DOLE’s SEnA Awarded Over P44-M to Workers in 2022

Around 2,000 workers with disputes with their employers have benefitted from the Single Entry Approach (SEnA) program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in 2022.

What is SEnA?

SEnA is a DOLE program that assists workers with disputes with their employers. SEnA will provide a speedy, impartial, inexpensive, and accessible settlement procedure to prevent labor issues or conflicts from becoming full-blown disputes.

SEnA Program Accomplishments in 2022

Among the five field offices in the region, the Tri-City Field Office (TCFO) of DOLE, covering Cebu City, Mandaue City, and Lapu-Lapu City, has given the largest amount of assistance to workers amounting to P19.3 million and benefited 880 workers.

TCPO is followed by Negros Oriental Field Office (NOFO), which shelled out P10.7 million to 449 workers.

The Cebu Provincial Field Office (CPFO) awarded P7.6 million to 286 workers in the same year.

Meanwhile, the field office of Bohol gave P6.5 million to 333 workers, while Siquijor awarded P422,000 to 35 workers.

DOLE-7 OIC-Regional Director Lilia A. Estillore was grateful for the effort of Single Entry Assistance Desk Officers (SEADO).

“I have all the SEADOs to thank for exerting their best effort every time they facilitate a SEnA conference while making sure that both parties come to some mutually agreed terms. To further enhance the capacity of our SEADOs, part of the action plan of our Learning and Development Team would be to conduct a re-tooling session among all the SEADOs where they will not only be refreshed with the provisions of the SEnA law but will also be immersed with latest trends in conducting conciliation and mediation proceedings,” Estillore said.

Estillore added that top-performing SEADOs would be incentivized and highlighted through DOLE Programs on Awards and Incentives for Services Excellence (DOLE PRAISE).

The SEnA has been institutionalized with the passage of Republic Act No. 10396 or An Act Strengthening Conciliation-Mediation as a Voluntary Mode of Dispute Settlement for all Labor Cases, Amending for the Purpose Article 228 of Presidential Decree No. 44. Otherwise Known as the Labor Code of the Philippines (As Amended). (ASC)