828 Workers Get Claims From Labor Mediation

Dagupan City (PIA) – At least 828 workers in Region 1 avoided costly court litigation and received their money claims under the Department of Labor and Employment ‘s (DOLE) conciliation and mediation program.

DOLE-1 Regional Director Grace Ursua said the Single-Entry Approach (SEnA), a labor reform started under the leadership of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, provides for a 30-day mandatory conciliation-mediation of labor issues to prevent them from ripening into full blown case.

“The effectiveness of the SEnA as a strategy to promote a more harmonious relationship among employers and workers cannot be overlooked. I commend the whole SEnA team for working hard to assist our clients in settling their disputes amicably,” Ursua said.

She said the SEnA is one of the programs being implemented by the DOLE to help foster a culture of volunteerism in businesses across the country.

“By cultivating a culture of voluntary compliance with labor standards and occupational safety and health among employers and workers, we can help ensure industrial peace which is essential in business and economic growth,” she added.

From January to October this year, the DOLE field offices in the Ilocos Region were able to award monetary benefits with a total amount of P15,212,223.11.

The data is as follows: Alaminos Field Office – 40 workers with P634,656.05 amount of monetary settlement; Dagupan Field Office – 133 workers with P1,750,985.34; Rosales Field Office – 346 workers with P7,277,367.82; La Union – 125 with P835,771.89; Ilocos Sur – 102 with P2,878,167.79 and Ilocos Norte – 82 with 1,835,274.22.

Orlando Valencia, 38, a resident of Barangay Pangpang in San Carlos City, is one of the workers who requested the assistance of the Dagupan field office on October 30 to facilitate the payment of his 13th month pay, holiday pay and separation pay.

Valencia worked for a pizza store as a delivery driver for one year and three months but failed to receive his benefits.

With the intervention of SEnA Desk Officer Panfilo Dioquino, his claims were paid to the sum of P22, 000 after six days.

“Napakahusay po ng SEnA Desk Officer na si Mr. Dioquino sa pag-asiste sa amin ng aking dating employer para kami ay magkasundo. Saludo po ako sa kaniyang serbisyo at ako ay lubos na nagpapasalamat,” Valencia said as he thanked the DOLE-Dagupan field office for its efficient settlement of claims. (MCA/AMM/PIA-1, Pangasinan with reports from DOLE)