COTABATO CITY – The Ministry of Labor and Employment in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment RO XII and the National Conciliation and Mediation Board RB XII held 3-day Advanced Training on Conciliation-Mediation cum Labor-Management Cooperation for Single Entry Assistance Desk Officers on Dec. 5-7, in this city.
The 3-day training aims to capacitate SEADOs of BARMM with appropriate skills on conciliation and mediation process under Single-Entry Approach for efficient and effective disposition of labor dispute issues arising from employee-employer relations.
Minister Muslimin G. Sema graced the activity and expressed his gratitude to the DOLE XII and NCMB XII for facilitating the capacity-building. He said the initiative is imperative to equip SEADOs in addressing labor disputes in the region.
“This is very important para sa atin dahil ang Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is giving so much importance on the role of our labor force na magkaroon ng kaalaman at magkaroon ang kapayapaan [industrial peace],” he added.
Meanwhile, Gerie D. Lampitco, NCMB XII branch director shared the conciliation-mediation techniques to the participants during the training.
He also introduced the Labor-Management Cooperation, Grievance Machinery, and Voluntary Arbitration Programs as alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
Illegal Dismissal and other NLRC concerns, and OFW Issues including Seafarers’ Concerns were discussed by Atty. Ma. Lourdes Romellie D. Juliano, labor arbiter of National Labor Relations Commission RAB XII.
Among the resource speakers are Director Marilou Sumalinog of Overseas Workers Welfare Administration XII for the OFW Welfare Issues, and Melveen M. Melocoton of Occupational Safety and Health Center Region VI for OSH Issues while Exequiel K. Salcedo III explicated the ECC Programs and other Social Welfare Benefits.
Other facilitators from the NCMB XII were Jemeia Mae E. De Eyoy, supervising labor and employment officer and James D. Guazo, senior labor and employment officer who provided lectures on the SENA program, SENA procedures and reportorial requirements.
More than 20 participants who successfully completed the 3-day training will be accredited as SEADOs including the MOLE field officers across the region.
Labor Dispute Settlement Program in BARMM is under the Bureau of Labor Relations and Standards oversaw by its director, Hatta T. Jumdain.
“We cannot avoid dispute, but we are trying minimize it,” Jumdain stressed. He also reiterated to strengthen the advocacy on LMC, workers rights in order to maintain industrial peace in the region.
Subsequently, Deputy Minister Tommy Nawa emphasized the vital role of SEADOs as mediators to become fair and neutral in facilitating disputes.