Security guard's widow gets benefit from DOLE-Bicol

LEGAZPI CITY – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Bicol, through its Single Entry Approach (SEnA) program, has awarded monetary benefits to the wife of a deceased security guard in Sorsogon.

Johana Vi Gasga, DOLE-Bicol spokesperson, in a statement on Monday said the monetary benefit was awarded last Friday through their office in the said province.

Gasga said Marissa, the widow of Donato Embile, relayed that her late husband decided to quit his job after 23 years in service as security guard at Metrobank Sorsogon Branch, and started a hog-raising business on his farm in Barangay Rizal, Gubat town.

“Embile sought the help of DOLE-Sorsogon to claim the remaining benefits that he is supposed to receive from his former employer-agency. Through SEnA, he is entitled to get a cash bond, 13th month pay, and uniform allowance,” she said.

While the case was still in progress, Donato died, but the Single Entry Approach desk officer (SEADO) still processed his case which enabled his wife to receive the monetary benefits.

Marissa thanked DOLE for the amount of PHP59,010 that she received.

"As public servants, we must turn the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic into an opportunity for devising strategies for strengthening the resilience, effectiveness and responsiveness of the public service, so as to be able to ensure continuity of delivering our DOLE programs and services to our clients," DOLE-Sorsogon provincial director Marilyn Luzuriaga, said.

The SEnA is DOLE's banner program that gives workers access to speedy impartial and inexpensive settlement procedure for all issues or complaints arising from employer-employee relationships.

All complaints first go through a 30-day mandatory conciliation and meditation period to exhaust possible means towards a fair settlement, before they are referred for arbitration. (PNA)