Latest news with #BienvenidoLaguesma
GMA Network
5 days ago
- Automotive
- GMA Network
DOLE urges employers to allow work-from-home setup amid EDSA rehab
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Friday suggested that employers consider adopting alternative work setups, such as working from home, as many workers will be affected by the rehabilitation of EDSA next month. According to Joseph Morong's report in '24 Oras' on Friday, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said EDSA is home to many business establishments, with nearly 50 malls on the stretch. 'Mutually beneficial po. Hindi po makakapinsila sa pagpapatuloy ng negosyo, pero matiyak din po na hindi rin mapipinsila ang ating mga mangagawa,' said DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma during an inter-agency meeting. (This will be mutually beneficial. It will not affect the businesses and at the same time we can make sure that workers will not be inconvenienced.) The Pasay and Guadalupe portions will be the first to be affected by the first wave of the rebuilding program that will begin on June 13. For its part, the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) said that alternative work arrangements may not be effective for some. 'Sana pabayaan yung mga kumpanya at yung mga tao nila na mag-usap, diskartehan nila, kanya-kanya,' said ECOP president Sergio Ortiz. (Let's leave it to the companies and their employees to decide on that.) ECOP also sought incentives for business establishments that would implement alternative work setups. The government earlier said that the rehabilitation on the major thoroughfare will go on full blast by July or August. Department of Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said that the DOTr will check if the odd-even coding scheme to be implemented during the rehabilitation period would be effective. The said vehicular scheme will have a dry run on June 16. On the other hand, transport groups said that the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) should have been implemented after the rehabilitation. Motorcycle taxi riders are complaining that the NCAP implementation has made their daily rides difficult. 'Mayroong reklamo sa akin na 'Sir, baka wedeng pakibilisan?' Sabi ko, 'Hindi tayo pwedeng dumaan diyan sa bike lane kasi bawal,'' said motorcycle taxi operator Paul Rosales. (Someone complained to me if I can go faster. I told him that we cannot use the bike lane.) 'Maganda ang layunin ng motorcycle lane, ang problema yung kalsada doon baku-bako,' said Kagulong Secretary General Don Pangan. (Motorcycle lanes are beneficial, however, the roads there are rough.) –Vince Angelo Ferreras/NB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
27-05-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
DA, DOLE to include minimum wage earners in P20/kg rice program
Minimum wage earners will soon have access to the government's pilot test of the P20 per kilogram rice initiative, which has been initially rolled out to vulnerable sectors. This developed after the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) "agreed in principle" to include minimum wage earners in the ongoing pilot run of the subsidized rice program, the DA said in a statement on Tuesday. Launched early this month, the P20 per kilogram rice initiative under the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program only allows members of vulnerable sectors—including indigents, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and solo parents to buy NFA rice at P20 per kilogram. Rice sold in Kadiwa centers is subsidized by the government through the Food Terminal Inc. For programs where local government units (LGUs) share the subsidy, it will be up to the LGUs to determine eligibility. The limit is 30 kilograms per household. Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. had a discussion on the former's proposal for the inclusion of minimum wage earners in the subsidized rice program, according to the DA. "We had a very good and fruitful discussion in our shared goal of helping our workers, particularly minimum wage earners. By including them in this rice program, we aim to improve their purchasing power," said Laguesma. "We are looking forward to a very successful implementation of this convergence of the DA and the Department of Labor and Employment," said the Labor chief. For his part, Tiu Laurel reaffirmed the DA's commitment to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive, emphasizing that strong inter-agency collaboration is essential to sustaining and expanding the impact of this vital social responsibility program. "This initiative stems from the President's promise to extend the P20 rice program to those who need it most," said the DA chief, adding that "for now, participation is limited to workers from companies that have expressed interest in the pilot program." The DA said it expects that eligible workers from participating companies would gain access to the P20 rice program next month. The Agriculture Department is aiming to sustain the program until the end of Marcos' term in June 2028, potentially covering up to 15 million households—or approximately 60 million Filipinos. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
28-04-2025
- Business
- Filipino Times
DOLE to offer 170,000 local, overseas jobs at Labor Day fairs
Around 170,000 job opportunities, both local and overseas, will be up for grabs during job fairs to be held at over 70 sites nationwide in celebration of Labor Day, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said about 2,000 employers are participating in the events, which will be organized in partnership with mall operators across the country. 'This number could still increase since we still have three days before the Labor Day celebration,' Laguesma said in an interview on Super Radyo DZBB. He encouraged both unemployed individuals and those seeking better opportunities to visit the job fair sites. 'I am inviting all our job seekers—whether unemployed or already employed but looking for better positions and benefits—to check out the jobs being offered at our job fairs,' he said. Laguesma noted that recent job fairs already recorded a number of on-the-spot hires, including about 100 in Malolos, Bulacan; 128 in Dagupan; and 170 in Pampanga. According to the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, 1.94 million Filipinos aged 15 and above were unemployed in February 2025. This figure is higher than the 1.80 million jobless individuals recorded in February 2024 but lower than the 2.16 million reported in January. Meanwhile, 49.15 million Filipinos were employed during the month, translating to an employment rate of 96.2%. Of this number, 4.86 million were considered underemployed, seeking either additional hours or better job opportunities.
