Over P10.8 million in monetary claims benefited nearly 5,000 workers in the Caraga Region following the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) intensified labor inspection efforts, reaffirming its commitment to enforcing labor standards and occupational safety regulations nationwide.
Reflecting President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive, the initiative underscores the administration’s commitment to guaranteeing the welfare and safety of Filipino workers through strengthened monitoring and compliance enforcement.
With a performance rate of 225.8 percent, DOLE Caraga doubled its conduct of labor inspections, covering 1,093 establishments, exceeding its target of 484. Workers who are vulnerable and in high-risk working conditions, such as in the mining, construction, retail, tourism, and fishing industries, benefited from the inspection, which led to the settlement of their unpaid wages, holiday and overtime pay, service incentive leave, and other mandated benefits.
In a notable case involving a private hospital in Butuan City, P300,000 in unpaid 13th-month pay was released to seven employees, following DOLE’s prompt action.
“Nagpasalamat ko sa DOLE Caraga kay gitubag dayon nila amung complaint. Nag-inspect sila diri ug nahatag gyud sa amung employer ang benefits nga para sa amua mga workers,” said one of the workers.
(I am thankful to DOLE Caraga because they responded to our complaint right away. They conducted an inspection here, and our employer was provided with what is meant for us workers.)
DOLE Caraga also continues to strengthen its technical assistance and employer labor education programs through seminars and orientations on General Labor Standards (GLS), Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards, and proper documentation practices, helping employers understand and meet their obligations under labor laws.
Through these efforts, DOLE reinforces its role in ensuring employers comply with labor laws and in resolving complaints. The Department also urges workers to report any labor or safety violations through its offices nationwide or through online platforms.
