DOLE's New Guidelines for Labor Dispute Resolution

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in the Philippines has taken a significant step towards improving labor dispute resolution with the signing of Department Order No. 249, series of 2025. This new order, signed by Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma on February 7, 2025, revises the previous Department Order No. 151, series of 2016, and implements the rules and regulations of the Single Entry Approach Program (SEnA IRR). The order institutionalizes the mandatory conciliation-mediation law or Republic Act 10396, aiming to provide a more efficient and accessible process for resolving labor and employment issues.

Key Features of the New Guidelines:

The revised guidelines embody the essence of providing a speedy, impartial, inexpensive, and accessible conciliation-mediation procedure. These guidelines were developed through a series of collaborative meetings and consultations with implementing offices and tripartite stakeholders. The DOLE prioritized addressing issues relevant to program implementation and ensuring the quality of settlements reached in every Request for Assistance (RFA).

Strengthening Conciliation-Mediation:

In 2024, over 83,836 requests for assistance were processed by DOLE, the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), and the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC). This resulted in the payment of employers of total PHP 2.9 Billion monetary claims, benefiting 58,212 workers. The new guidelines continue to strengthen conciliation-mediation under the SEnA as a speedy and effective way to resolve claims arising from employer-employee relations.

Enhanced Accessibility and Representation:

One of the notable provisions in the new guidelines is allowing RFAs to be filed at the office nearest to the requesting party's residence. This option, previously available to only a few types of requesting parties, is now extended to all persons needing assistance in resolving workplace issues. The guidelines also address RFAs involving contractors, subcontractors, platform and gig workers, and other non-standard forms of work arrangements.

Provisions on representation were amended to include various circumstances where requesting parties can authorize representatives to file on their behalf. This revision eliminates the tendency to be exclusionary and specifies the requirements for authorization to uphold the equitableness of the program.

Incorporation of Online Processes:

The new guidelines incorporate online processes for filing, handling, and disposing of RFAs. With the rapid development of technology, the use of digital means in filing and conducting conferences allows the DOLE to extend its services to more stakeholders and assist them with their concerns arising from employer-employee relations. The use of online processes aligns with DOLE's initiative to integrate various dispute resolution case management systems, offering flexibility and innovative ways of conducting conferences regardless of location.

Introduction of DOLE ARMS:

The newly launched online system for SEnA, the DOLE Assistance for Request Management System (ARMS), is a significant addition. The DOLE ARMS is the first phase of the Integrated Case Management System (ICMS) and unifies the receipt and monitoring of RFAs filed nationwide. It is available anytime and anywhere to anyone who desires to avail of the program, addressing issues such as decentralized database, duplicate and multiple filing, no formal referral system, and manual generation of reports.

Conclusion:

The revisions made in the SEnA guidelines aim to fulfill DOLE's mandate to promote and maintain industrial peace. The SENA program is dedicated to providing an avenue for the preferential use of conciliation-mediation in settling issues arising from employer-employee relations. Department Order No. 249, series of 2025, takes effect 15 days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation or official gazette. The full text of the order is available on the DOLE website.

By embracing these changes, DOLE is not only enhancing labor dispute resolution but also ensuring that every worker and employer has access to fair, speedy, and effective means of settling workplace issues.

Reference: DOLE STRENGTHENS SEnA IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH NEW GUIDELINES