WITH THE THEME, “Creating an enabling environment toward achieving inclusive growth through decent and productive employment for all Filipinos,” the 2nd Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Research Conference on Decent Work took place on November 20, 2013 at The Bayleaf Hotel, Intramuros, Manila.

Organized by the Institute for Labor Studies (ILS), the research conference provided a venue for labor and employment researchers of the Institute to share their research-based outputs on the development of relevant policies on the promotion of decent work for all Filipinos. The presentations were grouped in accordance to the four pillars of decent work. Key issues discussed in the conference ranged from the area of labor relations to disaster risk reduction and management, tax exemption for low-income earning workers, social protection floors, community-based employment program to migration issues and concerns.

ILS Executive Director Cynthia Cruz said that the research conference sought to mainstream itself as a yearly event for DOLE staff and personnel. “We have been holding this conference since last year to serve as a platform for us in the Department to engage with our publics and help improve policy-making decision processes. Now that the foundation has been laid down, all DOLE Inter Agency Committee on Research Matters (IAC-RM) member agencies will be able to present their studies next year”, Executive Director Cruz said.

As the lead agency of the DOLE Inter-Agency Committee on Research Matters, the ILS headlined the research presentations and lectures during the program. Meanwhile, DOLE offices such as the Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC), Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC), Bureau of Local Employment (BLE), Bureau of Labor Relations (BLR), National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC), Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC), Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC), Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA), Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) and National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), among others, participated in the said event.

(For more information on this press release, please contact Ms. Brenalyn Peji and Mr. Bryan Balco, Advocacy and Publications Division, Institute for Labor Studies, Telephone Nos.: 527-3490/5273447).