Labor

   The employment situation slightly improved in 2007 with employment rate increasing by 0.3 percentage point from the 2006 level. As a result there was an average of 6,000 less unemployed persons (from 115 thousand to 109 thousand).

   Underemployment rate recovered after a marked increase from 35.3 percent in 2005 to 37.9 percent in 2006. This reduced the number of persons looking for additional hours of work (underemployed) from 726,000 in 2006 to 681,000 in 2007. The underemployment rate of Bicol region, however, has been the highest among regions and way above national average, i.e. In 2007 Bicol’s average underemployment rate of 37.1 percent vis-a-vis the national average of 20.1 percent.

Table 8.1 Average Rates of Employment, Unemployment and Underemployment,

Bicol Region, 2005, 2006 and 2007

1. Public Employment Service Office (PESO). A total of 73,769 job vacancies were solicited, which is way above the target of 25,000 for the year. Applicants registered reached 18,828 as against the target of 20,000. 

2. Jobs Fair. This joint undertaking of DOLE field offices and the local government units through the PESOs resulted in the conduct of a total of 29 job fairs both here and abroad. There were 30,366 who participated, 773 jobseekers were hired-on-the-spot (HOTS), while 152 were placed for local employment and 72 for overseas deployment. There was, however, a low accomplishment on applicants placed locally due to the lack of employment opportunities in the region. 

3. Employment Counseling. A total of 7,407 workers were given counseling as against the target of 5,000, posting a 148 percent accomplishment of the target. The big number of counseling recipients was due to the loss of job opportunities after typhoon Reming.

Under the capacity building services for livelihood and self-employment, the following were accomplished: 

1. Promotion of Rural Employment through Self-Employment and Entrepreneurship Development (PRESEED). Livelihood funds were granted to three accredited co-partners (ACPs), one in Tabaco City, Albay, Sorsogon City, Sorsogon, and San Isidro, Camarines Sur for their training cum production (TCP) projects benefiting 76 rural workers. This livelihood intervention helped combat poverty in the region.

2. Working Youth Club. Fourteen working youth associations were provided training or capability building that benefited 122 working youths.

3. Tulong Alalay sa Taong May Kapansanan (TULAY). Fifteen differently-abled persons were provided livelihood assistance for their hog-raising project by the local government of Calabanga, Camarines Sur.

4. National Program Against Child Labor (NAPCL). Livelihood assistance was provided to 206 parents/guardians of child laborers in Camarines Norte.

5. Poverty-Free Zone (PFZ). A total of PhP347,099.67 was released to Samahan Ng Mga Ina At Amang Manggagawa for their “Talangka” project, an expansion of crabsite production in Gainza, Camarines Sur. An initial release of PhP985,272.00 was granted to Bolo Development Cooperative as part of the PhP1.2 million grant for PFZ Site 4 in Tiwi, Albay.

6. Women Workers Employment and Entrepreneurship Development (WEED)

For social partnership promotion and dispute resolution services, six projects were implemented: 

1. Small Money Claims (SMC).  Out of the 250 cases handled covering 256 workers, 201 cases or 80 percent were disposed covering 205 workers. A total amount of PhP1.7 million was restituted to 89 workers.

2. Labor Standard Cases. For this year, 29 labor standard cases were handled with a disposition rate of 76 percent. This means 22 cases were disposed covering 77 workers with a total restitution amounting to PhP531,241.30.

3. Med-Arbitration Cases and CBA Union Registration. Only two arbitration cases were handled and one was disposed. 33 unions with CBAs were monitored, four new CBAs were registered and six CBAs were renewed.

4. Labor Education. 61 labor relations, human relations and productivity seminars were conducted attended by 2,734 participants both from labor and management. 48 labor education for graduating students were conducted for some 8,244 college students.

5. Labor-Management Committees (LMCs).  Six LMCs were facilitated and enhanced.

6. Social Accord/Tripartism. Two social accords were forged: Electric Cooperative and Power Generation Providers; and Sorsogon Provincial TIPC.

   Accomplished under the skills competency, productivity training, bridging employment and technical vocational (Tech-Voc) services output is the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) which had 3,692 student beneficiaries.  A 44 percent increase was recorded and this was mainly attributed to the participation of the LGUs wherein they shouldered 100 percent of the salary of the students.

   The following were the activities under services to safeguard fair and just terms and conditions of employment:

1. General Labor Standards. 67 establishments were covered by routine inspection, 6 establishments were found with violation. 4 of which were corrected at plant level, 2 were elevated to labor standards cases and were disposed at the end of the year. This resulted to PhP48,534 restituted to the workers. Furthermore, 274 establishments were inspected under BLITZ with 216 or 79 percent compliance rate. 50 establishments were found to have violation on wages, 29 of which were corrected at plant level reflecting a 50 percent compliance rate. 29 cases were handled, 22 of which were disposed with a total of PhP531,241 amount of restitution. By the end of December 2007, there were 7 pending cases.

2. Technical Safety Standards. Out of the 914 targeted establishments, only 484 were inspected due to limited inspectors. 442 establishments complied with standards while 42 were found to be with violations.

3. Registry of Establishments. To ensure safety of establishments, 1,428 were registered for 2007.

Social protection and welfare services included: 

1. Child Labor. Through partnership with ILO-IPEC, 180 children laborers were removed from worst forms of child labor. Their parents/guardians were awarded with livelihood programs and projects.

2. Family Welfare. Three firms with existing family welfare programs were served.

3. IS-Welfare Management Program. There were 2,844 IS workers who were enrolled with social security programs of the government.

4. Amelioration Program.  A total of 1,416 sugar workers benefited through the cash bonus fund (CBF) amounting to PhP245,455.13. PhP1.9 million CBF was collected for CY 2007. 9 maternity benefits claims were validated, approved and paid and 12 death benefit claims were validated, approved and paid.

   These accomplishments were done despite the drawbacks of unfilled plantilla positions resulting in the lack of personnel in the frontline services and the lack of vehicles for the effective delivery of programs and services. 

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