DOLE-7 Gives 20 Small Business in Southern Cebu 3-Months to Comply with Labor Laws

At least 20 “micro-establishments” in Southern Cebu were given three months to correct “gaps” and comply with labor laws, according to the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE-7).

DOLE-7 conducted a Technical and Advisory Visit (TAV) to 123 micro establishments in Argao town and 71 in Santander and found out 20 of them “voluntarily identified gaps mostly concerning the registration of the Department of Trade and Industry’s Barangay Micro Business Enterprise (BMBE).”

“Atong buhaton karon kay tudluan para ma compliant ta. Kung nay mga gaps, tagaan og tulo ka bulan aron maka-comply. Usa ni ka pagtabang aron atong mga micro establishments makapadayon ug aron maka-provide og employment locally. Mao mana atong gi-expect nga ma-minus ang unemployment (We will teach you to be compliant. When gaps exist, we will mentor you on how to comply and give you enough time to submit compliance. This is one way of helping the micro establishments to continue and provide employment opportunities to the locals. We expect this to lessen the unemployment rate),” said Cebu Province Field Office OIC-Vivencio E. Lagahid.

Micro-establishments that the TAV inspected include eateries, restaurants, resorts, and other similar establishments.

The inspectors also noted a common lack of facility evaluation permit for the free meals and accommodation they provide to their employees.

Establishments also received technical and advisory services related to the General Labor Standards (GLS); Occupational Safety and Health (OSH); Labor relations; and productivity; among others from the labor inspectors and assistant labor inspectors.

“Dili angay mahadlok kung dunay gaps. Mao man atong tumong aron mahibaw-an ang kakuwangon base sa gi declare diha sa checklist aron matudluan unsaon pagtambal sa maong gaps nga subay ra gihapon sa balaod (Small business owners need not be afraid if they have compliance gaps. The intention of the TAV is to guide them how to become compliant in accordance with the labor laws),” Lagahid said in a statement.

Meanwhile, DOLE-7 Director Lilia Estillore said they will continue with the TAV program in other areas not just in Cebu but other parts of Central Visayas as well.

“We shall continue to bolster our conduct of TAV in the different provinces of Central Visayas. All field offices, apart from the Cebu Provincial Field Office, have also been pushing more micro-establishments to become compliant at the plant level. Our labor inspectors and assistant labor inspectors are more than ready to assist them (micro-establishments),” said Estillore.

Under the newly-issued Department Order No. 238, Series of 2023 or the Rules on the Administration and Enforcement of Labor Standards Pursuant to Article 128 of the Labor Code of the Philippines, As Renumbered, And Republic Act No. 11058, DOLE administers and ensures the enforcement of the Labor Standards and other labor laws through the following:

• Technical and Advisory Visit (TAV);

• Labor Inspection; and

• Occupational Safety and Health Investigation