DOLE expects more workers to be regularized

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III. (File photo from GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is expecting more workers to be regularized with the continued commitment of several employers to comply with the labor standards and existing labor laws.

This came after the department, on the other hand, disclosed to public its initial list of suspected labor violators amid protests and demonstrations staged by various labor groups across the country.

“We are expecting more regularized workers soon and I am optimistic that various establishments will comply with our directives,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said in a statement.

“Also, inspections of establishments are ongoing to ensure their compliance with labor standards and existing labor laws,” he added.

Bello said that private employers have voluntarily started submitting their own regularization plans.

Despite this, the Labor chief said they are still out to do “inspection to ensure the rights of employees to security of tenure.”

Bello said establishments such as SM Supermalls and Century Pacific Food Inc. have already submitted their own regularization plans.

Bello said about 10,000 SM Supermalls employees and about 7,000 workers of Century Pacific Food Inc. are set to be regularized.

On the other hand, other private employers such as Jollibee Food Corporation, with 14,960 affected workers, Dole Philippines, Inc., with 10,521, and Philsaga Mining Corporation, with 6,624, have “signified their intention to regularize their workers,” the secretary added.

According to the DOLE, 182,915 workers have been regularized as of June 2018.

However, aside from illegal contractualization, workers are also slamming companies for alleged union busting and ill work conditions.

As of posting, workers of NutriAsia is still on strike. Carol Anne Balita/INQUIRER.net intern /jpv