A total of 3,613 private establishments in Davao Region have gone through inspection and monitoring under the Labor Inspection Program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), as of November 14, 2022. A large part of this data is attributed to Davao City with 1,406 followed by the provinces of Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro with 528 and 484, respectively.
The Department’s Labor Inspection Program aims to strengthen the visitorial and enforcement powers under the Labor Code of the Philippines, as renumbered, to ensure compliance of private establishments with labor laws and standards particularly the General Labor Standards (GLS), Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), and OSH-COVID.
Of the recent total number of establishments inspected across the region, DOLE XI recorded 92.8% compliance rate for GLS after establishments have corrected their deficiencies. Most common violations included basic wage pay, records keeping, and social welfare coverage. For OSH, 86.45% were compliant after necessary corrections on findings such as lack of safety and health personnel and implementation of OSH program among others. Meanwhile, top violations for OSH-COVID were inconsistent observance of minimum safety and health protocol and lack of trained personnel to handle COVID-19 cases in the workplace.
During inspections, Labor Inspectors are authorized to require access to employer’s records, interview any employee on the premises, and safety inspection within the workplace including electrical and mechanical equipment. Inspections are implemented through Routine Inspection, Complaint Inspection, and OSH Investigation.
As defined in the Department Order No. 138, Series of 2017, Routine Inspection is conducted to evaluate compliance with labor laws and standards jointly undertaken by Labor Inspector and representatives of the employer and employees. Complaint Inspection is the act of validating an establishment’s compliance on account of complaints or reports of employees on alleged violations of labor laws and standards. Lastly, OSH Investigation is the process of determining the existence of imminent danger and the like within the work premises. When deemed appropriate, DOLE may issue compliance orders to erring employers and may even order the stoppage of work or the suspension of operations.
In a statement, DOLE XI Regional Director Atty. Randolf C. Pensoy encouraged continuity and sustainability of compliance at workplaces as well as to advocate for the protection of workers’ rights. He also assured that DOLE XI, in accordance with its functions as Regional Office, shall constantly promote and maintain industrial peace through comprehensive enforcement of Labor Inspection Program.
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