Isabela City - The Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office No. 9 through its field office in Isabela City, facilitated the settlement of labor disputes with money claims involving termination issue without authorized or just cause in less than one (1) day through the Single Entry Approach (SEnA) despite the absence of the responding party.

On December 20, 2016, the terminated worker, Mr. Ricky Cagais, a rubber tapper for ten (10) years, filed his Request for Assistance (RFA) with the DOLE Isabela City Field Office for the payment of wages, 13th month pay, and separation pay through the assistance of the correspondent together with Engr. Wesley D. Tan, SEnA Desk Officers (SEADOs).

As the employer resides in San Jose, Antique, the SEADOs utilized other alternative modes of conciliation-mediation conference. The parties underwent the conciliation-mediation procedure with the help of information technology, through cellular phone and electronic mail.

On the same day, the RFA was settled amicably, with monetary benefits amounted to Fifty-Seven Thousand Five Hundred Forty-One and 66/100 (P57, 541.66), representing payment for wages, 13th month pay, and separation pay. Having gained the confidence of the employer - Responding Party, mode of payment was made through the bank account of DOLE employee, and the same was turned-over to the Requesting Party.

The SEnA is a 30-day mandatory conciliation-mediation of all labor issues. This administrative approach provides a speedy, impartial, inexpensive and accessible settlement procedure of all issues arising from employer-employee relations which prevented from ripening into full blown disputes. At the end of the process, parties were assisted to voluntarily and mutually settle into an amicable agreement on their issues, thereby freed them from a more expensive, stressful and tedious process of adversarial hearings.

True to its mandate, to protect workers and promote their welfare and encourage "preferential use of voluntary modes of settling disputes including conciliation and ensure mutual compliance by the parties in order to foster industrial peace", this field office was awarded as the sole Best SEnA Implementor for 2016 for the entire Region 9.

This award recognizes this Field Office for its outstanding accomplishment in SEnA through its SEnA Desk Officers who achieved 100% disposition rate and highest in settlement rate for 2016, with 14 labor disputes befitting 31 workers, with monetary benefits of Four Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Two Hundred Thirty-Eight and 06/100 (P425,238.06).

Beyond the recognition received, are the priceless smiles that we put in the faces of the citizens we served. This field office will continue its journey in serving its clients by upholding the mandates of this Department; to protect worker and promote their welfare, and maintain industrial peace.

-with reports from Marlyn M. Anoos, Isabela City Field Office