Indons learn JobStart from PH P4 DOLE marks 86 years Quality, honest service assured FOR PROVIDING expedient, quality and honest service to advance the rights and welfare of the Filipino workers, the Department of Labor and Employment’s more than 8,000 employees were honored during the 86th DOLE anniversary on December 6. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the more than eight decades of the existence of the department is in itself an inspiring feat for officials and employees to celebrate. “What better time to OFW MONEY CLAIMS. The labor department has been relentless acknowledge the employees’ in pushing for the payment of money claims of overseas Filipino hard work and dedication in the workers who were laid off by their previous employer, the Saudi fulfillment of our mandate than Oger Company Ltd., in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). In this file during our foundation anniversary. photo, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, together with DFA officials I am certain that the activities led by Ambassador Adnan Alonto, Undersecretary Sarah Luo Arriolla, they prepared are good avenues Undersecretary Brigido Dulay and Director Iric Arribas; DOLE POEA to demonstrate their talents, Administrator Bernard Olalia, and DOLE OWWA Administrator Hans creativity, and athletic skills,” he Leo Cacdac, discusses updates on the said claims with the former said. Filipino workers in the Saudi-based company. Photo by Dodong Echavez, IPS The week-long celebration was highlighted by fun, song and dance contests, sports competition, service recognition, as well as tree- planting and clean-up at the Baseco Compound in Tondo, Manila. A thanksgiving night was also held on December 3 in honor of the PH TO SCALE DOWN DOLE partners and stakeholders, including labor and employers sector and the media. Simultaneous Jobs and Business Fairs were also held in five major sites across the country. SAUDI DEPLOYMENT This year’s anniversary celebration, Bello said, focused IN A move to call the attention of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on still unpaid on DOLE achievements, the large and small victories that brought benefits of thousands of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) amounting to some opportunities to workers and P4.6 billion, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the government will scale employers, and the improved level of commitment for the betterment down their deployment to the Kingdom. of the Filipino workers. “We plan to scale down our “Most of those workers have not The Secretary said he brought the “The success of the various deployment to Saudi Arabia starting received their salary since April 2019 and matter to the attention of Saudi Arabia programs under my watch is next year. The purpose of this scaling small value claims have yet to be settled. Ambassador Bussairy to request the the product of the works of the down is to call the attention of the Saudi If you recall in 2016 August, together Saudi government intervention for the men and women of DOLE whose government to what we consider as slow with Undersecretary Lagunzad, I went OFWs. support I count upon from my first action on the plight of our workers,” to Saudi to repatriate about 13,000 of our “We have yet to see the result of the day in the department and will Bello said. workers who were not paid their salaries Saudi intervention. Kaya iyon po ang value the most,” he said. –Connie The Secretary said over 200 of the for almost two years. Hanggang ngayon aming pinag-aaralan, ang mag scale C. Gonzalez workers were deployed by one of the hindi pa nababayaran yung claims ng down kami ng deployment this coming main contractors of Saudi Aramco. ating mga manggagawa,” Bello said. P2 Google images Photo by Suns for Cebu Photo by BLR Photo by DOLE RO1 OVERSEAS AGENCIES REGIONS GOOD NEWS SoKor, Spain, Best L-M councils New business Employment up Taiwan hike wage honored given LEES in Ilocos P5 P6 P7 P8 2 December 2019 Photo by Dodong Echavez,IPS PH to scale down . from P1 year,” he said. pay, hindi nila natatanggap Asked what job deployments iyon. They filed their case, they will be ‘scaled-down,’ Bello won their claims, hanggang said, all professions, from skills, ngayon hindi nababayaran. No and including the household less than our President sent out service workers, will be limited. a letter to the KSA King, pero “We will not issue OECs,” he walang action,” he said. warned. Bello, however, said As to the percentage of the treatment of ‘balik- scaling down, the Secretary said manggagawa,’ as to the scaling it will be subject to a meeting down will be a “case to case” with the POEA Governing basis. Board. "We may set conditions to JOBS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Dante Gierran wind up the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement that will promote gainful employment opportunities to qualified, willing but unemployed “We repatriated 13,000, out remove the cut in deployment. elderlies. They are joined by Ang Probinsiyano Party List representative Ronnie Ong, Barangay Chairperson Daisy Tee of Bgy. 572 of the City of of that, may mga claims lahat They must pay first our workers, Manila, DOLE Undersecretary Anna Dione, BWSC Director Karen Trayvilla, FMS Director Warren Miclat and other NBI senior officials. iyan from at least one year to especially their 9,000 unpaid more than two years of unpaid claims which total to about 4.6 salaries, and end of service pay billion pesos," the Secretary Compressed workweek o kung tawagin natin separation said. –GSR Voluntary; no cuts in benefits COMPRESSED workweek existing guidelines on this. Its compressed workweek as a Double pay should be based on voluntary effectivity and implementation flexible work arrangement where agreement of both parties and should be voluntary. We do not the normal workweek is reduced that it should not result in force them to implement the to less than six days, but the total on New Year’s Day a diminution of the existing work scheme, because this is number of work hours per week benefits of the employees. part of management prerogative. shall remain. This was reiterated by Labor Both parties have the autonomy The normal workday is PRIVATE sector workers 100 percent of their wage Secretary Silvestre Bello III to to reach an agreement as long increased to more than eight who reported for work on for that day [(Basic wage + private-sector workers and as it does not violate our labor hours, but not to exceed 12 hours, January 1 (New Year’s Day), COLA) x 100%]. employers, citing the existing laws,” Bello said. without corresponding overtime which is a regular holiday, As to employees rendered DOLE advisory which recognizes Also, the benefits of the premium. were reminded that they will overtime work, must be paid the agreement between the employees should not be reduced The concept can be adjusted get paid twice their regular an additional 30 percent of employer and the employees due to the implementation of accordingly depending on daily wages. their hourly rate on said day to implement the compressed such work arrangement, he the normal workweek of the This as the labor depart- [Hourly rate of the basic wage workweek. added. company, the advisory further ment reminded employers x 200% x 130% x number of “The compressed workweek Department Advisory No. states. through Labor Advisory No. hours worked]. is not mandated, but we have 4 Series of 2010 defines the There are a lot of considerations 13, series of 2019, issued by Meanwhile, employees in adopting flexible work Labor Secretary Silvestre worked on a regular holiday arrangements, but Bello said Bello III guiding employers that is also their rest day the scheme aims to improve on the proper payment of shall be paid an additional business competitiveness and wages for the regular and 30 percent of their basic wage Indonesia learns productivity. special (non-working) days of 200 percent, [(basic wage + It also aims to give both for the year 2020. COLA) x 200%] + [30% (basic employers and employees the The advisory is pursuant wage x 200%)]. from JobStart PH flexibility in work hours which to Proclamation No. 845 Lastly, employees is compatible with business signed by President Rodrigo rendered overtime work on a WITH its successful facilitation tourism, manufacturing, and requirements and the employees’ Duterte on November 15, regular holiday that also fell of the school-to-work transition services sectors. need for a balanced work-life, he 2019. on their rest day must be paid of at-risk Filipino youth, the With this, Undersecretary added. Employees who reported an additional 30 percent of labor department’s JobStart Ebarle said that the program He also said that in case there for work on January 1 must their hourly rate on the said Philippines program is set to “has helped decrease the are complaints, the company and be paid 200 percent of their day [Hourly rate of the basic be replicated by the Indonesian youth unemployment rate in the workers may agree to revert wage for the first eight hours wage x 200% x 130% x 130% government. the country—which we are to the previous normal work [(basic wage + COLA) x x number of hours worked]. This after senior DOLE optimistic that when piloted in arrangement. –Althea Louise D. 200%]; while employees who –Althea Louise D. Majan officials oriented Indonesian Indonesia, will surely generate Majan will not work shall be paid delegates, composed of staff the same positive outcome.” of government ministries Undersecretary Ana and regional employment Dione, meanwhile, expressed service providers, on the the “humble pride” of the implementation of the Jobstart Department as the JobStart No inspection on Xmas break program during their study Philippines program is now visit at the DOLE Central Office being benchmarked by TO ENABLE the labor The conduct of routine million workers were inspected by in Intramuros, Manila.