Two local firms in Bicol voluntarily absorbed short-term employees in compliance with the government’s campaign to end contractualization and other prohibited practices in the labor industry.
The Department of Labor and Employment lauded this move of the Hotel St. Ellis in Legazpi City and Stance Sales Distribution in Naga City as Secretary Silvestre Bello III commanded regional offices to observe workers’ right to security of tenure.
“We thank these firms for positively answering our call to absorb contractual employees. We are positive that more establishments in the region will follow suit,” said Atty. Ma. Karina Perida-Trayvilla, officer-in-charge and regional director of the DoLE’s Bicol arm.
DoLE also lauded Personnel Solutions, the manpower provider of the said firms, for supporting its campaign.
“Five former agency-based employees are now enjoying permanent direct hire status, two for Hotel St. Ellis and three for Stance Sales and Distribution, and more regularization is coming,” Trayvilla said.
“Weekly, we will monitor the number of workers who will be absorbed by their principals here in Bicol,” she added.
The employees who were declared regular workers include field office associates, accounting staff, sales personnel, company driver and helper.
Earlier in May, 22 short-term workers were also absorbed by Casureco IV after a successful Single Entry Approach proceedings in the regional office.
DoLE encouraged other companies to do the same move.
“We want other establishments here in Bicol to look up to Casureco IV, Hotel St. Ellis and Stance Distribution. If these companies can make it happen, then others can, too,” Trayvilla said.
Over the weeks, the labor department already assessed 15 of 27 manpower agencies in the region through its Labor Compliance System program.
The rest are set to be reviewed in the coming weeks.
“We want to know the exact number of contract employees in the region and from there, we move on with the subsequent campaign on eliminating contractualization,” OIC-RD Trayvilla added.