DOLE facilitates benefits payment for retrenched DolePhil workers

POLOMOLOK, South Cotabato, Jan. 19 (PIA) - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 12 through its South Cotabato Field Office assisted and witnessed the payment of separation pays and other benefits provided by the food manufacturing giant Dole Philippines, Inc. to its 372 retrenched workers.

Of the affected workers, 371 were paid separation pays and other remunerations amounting to P124,372,248.

Also, 289 were paid the TUPAD (Tulong Pagkabuhayan sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers) wages amounting to P1,445,000 in total.

The release of benefits to affected DolePhil workers was done on December 21, 2021 at Barangay Cannery Multi-Purpose Gymnasium in Polomolok.

During the activity, DOLE 12's Quick Response Team and the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) conducted the profiling of affected workers for possible interventions. DolePhil management and workers' Union representatives were also present on the said profiling.

Interventions include DOLE Certification for SSS Unemployment Insurance benefits, proposed livelihood assistance, trainings on financial literacy and skills training in partnership with the Local Government Unit-Polomolok and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

DOLE 12 Regional Coordinating Committee chaired by Regional Director Raymundo Agravante also came up with the inter-agency interventions through the RCC's convergence programs to help reduce the impact of loss of employment to workers and the local economy.

"We will exhaust all means possible and offer menu of our programs and services to these workers to restart employment or encourage them to venture in entrepreneurship," Director Agravante said

On October 18 last year, DolePhil terminated the contracts of 471 rank-and-file workers. The company reasoned that the retrenchment was due to operational slowdown and decline of local and global market demands of its products due to the existing health crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic. (CDGamboa/DOLE 12/DED/PIA XII)