CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga -- A total of 3,792 workers in Central Luzon received some PHP47 million monetary claims this year through the Single Entry Approach, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.
The SEnA is an inexpensive developmental mediation program of the DOLE that aims to speed-up resolution of labor disputes between workers and employers.
DOLE Regional Director Ana Dione said Wednesday the total monetary claims accounted for a 93-percent rate in settling 1,715 of 1,852 requests for assistance (RFAs) handled by the regional and field offices as of October this year.
"Our settlement rate represents the largest chunk of 1,852 RFAs received as well as those disposed by this regional office, along with its seven field offices, which means, we achieved a 100 percent overall disposition rate for the year 2017,” Dione said.
She said that it only took an average of six days to settle the said monetary claims, way ahead of the standard 30 days prescribed under the SEnA program.
The regional and field offices, she added, are continuously improving the process cycle time in the settlement of RFAs, with some less than a week or even within the day/hour.
“As we continuously find ways to improve the way we do things, evidenced in our retention as an ISO 9001:2015 certified government agency, we remain committed to find win-win solutions for both parties and prevent their issues from escalating into full blown labor cases,” she added.
By province, Dione noted that Pampanga recorded the highest settlement amounting to some PHP21.38 million covering 1,845 workers, of which, some PHP15.54 million covering 930 workers were from the Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ).
“The existence of the DOLE Clark Satellite Office has made it easier, convenient, and economical for workers or employers to file a request for assistance there than suffering the inconvenience of travelling through traffic and distance just to reach our regional office or the Pampanga Field Office,” she added.
Other provinces' settlements facilitated by the satellite office are the following: Bulacan (PHP8,908,118.85 – 546 workers); Tarlac (PHP5,351,216.41 – 394); Zambales (PHP5,183,432.04 – 313); Bataan (PHP4,631,458.30 – 568); Nueva Ecija (PHP1,528,160.70 – 111); and Aurora (PHP125,524.44 – 11).
The DOLE regional office, for its part, was able to settle monetary claims amounting to PHP98,000 which benefited four workers.
Dione noted that the latest update on the settlement of money claims through the SEnA significantly dropped from last year’s report.
“Our task to settle small money claims, through the SEnA, significantly decreased from last year’s report of more than PHP219 million, which clearly means that, through our joint assessment visits, our efforts in urging firms in Central Luzon to voluntarily comply with labor laws and occupational safety and health standards have paid off,” she added. (PNA)
