The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) continues to provide timely and relevant information on the country’s current labor and employment situation as it holds its first press conference with its media partners this year at the DOLE Central Office in Intramuros, Manila on February 8, 2024. Led by DOLE Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma (center, top photo), the press conference provided a platform for DOLE to discuss the Labor Force Survey December 2023 results, the proposed P100 wage hike nationwide, employment generation measures, and the assistance to workers affected by the El Niño phenomenon and the recent calamity in Davao and Caraga regions. Secretary Laguesma was joined by (from right to left) National Wages and Productivity Commission Executive Director Ma. Criselda R. Sy; Labor Relations, Policy and International Affairs Cluster and Regional Operations Cluster Undersecretary Benedicto Ernesto R. Bitonio Jr.; Employment and Human Resource Development Cluster Undersecretary Carmela I. Torres, and Bureau of Local Employment Labor Market Information Division chief Grace Baldoza. “Ang DOLE ay nagpapasalamat at natutuwa sa pinakahuling ulat ng ating Philippine Statistics Authority na nagpapakita ng isang mataas na employment rate,” said the secretary. “Ang nasabing resulta ay nagbibigay sa DOLE ng lakas at inspirasyon upang higit pang pag-ibayuhin ang amin pong implementasyon ng programa ng DOLE na sa tingin ay contributory o nakakatulong sa pagtaas ng bilang ng mga may trabaho,” he added. (Photos by Alejandro P. Echavez, DOLE-IPS)
