DOLE fetes milestones at 84

MALOLOS CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte led officials and employees of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as the agency marked its 84th founding anniversary here over the weekend.

The celebration also marked the major achievements of DOLE during the first 18 months of the Duterte administration as it vows renewed vigor in promoting gainful employment and upholding the welfare of the Filipino workingmen.

Bannering “Trabahong Marangal Para sa Lahat, SabaySabay Nating Iangat,” the celebration focused on the reaffirmation of the department’s commitment to continue providing expedient and efficient services to the public. The fete also highlights the talents and creativity of its people.

“As we set sail to another year, we will remain steadfast in moving the nation forward by fulfilling our mandate set forth by the Duterte administration,” Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said. “We celebrate the hard work of our people in the department in the attainment of our goals of uplifting the lives of every Filipino worker,” he added.

DOLE’s milestones include winning the campaign against contractualization and other illegal contracting practices, as well as gains in the intensified implementation of labor laws and standards, and occupational health and safety in workplaces. Also, the labor department prides itself of having improved services to protect and look after the welfare of overseas Filipino workers.

DOLE is set to distribute OFW Identification Card (OFW ID) to allow OFWs to easily transact with government and private agencies. The department also took the initiative in the establishment of the Overseas Filipino Bank (OFB) that will offer low remittance service rates and profitable investments to ease financial burdens of OFWs.

Likewise, DOLE has improved its frontline services including the reduction of processing time of its key services by 25 to 72 percent, and the adoption of a strategic feedback system on its services. It has established One-Stop Service Center for OFWs in 17 regions and Hotline 1349 on a 24/7 operation. Significantly, the labor department scored heavily in ensuring a climate of industrial harmony with 50,386 settled labor cases involving monetary and collective bargaining benefits of P4.098 billion, which benefitted 82,102 workers. The anniversary festivities kicked off in October with the regional offices organizing activities to raise awareness on the department’s long years of providing service.

Among the featured events include the week-long interisland sportsfest held in Davao, Dumaguete, and Pampanga to provide employees the opportunity to demonstrate their athletic skills and foster teamwork and sportsmanship among co-em p l oyees.

The labor department started as a small bureau in 1908 and became a department in December 8, 1933 by the virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 4121. It was renamed Ministry of Labor and Employment in 1980, and again renamed Department of Labor and Employment after the 1986 EDSA Revolution. It administers five bureaus, 11 attached agencies, 16 regional offices, 36 overseas offices and has a manpower complement of 6,530. — Jerry Borja/ DOLE-3 LCO