DOLE Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma graced the blessing of the new office space of the Institute for Labor Studies as it celebrated its 37th anniversary at Mega One Building, España Boulevard, Quezon City.
Secretary Laguesma, in his inspirational message, highlighted the role of ILS in conducting relevant policy research studies aimed at addressing pressing issues in the labor and employment sector. He commended the milestones of the Institute in its research accomplishments, policy advocacy initiatives, technical secretariat support on legislative and research matters, and international engagements in ASEAN and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for the just transition workstream, among others.
“Sana itong institusyong ito ay maging napakahalagang bahagi ng Department of Labor and Employment tungo sa isang masusi at matalinong pagsusuri ng mga usapin at aralin sa larangan ng paggawa — upang itong institusyon ay makatulong din sa ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ na may mayroong matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay,” he emphasized.
“Nawa ang mga research na magawawa pa sa darating na panahon ay makatulong na maingat ang kalagayan ng mga manggagawa pati na rin ang mga namumuhunan upang makalikha ng mga bagong hanapbuhay,” he added.
The program kicked off with ILS management and employees' dialogue with its cluster head, DOLE Undersecretary Benedicto Ernesto R. Bitonio Jr., to seek guidance for its 2025 indicative researches.
“While you are expected to be independent in your research function, our outputs in policy research should be something useful to our policymakers and our clients. Much of your researches should have something to do with our existing policies,” he emphasized.
During the dialogue, ILS Deputy Executive Director Atty. Mary Grace L. Riguer-Teodosio presented the 2025 indicative research priorities of DOLE agencies and bureaus which comprised the DOLE Research Agenda 2025–2026 and the ILS indicative researches for 2025. The presentation highlighted the Institute’s 2023 major outputs including eight policy research studies, publications, and the upcoming 13th DOLE Research Conference in October 2024. This was followed by holy mass and the blessing of the new office space.
ILS Executive Director Jeanette T. Damo emphasized that the new office space aims to provide a better work environment and working conditions for its employees in the performance of their functions and targets.
The event was attended by senior officials and representatives from DOLE services, bureaus, and attached agencies.
ILS was formally established on July 25, 1987, through Executive Order No. 251 in response to the growing need for DOLE to produce comprehensive and innovative research studies to back up its policy recommendations. Headed by an Executive Director and assisted by a Deputy Executive Director, ILS has been instrumental in the promotion of labor market efficiency, industrial peace, and social justice in the last 37 years by bridging policy and practice by undertaking policy research and advocacy on key labor and employment challenges and opportunities.
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