As part of the Technical Working Group, the Bureau of Labor Relations (BLR) through Director Benjo Santos M. Benavidez facilitated the Workshop on the Effective Implementation and Enforcement of the Worker’s Right to Security of Tenure on 18-19 July 2016 at the Ichikawa Hall, Occupational Safety and Health Center in Diliman, Quezon City.

DOLE senior officials and regional directors as well as the heads of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC), Bureau of Local Employment (BLE), Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC), Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC), Legal Service (LS), Planning Service (PS), and Labor Communications Office (LCO) gathered together for the review of policy and legal framework and assessment of contracting and subcontracting practices in the country.

The DOLE conducted the activity to generate inputs or solutions and develop an action plan that would address contractualization pursuant to President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s directive to ensure protection of the rights and promotion of welfare of the Filipino workers. It also served as a venue to discuss the laws, rules and regulations, issuances and jurisprudence on contracting and subcontracting.

Asst. Sec. Joji V. Aragon discussed the pending Security of Tenure (SOT) bills filed in the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Philippines.

OIC-Dir. Alvin B. Curada of BWC tackled the landscape of contracting and subcontracting in the country and the profile of contractors and subcontractors based on the findings of Labor Laws Compliance Officers (LLCOs).

Atty. Benedicto Ernesto R. Bitonio, an ILO Consultant, was also tapped to guide the participants in sorting the fundamental issues and setting the framework for the action plan.

DOLE regional directors presented the profile of contracting and subcontracting arrangements in their respective jurisdictions and identified the problems they encountered in the enforcement of labor laws and social legislation.

According to Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III, short-term employment contracts in the form of direct hiring by employers or principals or through contracting out that is contrary to the provisions of the Labor Code are prohibited.

“As part of the DOLE’s continuing effort to address the issues of contractualization, I enjoin DOLE regional directors and heads of concerned offices to strictly implement the Labor Laws Compliance System (LLCS),” Sec. Bello said.

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