THE Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said it will conduct targeted inspections of high-risk workplaces this holiday season, amid the year-end surge in economic activity.
In a statement on Wednesday, the agency said the inspections, which started on Nov. 30, will run up to Dec. 31.
“Labor checks are essential to guarantee that the holiday season’s increased economic activity does not come at the expense of worker safety and legal compliance,” said Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma.
The inspections will prioritize workplaces identified through formal worker complaints, occupational safety and health investigations, following major disruptive events, and critical technical safety checks, including boilers and electrical systems.
High-risk establishments listed under Department Order No. 252, as well as sectors experiencing seasonal demand spikes such as manufacturing, construction, pyrotechnics, and public transportation, will also be closely monitored.
DoLE said technical and advisory visits to micro establishments will continue, while follow-up monitoring and enforcement from previous inspections will proceed under standard departmental regulations.
Meanwhile, to fast-track assistance to calamity-affected workers, DoLE said it has been providing emergency employment interventions since the Kanlaon Volcano eruption earlier this year, reaching 381,513 individuals.
Following recent typhoons in November, the agency said it mobilized the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) program, disbursing P843 million in temporary wages to more than 160,000 beneficiaries. Typhoon Tino alone aided 68,349 workers in Western, Central, and Eastern Visayas and Caraga with over P363 million, while Super Typhoon Uwan assisted 91,699 workers in Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, and Western Visayas with P480 million.
According to the Labor department, profiling and TUPAD orientations also continue in Central Visayas, where recovery from Typhoon Tino is ongoing. In Aurora and other areas affected by Super Typhoon Uwan, TUPAD beneficiaries have been deployed for disaster rehabilitation, including clearing operations and repairs to damaged homes.
The department also extended aid to workers impacted by recent earthquakes in Visayas and Mindanao, reaching 9,413 workers in Central Visayas (P55.9 million) and 5,726 workers in Davao and Caraga (P29 million). It added that 1,693 beneficiaries nationwide received P19.5 million in livelihood grants under the DoLE Integrated Livelihood Program.
Overall, from the Kanlaon eruption to the latest typhoons, DoLE has delivered P2.045 billion in TUPAD assistance nationwide. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking
