CEBU, Philippines — After more than a decade, the National Labor Relations Commission-Seventh Division Regional Arbitration Branch (NLRC-RAB-7) has revived the dialogues between the labor and management sectors to ensure industrial peace.
The revival came after NLRC chairperson Garce Maniquiz-Tan pushed for the initiative in partnership with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines to improve the services and operation of the agency. The last time NLRC conducted dialogues with its stakeholders was in 2010.
NLRC-Seventh Division Commissioner Maria Joyce Seno-Kho said that hosting dialogues is part of their reaching out to their stakeholders. She hopes that through these dialogues both the labor and the management sectors would have an idea and better understanding of their issues and concerns which will be discussed during the dialogue.
NLRC commissioners and labor arbiters will be there to listen with the help of the members of the IBP.
NLRC-7 Commissioner Nendell Hanz L. Abella said the dialogue with the stakeholders is part of the week-long celebration of the NLRC for its 49th Founding Anniversary and Labor Relations Week.
“Hopefully we can sustain this and every year we can have this kind of activity, kaning dialogue with the stakeholders,” said Abella.
Some issues discussed during yesterday’s dialogue include the service of summons especially to the losing parties, quitclaims, difficulty in the execution of the decision, right to appeal labor cases, appeal bond, ambulance chasing by some lawyers, among others.
Alfred Reyes, president of the Hotel Resort & Restaurant Association of Cebu Incorporated, suggested that their organization can help NLRC-7 inform or facilitate their members especially those who will not accept any summons from the commission.
NLRC-7 Executive Labor Arbiter Emiliano Tiongco, Jr. also emphasized the observance of due process before terminating an employee as well as reminding how to treat their workers well.
Abella promised that a tripartite dialogue between the labor sector, the management and the government will be done soon.
NLRC, a quasi-judicial agency attached to the Department of Labor and Employment, is mandated to adjudicate labor and management disputes involving both local and overseas workers through compulsory arbitration and alternative modes of dispute resolution. —/FPL (FREEMAN)