by Jazmin O. Cinco
ZAMBOANGA CITY, 28 Feb. (PIA 9) - - To address the concerns of the Contractors/Subcontractors in the region, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has given more teeth to a revised department order that aims to protect workers by curbing abuses of contracting and subcontracting arrangements.
The said Department Order No. 18-A Rules Implementing Articles 106 to 109 of the Labor Code, an amendment to Department Order 18, now has provisions that would strengthen security of tenure of workers.
Series of orientations will be conducted to major cities and provinces in the region starting March 5, 2012 in the Cities of Zamboanga and Isabela; March 6 in Zamboanga Sibugay, March 7 in Zamboanga del Sur and March 8 in Zamboanga del Norte.
DOLE 9 Regional Director Sisinio B. Cano encouraged possibly all registered Contractors/Subcontractors with their principals to attend and participate in the scheduled orientation at their respective areas so as to discuss comprehensively the guidelines and provisions stipulated in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), to adhere with the requirements for registration and to understand the roles and responsibilities of the Principals and Contractors/Subcontractors engaged in contracting/subcontracting arrangements. To date, there are 234 registered contractors/subcontractors in this Office, he said.
Further, Director Cano espoused that the importance of this orientation is also to aware them with the reportorial requirements that they are mandated to submit annually.
The orientation is also a joint undertaking with the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity IX which will also discuss the prevailing region 9’s Wage Order No. 17 and ISTIV Productivity Awareness. The topic on Labor Standard Laws will also be discussed.
“Our aim is to get rid of fly-by-night contractors and subcontractors. The new department order will promote employment and encourage full compliance with minimum wages, security of tenure, self organization and collective bargaining” Director Cano said. (JPA/JOC/DOLE/PIA- ZBST)