DOLE set-up single-entry assistance desks in Metro Manila

Press release by the Department of Labor and Employment

As the Department of labor and Employment (DOLE) pilot-tests the single entry approach (SEnA) prescribing a 30-day mandatory conciliation-mediation services for the judicious and speedy settlement of all DOLE cases, DOLE-NCR director and concurrent chairman of the Regional Coordinating Council-NCR Raymundo G. Agravante announced the setting-up of single entry assistance desks (SEAD) in DOLE offices in Metro Manila.

A DOLE-initiated reform, the single entry approach or SEnA is an administrative approach that provides a speedy, impartial, inexpensive, and accessible settlement procedure of all labor issues or conflicts to prevent them from ripening into full-blown disputes.  The reform is pursuant to the 22-point labor and employment agenda of President Benigno C. Aquino III specifically in reforming the labor and adjudication system.

“There are 4.9 million workers in Metro Manila with varying concerns, thus we are setting up as many assistance desks for clients under the six-month pilot run which started in October 26,” Agravante said.

“The desks are at the National Labor Relations Commission-Regional Arbitration Branch-NCR; National Conciliation and Mediation Board-NCR; Philippine Overseas Employment Administration; and six field offices of DOLE-NCR located in Manila , Quezon City , Makati-Pasay, CAMANAVA, MUNTAPARLAS and PAPAMAMARISAN.  The request for assistance may be filled in the SEAD desk in the locality where employers principally operate,” he added.

Director Agravante explained that SEnA complements the existing labor dispute settlement mechanism and processes in the DOLE offices and its attached agencies to settle unresolved issues or complaints arising from employer-employee relations and encourages the use of conciliation-mediation to avoid costly litigation process.

Only unresolved issues shall be referred either for voluntary arbitration to the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), if both parties so agree, or compulsory arbitration to the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) or to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), in the case of land-based and sea-based overseas Filipino workers who might have some issues with their recruitment agencies or foreign employers.

In a recent meeting with 65 designated SEAD desk officers in the NCR, DOLE Undersecretary for Labor Relations Hans Leo Cacdac explained that the DOLE reform seeks to de-judicialize the labor dispute settlement system through alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms using the mandatory conciliation-mediation of all labor cases in the DOLE and the industry-based conciliation-mediation by the Industry Tripartite Council members.

“We should keep our options open and exercise the right judgment thus we need to validate the arguments of both parties.  In the conciliation-mediation process there is no hard and fast rule.  The bottom line should be that both parties agree as to how and why.  Our role is to attest what they have agreed upon,” Usec. Cacdac advised the desk officers.

NCMB Executive Director Reynaldo Ubaldo expressed willingness to provide all the necessary assistance to the regional offices especially in the conduct of conciliation-mediation training for the desk officers to become more effective and competent.

Director Ubaldo also provided useful inputs given his wealth of experience the field of conciliation and mediation.

“The DOLE’s Human Resource Development Service (HRDS) will also work with the NCMB to ensure that the training requirements for conciliation-mediation are delivered,” Ubaldo said.

The process flow, required forms, and some of the issues and concern that could possibly crop up during the pilot run have been resolved during the meeting for a uniform implementation of the SEnA.

For question or inquiry about this press release, please contact DOLE-NCR at telephone numbers 4006242 or 338-6572, e-mail at dolencr_info@yahoo.com or visit our website at www.ncr.dole.gov.ph.

dole.gov.ph