Industrial peace in Southern Luzon gets boost

In a bid to further encourage investments in Southern Tagalog, including the Calabarzon area, the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Southern Tagalog and the Department of Labor are formally implementing a program which will ensure industrial peace in the region.

According to Secretary Cesar Sarino, several approaches to ensure continued harmony among key players in business enterprises are simultaneously being tried out with the DOLE regional office, headed by Ricardo Martires Jr.

These strategies were drawn up during several consultative meetings among various management and labor groups, including labor lawyers from the private sector.

In Batangas, for example, a quadripartite council, which is intended to be a moral force in encouraging management and labor to hold regular and continuing dialogues, is slowly taking shape.

Composed of a few and select senior officials from management, labor, the government and the civil-religious community, the council will actively encourage and promote the regular exchange of responsive information to promote trust and confidence among the key players in business.

With the help of Lilia de Lima, director-general of the Philippine Export Processing Zone Authority, a comprehensive and integrated conference-training program is being developed to increase the level of awareness and commitment toward achieving company goals and social commitment among management and labor.

This program is being developed with the cooperation of private labor lawyers.

Recently, a dialogue was held with some Catholic leaders to put in place a preventive program so prospective strikes could be averted. A mediation strategy will also be developed which would allow third parties to intervene and work out amicable settlements of possible disputes.

Sarino said most of the programs are preventive and pre-emptive since conflicts are easier to handle before positions have hardened and a strike is called.