The DOLE-7 office in Cebu City. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Majority of business establishments in Central Visayas were compliant with labor standards and laws for the year 2022, the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE-7) reported.
DOLE-7 reported that in the previous year, they inspected over 9,000 businesses in the region as part of their annual Labor Inspection Report.
The Labor Inspection Report covers general labor and safety and health standards, and also the implementation of the latest minimum wage rates.
Findings from DOLE-7’s inspection showed that 7,957 out of the 9,062 establishments they inspected in Central Visayas had observed the General Labor Standards (GLS). This translates to a compliance rate of 87.81 percent.
The GLS mandates private firms to implement the minimum requirement in hours of work, wages, monetary benefits, and welfare benefits.
It also covered overtime pay, holiday pay, and service incentive leaves, among others, DOLE-7 said.
DOLE-7 also found out that more than half of the establishments they inspected last year also complied with the Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS), and paid their employees the latest minimum wage rate.
Around 80 percent or 7,222 businesses in Central Visayas have complied with the OSHS in 2022 while 8,580, or roughly 95 percent of the establishments that underwent inspection, upheld the new minimum wage rate introduced last June 2022.
OSHS pertains to standards and policies made to ensure a ‘safe and healthy’ workplace.
”This includes the presence of safety officers trained with Basic Occupational Safety and Health; certified first aiders; formulation and implementation of OSH programs and policies such as on Drug-free Workplace and Anti-Sexual Harassment,” DOLE-7 said.
Lilia Estillore, DOLE-7 acting director, said they were glad to know that most business establishments in Central Visayas were compliant with the latest labor standards.
“We are so happy with the results as this just shows that majority of the establishments we’ve inspected last year in the region adhere to the labor laws,” said Estillore.
“However, we recognize the fact that more work has to be done so that no worker is left behind,” she added.
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