DOLE Employer’s Forum

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The Employer’s Forum organized by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on October 31, 2024, in General Santos City, centered on improving labor standards, occupational safety, and productivity in industries such as fishing, manufacturing, and labor services. The event gathered about 90 participants, including 23 from the FFSAPI-Sargen Handline Fisheries Improvement Project. The program featured orientations on labor laws, occupational safety and health standards, and benefits under SSS, PhilHealth, and PAG-IBIG, emphasizing worker rights and safety compliance.

Key discussions addressed the challenges of the handline fishing sector. Concerns included the “Ambak-Ambak” system, where frequent crew turnover led to complications like unpaid debts and remittance inefficiencies. To mitigate these issues, SSS introduced a payment plan tied to successful fishing trips (“Jackpot Trips”), enabling workers to meet contribution requirements for pensions. Similarly, PhilHealth highlighted its sponsored program for low-income fishers, covering premiums through LGU support, and PAG-IBIG encouraged voluntary memberships for informal workers, offering financial benefits like housing loans.

The forum underscored the Philippine government’s commitment to ensuring fair labor practices, financial security, and workplace safety. By aligning industry needs with worker welfare, the initiative aimed to boost productivity, employment, and well-being, particularly in high-priority sectors like fishing.