Working papers are reports that make the case for policy change, through a methodical inquiry into a specific policy or program problem or issue related to labor or employment, systematic observation of the manifestations of the problem, from which conclusions and policy, regulatory, operational or programmatic recommendations are derived. The papers are intended for specific actual or target clients, who have enunciated needs to consider or use the findings and recommendations as evidence of policy or program challenges and as basis for addressing policy problems or enhancing policies or programs related to labor and employment.
ILS working papers constitute a component of the policy development cycle of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the papers forming part of evidence or basis for policy formulation, review or enhancement. Thus, the primary users of ILS research papers are the DOLE bureaus and attached agencies. To ensure that the papers respond to the needs of DOLE for evidence-based policy making, ILS develops an annual research agenda aligned with the policy development needs of its primary users, usually as enunciated through the directives of the Secretary of Labor and Employment or through official request letters of the various DOLE offices. DOLE also uses ILS papers as basis for crafting legislative agenda and legislative proposals.
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Businesses that give employers and employees a place to meet are known as Labor Market Intermediaries (LMIs), and they play a critical role in facilitating transactions and creating networks. Digital LMIs (DLMIs) are LMIs that operate purely on a digital platform; this denotes that employer-employee matching in the labor market has transformed to meet the demands posed by 21st-century innovations and technologies (Autor 2001). In the Philippines, DLMIs have become a popular avenue for advertising employment opportunities and searching for job vacancies. Due to the presence of DLMIs in the Philippines and their profound impact on the labor market, the... |
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The Institute for Labor Studies, as the policy and research arm of the Department of Labor and Employment, is mandated to review the rationale of existing legislation and regulations, including the costs involved in implementation and the benefits derived. The inevitable changes in the labor and employment sector through the years have given rise to the need to address emerging issues and consequences arising from policies and practices. Consequently, this study on Department Order No. 174, series of 2017, assessed the regulatory impact of the said contracting and subcontracting regulation by analyzing the experiences and insights of stakeholders, particularly on the... |
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Analyzing DOLE’s Labor Inspection Policy: A Case Study Approach Labor justice in the Philippines is embedded both in Presidential Decree No. 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines and the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Article XIII, Section 3 of the Constitution stipulated the role of the State in protecting the workers with their fundamental rights at work. Meanwhile, Article 128 of the Labor Code of the Philippines, as amended, underscores the visitorial and enforcement power of the Secretary of Labor and Employment and his/her duly authorized representative. Moreover, Article 129 of the said Code of the Philippines provided the Secretary of Labor and Employment or his/her duly authorized hearing officer with the power to hear... |
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Evolving A Governance Framework For Workers In The Gig Economy Transformations in the world of work pose vast opportunities and adverse impacts on workers and employers. Such transformations largely contributed to the emergence of the gig economy. However, the prevailing institutional mechanisms and regulatory regimes are being challenged to respond effectively to the transformation. Using a qualitative method approach, this study seeks to gain a detailed understanding of gig economy governance and uncover new insights and opinions through key informant interviews and focus group discussions among participants from targeted sectors. Interviews revealed that the employment relationship of gig workers remains a... |
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An Overview Of Employment Generation Of Select Ecozones In The Philippines This study utilized a mixed-method research design, incorporating key informant interviews, desk reviews, and data analyses from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and other government agencies. This study looked into the employment generation of ecozones across the years. PEZA statistics indicated a rising employment trend in ecozones over the past decade, peaking in 2022 with 1.862 million workers, nearly double the initial figure of 909,266 in 2012. Demographically, ecozone employment consists of females, Filipino nationals, and regular employees directly hired by locators. Region-wise, the National Capital Region leads with 766,286 jobs... |
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Toward A Human-Centered Agriculture Modernization: Cases From The Philippines Agriculture modernization is “the process of transforming the agriculture (and fisheries) sector into one that is dynamic, technologically advanced, and competitive, yet concerned on human resource development, guided by the sound principles of social justice” (Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997). Anchored to the Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work in 2018, which called for a “human-centered approach for the future of work,” this research aimed to understand better the role of human capital productivity management towards the improvement of competitiveness in the agriculture sector as well as it aimed to contribute to the realization of... |
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This research examines just transition pathways and decent work outcomes for waste workers amid the circular economy and modernization shifts in the Philippines' waste sector. Using a qualitative study design and framework approach, researchers interviewed local government unit (LGU) officials, materials recovery facility (MRF) managers, and formal and informal waste workers across six sites pioneering zero waste programs and undergoing various sector transitions. Using the International Labour Organization’s Just Transition Guidelines as the analytical framework, findings reveal decent work deficits across employment stability, social protection, skills... |
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The fishing industry is one of the country's main economic drivers, with tuna as one of the Philippines' top fisheries exports. General Santos City, a 1st class, highly urbanized city, is in Region XII, SOCCSKSARGEN, dubbed the country's tuna capital. While the industry is vital to the country's economy, reports show it also suffers from sea and land labor issues. While these labor issues are well-documented, there are specific innovative approaches that the stakeholders from tripartite partners in the industry employed to address labor exploitation in the tuna sector that also need to be reported and emphasized. Following a case study approach to elucidate an in-depth... |