cooperation.
