FOR local labor group General Alliance of Workers Associations (Gawa), former Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Western Visayas Director Johnson Cañete is a big loss to the region.
Effective August 10, Cañete was transferred back to Central Visayas after serving Western Visayas for more than one year.
He was replaced by Cyril Ticao, who was regional director of DOLE-Eastern Visayas.
Prior to Eastern Visayas, Ticao served as assistant regional director of DOLE-Western Visayas and provincial director for Negros Occidental.
Wennie Sancho, secretary-general of Gawa, said on Sunday, August 12, Cañete has pronounced leadership especially in the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB).
Sancho, a labor representative to RTWPB-Western Visayas, said Cañete was able to mediate the labor and management sector resulting in a daily minimum wage increase of up to P41.50 for private sector workers in the region.
"We also had a quarterly meeting under his watch where he was able to handle issues and concerns fairly," he added.
For his part, Cañete thanked those who supported DOLE and RTWPB-Western Visayas during his stint as regional director and chairman, respectively.
Sancho said they expect that Ticao will continue and sustain what Cañete has started.
"Given that Ticao had been in Negros Occidental before, we believe that he already knows the issues and concerns here," he added.