DOLE-ADB-CIDA partnership jumpstarts regulatory reforms for more ‘decent jobs’

Towards solidifying its contribution to the national agenda of inclusive growth through employment-led strategies, the Department of Labor and Employment is reviewing its regulatory policies and rules to inject timely and effective labor market reforms in its employment facilitation mechanisms.

Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said this yesterday as the DOLE, through the Institute of Labor Studies (ILS), is set to launch tomorrow, the Technical Assistance Program on Employment Facilitation for Inclusive Growth (EFIG), in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
The launching will be held at the Bayleaf Hotel, Intramuros Manila.

“The DOLE’s synergized work with the ADB and CIDA paves the way to another convergent effort as we infuse the necessary reforms needed to make the country’s labor market more pragmatic, responsive, and attuned to the demands of the global economy,” Baldoz said.

“Good regulation is fundamental to a well-functioning economy and society. It is important that we get our regulations directed towards ensuring more decent jobs for all Filipinos,” she added.

Baldoz said the EFIG program aims to jumpstart well-timed labor policy analysis through a comprehensive review and regulatory impact assessments (RIA) of selected provisions of the Labor Code and other existing labor laws and regulations.
The project includes the creation and development of an e-regulation website; training of DOLE staff on policy analysis and evaluation; and capacity development of the DOLE in policy framework and labor governance systems.

The joint DOLE-ADB project shall make funding available for field research on selected employment policy issues; development of methodologies and standards for mitigating risks and options for employment facilitation; and crafting of protocols for an early employment recovery program.

The second component of the program is the launching of the “My First Job” project which aims to improve the youth employment situation in the country through the effective delivery of current labor market information, employment services, skills-jobs matching mechanisms, and other job search reforms.

With the ILS as the lead DOLE agency in the execution of the technical assistance program, ILS Executive Director Cynthia Cruz expressed high hopes that it will bring about improved regulatory governance in the field of labor and employment.

“We are excited about this partnership with the ADB as it gives us an opportunity to learn from the country’s brilliant minds on regulatory systems and labor governance on developing regulations that will promote, not impede, business and facilitate employment generation,” Cruz said.

“This partnership will be very helpful in developing not only the capacity of the DOLE on labor policy analysis and formulation but also in the conduct of relevant researches that can help us create better regulations for more decent jobs,” she added.

(For more information on this press release, please contact Mr. Bryan Balco, Labor Employment Officer III of the Institute for Labor Studies, at 5273490, 5273447)