The Department of Labor and Employment-Cordillera has resumed its inspection of private establishments to ensure their compliance to labor laws.
DOLE-Cordillera Director Exequiel Ronie A. Guzman said Sec. Silvestre Bello III issued Administrative Order 27, s. 2020, which authorized regional offices to resume the conduct of routine inspections in their areas of jurisdiction.
“The labor inspectors are tasked to ensure the compliance of private companies on general labor standards, such as proper payment of wages during holidays, overtime pays, implementation of the minimum wage law, remittance of social benefits of their workers, and others,” Guzman said.
In December 2019, DOLE has temporarily suspended inspection activities to allow the department to dispose pending labor cases and prepare the inspection programs for 2020.
DOLE will also include in its inspection the compliance of companies to health and safety standards.
Last year, DOLE-Cordillera has inspected 1,632 private business establishments subject to regular labor inspection. There are around 900,000 private business establishments in the country.
The inspected establishments were mostly engaged in wholesale and retail, accommodation, and food service, and administrative support and service.
Among other aspects, the DOLE continues to intensify its call for safer and healthier workplaces in the country by conducting educational caravans to let workers know of their labor rights.
The DOLE-Cordillera said workers have the right to be informed about safety hazards in the workplace and have the right to refuse unsafe work, right to report accidents, and right to be provided personal protective equipment.
Local government units and other stakeholders in the region have been instructed by DOLE to inform sectors about their health and safety rights as employees.
Republic Act 11058 or “An Act strengthening compliance with occupational safety and health standards” was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on Aug. 17, 2018.
Its implementation aims to help curb the increasing cases of diseases and injuries in the work environment that confront the country. It also boosts the implementation of the World Health Organization-supported Occupational Health and Safety Sector Plan under the National Environmental Health Action Plan. – Press release
April 20, 2024
