Manila – The Institute for Labor Studies recently held a presentation meeting last July 22 to reintroduce the concept of the Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) to select ILS employees. The meeting was called to order by ILS Executive Director Ahmma Charisma Lobrin-Satumba.

Chief Labor and Employment Officer Patrick Patriwirawan, Jr. of the Labor and Social Relations Research Division served as the resource person for the introduction to the RIA.

Mr. Patriwirawan, Jr. discussed the institutionalization of Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) within the Department of Labor and Employment starting with the RIA pilot project started in 2011 under the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Technical Assistance. Since then, RIA Technical Learning Sessions on Guidelines and Forms were conducted and completed among all DOLE bureaus and agencies, including consultation meetings for RIA Pilot Teams Bureau of Local Employment and Bureau of Labor Relations, along with RIA workshops on labor policy analysis and cost-benefit analysis

As an outcome of the RIA implementation within DOLE, the following DOLE priority legislative agenda have been identified: Security of Tenure, Unemployment Insurance, Magna Carta for Seafarers, Apprenticeship, and Productivity Incentive. The DOLE issuances under review include private recruitment and placement regulations, special program for employment of students, Public Employment Service Office (PESO), and overseas employment.

As ways forward for RIA implementation within the DOLE, the issue on contracting and sub-contracting, particularly focused on DOLE Department Order 174-15 is the priority item identified to undergo the assessment. Undersecretary Benedicto Ernesto Bitonio, stressed that the success of the RIA that will be conducted on DO 174-15 will help DOLE Officials address gaps and find a more concrete and sustainable solution and craft responsive policies to address and curb labor contractualization.

After the presentation, RIA committee members from the Institute were chosen to be part of the team that will conduct RIA on DO 174-15 slated to start this year.