SITUATIONER

Labor and Employment Sector

01-05 July 201
RO!OL"O !# ENAL$E% JR#
&aldo' laud( IO) *or +r(t ,ountry )-.rat-on Report on
$/ 0 ur.e( u(e o* report to *urt1er en1ance m-.rat-on
.o2ernance
Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz
yesterday lauded the International Organization for Migration
IOM! and its partners" notably the Scalabrini Migration #enter"
$hilippine O%erseas Employment &dministration" and the
#ommission on 'ilipinos O%erseas" for coming out (ith the
#ountry Migration Report )he $hilippines *+,-" the IOM.s /rsat
comprehensi%e migration pro/le of the country" and urges full
use of the report to further enhance the country.s migration
go%ernance0
In a 1eynote speech deli%ered during the launching of the report
at the Mandarin Oriental 2otel" Baldoz said the #ountry Migration
Report )he $hilippines *+,- is not merely a collection of
migration data" but an account of the many real issues 'ilipino
migrants face0
3)he report ta1es a signi/cant step for(ard in highlighting areas
of study in the /eld of migration go%ernance that need to be
analyzed to impro%e the institutional and policy frame(or1 on
international migration all for the bene/t of our migrant (or1ers"
their foreign employers" and the go%ernment"3 Baldoz said0
3I" therefore" recommend the report for general readership"
especially to policy ma1ers" members of the academe"
go%ernment agencies" migration sta1eholders" researchers" and
the public to ma1e full use of the information in the report" more
particularly the ma4or /ndings on migration trends" policy
de%elopments" and impacts and recommendations in the area of
migration go%ernance" mainstreaming migration in de%elopment
policies and programs" and impro%ing migration statistics"
institutional arrangements" and technological infrastructure"3 she
added0
)he launching of the report (as attended by top o5cials of the
IOM led by Marco Boasso" IOM $hilippines.s director and chief of
mission to the $hilippines6 Secretary Imelda 7icolas of the
#ommission on 'ilipinos O%erseas6 &dministrator 2ans Leo 80
#acdac of the $hilippine O%erseas Employment &dministration6
IOM Mission #oordinator and 7ational $rogram O5cer Ricardo
#asco6 E9ecuti%e Director 'r0 :raziano Battistela of the Scalabrini
Migration #enter6 representati%es of international migrant
organizations ci%il society and non-go%ernment organizations6
and representati%es of other go%ernment agencies0
In her 1eynote address" Baldoz cited the strong partnership
bet(een the IOM and the DOLE and its attached agencies on
%arious programs and policies to(ards impro%ed migration
go%ernance0
She said the IOM is a long-time 1ey partner in the DOLE.s
campaign against illegal recruitment" human tra5c1ing" and
irregular migration" and in the repatriation of O';s caught in
emergency and crisis situations li1e (hat happened in Libya and
Syria0
Baldoz particularly cited the IOM-DOLE partnership in the poor
pro%inces of Masbate" &nti<ue" Maguindanao" and &gusan del Sur
(here the IOM and the DOLE" together (ith other =7 #ountry
)eam agencies" namely the International Labor Organization"
=7I#E'" and =7'$&" de%eloped and implemented the three-year
8oint $rogramme->outh Employment and Migration" a three-year
4oint program on youth employment as alternati%e to migration0
)he program (as supported by the :o%ernment of Spain and
funded under the MD: 'und0
3During the last three years" the 8$->EM has opened the door for
young people in Masbate" &gusan del Sur" Maguindanao" and
&nti<ue to employment opportunities" and pro%ided them
%aluable alternati%es to (or1ing abroad" than1s to the IOM and
other =7 #ountry )eam &gencies"3 said Baldoz0
&ccording to Baldoz" the IOM is a DOLE partner in pro%iding
ser%ices and protection to O';s" and the preparation and
completion of the report is" she said" another successful
partnership bet(een the DOLE and the IOM in ensuring better
protection and pro%iding better ser%ices and programs to labor
migrants0
)he #ountry Migration Report )he $hilippines *+,- is an o?shoot
of the hosting by the $hilippines of the Migration $ro/le ;or1shop
in October *+,,0 &fter the (or1shop" the IOM supported the
$hilippines in the de%elopment of the #ountry Migration $ro/le"
(hich Secretary Baldoz appro%ed and endorsed (ith a marching
order to all DOLE agencies to pro%ide full cooperation and support
to(ards the pro4ect.s completion0
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3)he report is an e9tremely important publication to all of us0 &s a
country 1no(n to be a prominent origin of labor and permanent
migrants" (e o(e our people an integrated account of migration
@o(s" programs and ser%ices" as (ell as issues and challenges (e
face in a most transparent (ay"3 Baldoz e9plained0
In hailing the report" Baldoz said the $hilippines is grateful to the
IOM for highlighting the countryAs internationally-ac1no(ledged
(elfare and protection centered-global migration model0
3)he launching of the report puts into action the ad%ocacy for
global data transparency in the /eld of international employment
through the production of migration pro/les among member
states"3 she said0
)he labor and employment chief also said that the con%ergent
e?orts to(ards the completion of the report (as inspired by Bthe
$residentAs directi%e in *+,, to organize O'; information
transparently on migration in order to guide responses" made
possible the O%erseas 'ilipinos Information System O'IS!" thus
substantiating the mandate of Republic &ct C+DC or the Migrant
and O%erseas 'ilipinos &ct of ,EEF for a Shared :o%ernment
Information System on Migration S:ISM!0G
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,lar3 /R! pract-t-oner( learn t1e late(t -n $/ labor la4(
)he 7ational #onciliation Mediation Board 7#MB! yesterday
announced the successful conduct of a seminar on $hilippine
labor la(s for human resource de%elopment practitioners of the
#lar1 De%elopment #orporation0
In a report to Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda
Dimapilis-Baldoz" 7#MB e9ecuti%e director Reynaldo =baldo said
the seminar (as held on the occasion of the 'irst :eneral
Membership MeetingH )he $rofessional 2R Series and organized
by the #D# at the #lar1 Museum" #lar1 'reeport Kone in
$ampanga0
'ifty-t(o members of the #lar1 2uman Resource #ouncil" the
umbrella organization of human resource de%elopment
practitioners of locators in the #lar1 'reeport Kone" attended the
meeting-cum-seminar" highlighted by the pro%ision of the latest
Supreme #ourt decisions on the di?erent labor case scenarios" as
(ell as information on S# rulings concerning %arious grounds for
terminationIdismissal" due process" and management
prerogati%es0
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&tty0 Ben4o Santos Bena%idez" assistant regional director of the
DOLE-7#R" (as the principal discussant in the seminar" (hile
7#MB Regional Branch 7o0 - o5cer-in-charge Maria #rsitina O0
Mangaliman discussed the 7#MB.s third party mechanisms used
in settling disputes at the plant le%el0
3)his seminar (as in line (ith the e9isting memorandum of
agreement bet(een the 7#MB and the #D# on the promotion and
upholding of industrial harmony in the #lar1 'reeport Kone
through %arious ad%ocacy pro4ects"3 reported =baldo0
)he induction of the ne( members of the Board of Directors and
o5cers of the #lar1 2uman Resource #ouncil highlighted the
seminar" led by #2R# president &ngelina #asasola" assistant %ice
president and corporate social responsibility head of >o1ohama
)ire $hilippines0 7#MB Regional Branch 7o0 - o5cer-in-charge
Maria #rsitina O0 Mangaliman administered the oath to the ne(
o5cers0
=nder #asasola.s leadership" the #2R# (ill implement this year
notable pro4ects" such as the #lar1 #ommunity Mar1et 'air6 #lar1
=nity :ames *+,-6 and #ar1 Idol Luest0 )he #2R# (ill also
implement this year its #lar1 community card0
3;ith t(o more years as president" (e are pushing our in%itation
to 2RD practitioners in #lar1 to 4oin the #2R#"3 #asasola said0
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&aldo' commend( NLR, and A5LO *or (ucce((*ul d-alo.ue
on -ndu(tr-al peace and (oc-al 6u(t-ce
Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz
yesterday commended the 7ational Labor Relations #ommission
7LR#! and the &ssociation of :enuine Labor Organizations
&:LO! for the successful conduct of a dialogueIconsultation on
maintaining coordination in the promotion of industrial peace and
social 4ustice
BI congratulate the 7LR# and the o5cials and members of
&:LO for the fruitful conduct of their social
dialogueIconsultation (hich focused on maintaining and
enhancing coordination (ith the said labor group in promoting
industrial peace and social 4ustice in the (or1places"G said
Baldoz0
7LR# #hairman :erardo #0 7ograles" reported said that the
dialogueIconsultation primarily focused on the e9ecution of
4udgment of labor cases lodged at the 7LR#0
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During the dialogue" &:LO commended the 7LR# on its e?ort to
resol%e faster and more e5ciently the labor cases lodged (ith
the labor court0
On its part" the 7LR# assured close monitoring of the e9ecution of
4udgment on labor cases under the *+,* 7LR# Sheri?sA Manual
on E9ecution of 8udgment (hich highlights speedy disposition of
the process of e9ecution of labor cases0
7ograles" said that the 7LR# Rules of $rocedure" (hich is aimed
at sustaining the reforms being implemented by the #ommission"
is sub4ect to continuing re%ie( to address the %arious issues of
labor and management0
Representati%es from &:LO" mean(hile" e9pressed their support
on the reforms being implemented by 7LR# under #hairman
7ograles on streamlining of procedures" restoring integrity" and
speedy disposition of cases0
Baldoz said continuous conduct of social dialogues and
consultations (ith labor and employer organizations is part of
the **-$oint Labor &genda of $res0 Benigno S0 &<uino III and the
$hilippine Labor and Employment $lan for *+,, to *+,J on
(or1ing (ith the pri%ate and labor sector to strengthen tripartite
cooperation and promote industrial peace0
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Apart *rom on-.o-n. probe% &aldo' report( to $re(-dent
A7u-no !OLE correct-2e mea(ure( on 8(e9-*or-:-.1t8
alle.at-on(
Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz
yesterday said she has submitted an update report to $resident
Benigno S0 &<uino III on the .se9-for-@ight. allegations and the
measures that the DOLE has underta1en in the aftermath of the
contro%ersy0
3I submitted to the $resident an update report on the matter and
discussed (ith him the measures that (e ha%e underta1en--and
continuously underta1e--after the allegations ha%e became public
and complainants ha%e surfaced0 I reiterated my earlier
statement that no one in the DOLE (ill be spared if any o5cial or
employee is found to ha%e %iolated our la(s after a thorough and
impartial in%estigation"3 Baldoz said0
3I (as instructed by the $resident that should the in%estigating
team /nd a basis for the /ling of criminal charges" I should
coordinate (ith the O5ce of the E9ecuti%e Secretary and the
Secretary of 8ustice"3 she added0
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Baldoz said that she had submitted a report to the $resident
outlining se%eral correcti%e measures relati%e to the contro%ersy0
&mong these are as follo(sH
,! Issuance last *C 8une *+,- of the memorandum order for the
deployment of ,- female and , male personnel to augment
$hilippine o%erseas labor o5ces $OLOs! in three countries"
namely" Ningdom of Saudi &rabia" nine personnel6 2ashemite
Ningdom of 8ordan" three personnel6 and Nu(ait" t(o personnel0
3)hese personnel (ill lea%e as soon as accreditation by the
respecti%e host go%ernments is obtained"3 Baldoz e9plained0
*! Immediate installation of the 'oreign Labor Operations
Information System 'LOIS! in all -M $OLOs o%erseas" (ith the
Middle East $OLOs as a priority0 )he system (ill record all $OLO
transactions and store data (hich (ill be accessible to DOLE"
$hilippine O%erseas Employment &dministration" and the
O%erseas ;or1ers ;elfare &dministration0
3)he 'LOIS (ill allo( us to monitor the number of (ards being
accommodated in our Migrant ;or1ers and Other 'ilipinos
Resource #enters" commonly 1no(n as Bahay Nalinga"3 the labor
and employment chief remar1ed0
-! De%elopment of a streamlined process of recruitment and
deployment in both Saudi side and $hilippine side and the
de%elopment of a 4oint onsite dispute settlement system" case
handling" repatriation" and operation of the Saudi mega-
recruitment agencies0
Baldoz said this is pursuant to the bilateral agreement (ith Saudi
&rabia on the recruitment and deployment of household ser%ice
(or1ers0
3)he R$-NS& 8oint #ommittee has successfully concluded its
meeting on this" including other actionable pro%isions of the
bilateral agreement0 In fact" the Saudis ha%e pledged that it (ill
pro%ide a budget to de%elop the streamlined online system for
transparency"3 Baldoz further e9plained0
She also said the DOLE is e9ploring (ith the Department of Social
;elfare and De%elopment the idea of deploying social (or1ers to
the Middle East to do counseling and other social (elfare (or10
3I also informed the $resident that the DOLE fully supports high-
le%el negotiations and political representations by other o5cials
of go%ernment that (ill lead to host countries. (ai%ing penalties"
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shorten processing of e9it %isa application" issuance of pardons
and amnesty" and police and immigration assistance"3 Baldoz
said further0
Mean(hile" Baldoz said the team she has set-up to conduct a
probe on the .se9-for-@ight. contro%ersy is no( in Saudi &rabia0 It
(ill also go to 8ordan and head for home to submit its report on or
before ,* 8uly0
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Labor o;c-al -n <(e9-*or-:-.1t= (c1eme may *ace accu(er(
M&7IL&" $hilippines - )he labor o5cial in%ol%ed in the Bse9-for-
@ightG scheme in the Middle East may soon face his accusers0
Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz yesterday reported Riyadh
assistant labor attachO &ntonio Pillafuerte (ould be gi%en the
chance to confront the three alleged %ictims and ans(er the
charges against him0
BDuring the preliminary in%estigation" if Pillafuerte (ants" the
in%estigation team (ill allo( him to confront the complainants
and e9amine the e%idence presented"G she said0
&fter being recalled follo(ing complaints of se9ual harassment
and alleged pimping of distressed o%erseas 'ilipino (or1ers
O';s!" Pillafuerte returned home 'riday night0
Pillafuerte denied the charges (hile his (ife Remedios defended
him0
Baldoz said Pillafuerte has until 8uly ,* to submit before the fact-
/nding committee a (ritten ans(er to the complaints0
2eadlines &rticle MRec !" pagematchH ," sectionmatchH ,
B)he fact-/nding team (ill be returning from their t(o-(ee1
mission in the Middle East on 8uly ,* so he Pillafuerte! should
submit his (ritten e9planation by then"G Baldoz said0
BI thin1 that is enough time for him to consult a la(yer if he
thin1s he needs it and ans(er the accusations against him point
by point"G she added0
Baldoz said the /rst stage of the in%estigation is for the fact-
/nding committee to inter%ie( (itnesses and gather necessary
e%idence on the alleged se9-for-@ight scheme0
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)he team (ill then re%ie( and %alidate the e%idence before
submitting it to the in%estigating team headed by Labor assistant
secretary :loria )ango0
B)he fact-/nding team is in charge of gathering e%idence (hile
the in%estigating team during the preliminary in%estigation (ill
determine (hether there is a prima facie case and (hat is the
speci/c charge to be /led"G Baldoz said0
)he three (omen submitted s(orn a5da%its accusing Pillafuerte
of se9ual harassment0 One of the %ictims identi/ed as Michelle
also claimed that Pillafuerte o?ered her to an Egyptian client0
&nother 'ilipina (or1er" ho(e%er" surfaced to defend Pillafuerte
and deny the accusations against the labor o5cial0
Baldoz said the testimony of the (or1er fa%oring Pillafuerte (ould
be BcollateralG in the ongoing in%estigation because the probe (ill
focus on the testimonies of the three complainants0
Baldoz also e9pressed con/dence that the go%ernment (ould be
able to implement reforms and pre%ent similar abuses against
O';s after the in%estigation0
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o5cial-se9-@ight-scheme-may-face-accusers
By Mayen 8aymalin )he $hilippine Star! Q =pdated 8uly ," *+,- -
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