DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / June 29, 2014) – Observe labor standards; integrate family welfare program; and craft safety and health programs to improve productivity – those were the core messages of the labor and employment management forum held recently in a hotel in Davao City to promote better working environment and productivity among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
The inter-agency convergence led by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) – Davao Region in coordination with the National Conciliation and Mediation Board, Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board , and the Employees Compensation Commission gathered some 40 employers and employee representatives in a forum aimed to promote harmonious relations between labor and management.
“We encourage you to institute these mechanisms in your respective enterprises to help employees and the business become more productive in a good working environment as we bat for better labor relationship,” DOLE Davao regional director Joffrey Suyao said.
The forum discussed the DOLE and other labor-attached agencies programs on conciliation and mediation, family welfare program (FWP), occupational safety and health (OSH), Employees Compensation benefits, the new Labor Laws Compliance System and even Kasambahay Law.
“The DOLE stands ready to assist micro, small, and medium enterprises improve their productivity so they can be competitive. This year, we seek to nurture, develop, and build the capacity of 11,000 MSMEs all over the country to become productive and competitive,” Suyao said.
Among the programs, Suyao cited the adoption of the FWP as element to help boost employees’ well-being. DOLE identified 10 FWP dimensions which companies could start on including reproductive health and responsible parenthood; education,gender equality; spirituality,values formation; income generation,livelihood,cooperative; medical, health care; nutrition; environment protection; hygiene and sanitation; sports and leisure; and housing and transportation.
“You might be applying these dimensions already without knowing that indeed they are mandated by labor law,” Suyao said.
Also, he emphasized on the importance of occupational safety and health to be more productive and competitive.
Suyao said that DOLE is serious in promoting OSH. ‘In fact, we already issued few stoppage orders this year to companies which were found to have violations on OSH.”
“Since 2010, the DOLE has laid down institutional reforms in labor law compliance, dispute prevention, settlement, and case disposition that have been very successful. It continues to fine-tune these reforms to attain inclusive labor justice and to promote industrial peace that contributes to an economic environment conducive to investments,” he said. (Sherwin Manual)
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