CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — The submission of applications for new and renewal of registrations, licenses, and permits at the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE-7) is temporarily suspended while Cebu City, where the regional office is located, continues to be under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
DOLE-7 Regional Director Salome O. Siaton, in an emailed statement, said the agency will focus on its programs and services, especially issuance of licenses, certificates of registration and permits once the community quarantine is lifted.
For employers whose certificate of registration from the labor department will be expiring or has expired within the community quarantine period, Siaton said they will be given 30 days after the lifting of the community quarantine to process their documents.
Siaton said the applications for new and renewal of Alien Employment Permits (AEPs) may also be filed, without penalties, within 45 working days after the enhanced community quarantine or general community quarantine is lifted.
“Same holds true for Private Employment Agencies (PEAs), whereby applications for new or renewal of licenses to operate private employment agencies can be filed within 45 working days after the lifting of the ECQ or GCQ, without penalty,” Siaton said.
The submission of pleadings, motions and other documents relative to labor concerns as well as the rendering of orders, judgments and resolutions of labor cases are also suspended while the ECQ or GCQ is in effect.
In a separate statement, DOLE-7 also said they are temporarily suspending all labor inspections as the activity may risk the health of both labor inspectors and the employers and employees being inspected.
The guidelines that DOLE-7 is implementing is also in compliance with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III in his Department Order no. 23 issued last May 5.
“As of the moment, conferences and other proceedings requiring personal appearance of both parties and counsels are cancelled. Concerned parties are assured that the concerned offices, field office, division or our Mediation-Arbitration and Legal Service Unit will make sure to reschedule the dates of conferences or other proceedings once the community quarantine is lifted,” Siaton explained. /bmjo