Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma signed on November 15 Labor Advisory No. 15, Series of 2025, strengthening workplace preparedness and reinforcing labor protections amid the rising frequency of disruptive events threatening worker safety nationwide.
The advisory, aligned with the Marcos administration’s priority on resilience and worker welfare, defines disruptive events as natural or human-induced hazards that may interrupt operations and place workers in imminent danger, including disasters, industrial accidents, public health emergencies, and other extraordinary circumstances that threaten worker safety and business continuity.
As detailed in Labor Advisory No. 15, “Promoting Labor and Management Preparedness and Protecting Labor Rights During Imminent Danger Arising from Disruptive Events,” employers are required to adopt a comprehensive workplace safety program that reinforces readiness and ensures protection before, during, and after hazardous occurrences.
To build readiness, DOLE mandates the adoption of a comprehensive safety program that includes planning, engineering safeguards to protect facilities and utilities, administrative measures such as evacuation protocols and communication systems, and the provision of personal protective equipment to support safe movement and response actions during emergencies.
On ensuring workers’ safety and health, employers are advised to suspend work when conditions pose an immediate danger and implement flexible work arrangements to reduce exposure to hazards. For establishments engaged in public utilities, health services, and other vital operations, employers are urged to maintain a minimum number of personnel to ensure continuity of critical processes.
The advisory affirms that the principle of no work, no pay applies during work suspensions unless company policies or collective agreements provide more favorable terms, ensuring clarity on wage rules during emergencies.
Workers are also reminded to follow established safety procedures, use assigned protective equipment, avoid actions that increase their risk or hinder emergency operations, and promptly notify their employers of any imminent danger, reinforcing their role in upholding safety and health at work.
The Labor Department also emphasizes that workers who report imminent danger or refuse to report to work due to it during disruptive events must not face administrative sanctions.
