Friday, August 24, 2007 Davao tops in promotion of workers productivity By Joy Romares-Sevilla
THE regional office of the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) reported that Davao Region ranked first all over the country in terms of promoting productivity and competitiveness of the labor sector.
"We are number one in promoting the LHP program of the government to improve the performance of the workforce," Dole Regional Director Ponciano Ligutom told Sun.Star Davao, adding that the region accomplished 60 percent of its target for the first semester of the year.
The LHP stands for Labor Relations, Human Relations, and Productivity. It is a program introduced by the government during the first quarter of the year, but was formally launched by Dole-Southern Mindanao in Davao Region on May 1.
Ediltrudes Cabiles, Dole's senior labor employment officer and LHP program holder, said LHP is important to establish health and industrial peace in every company.
Good human relations and industrial peace, she said, further boost the company's productivity.
"In this program, we conduct free seminar to companies in the region using the LHP module. They will request for the seminar, they will be the one to provide for the venue and the snacks. We have a pool of trainors in the regional level represented by different agencies," Cabiles said.
She added aside from their office, the agencies that take part in the conduct of the seminar are the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWBP)-Southern Mindanao, the National Conciliation and Meditation Board (NCMB), and the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC)-Southern Mindanao.
"One of our social partners for the promotion and the conduct of the advocacy is the Regional Tripartite Industrial Peace Council composed of the labor, management, and government sector," Cabiles said.
During the seminar, Cabiles said there are significant topics that concern both the employers and the workers for better relationship in the workplace.
"It is just a six-hour seminar, but the company is always welcome to request for another session. Specialized topics na ang tawag namin dun. We know that the seminar is effective kasi maraming nagri-request ng specialized topics," Cabiles said.
She added that based on the evaluation of the companies, which have already availed of the program, better and harmonious relationship between the management and the workers was established and transparency was obtained.
"A lot of the participants suggested to have more time for each topic we discuss, but the seminar is only a tickler. We always welcome their requests for specialized topics," Cabiles said.
"Companies now begin to realize na ang Dole hindi lang more on labor education. Dati, ang tingin kasi nila sa Dole, parang police na nanghuhuli, but now, they have seen Dole's concern on how to maintain the harmonious relationship in the workplace to attain productivity and competitiveness," Cabiles said.
