President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s initiatives in resolving labor disputes through the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) has paved the way for the attainment of industrial peace anchored on harmonious labor-management relations
This was highlighted as the NCMB marks its 37th anniversary on January 4, 2025, underscoring its steadfast service as the DOLE’s key instrument in promoting industrial peace.
“Our government, through the DOLE, has effectively managed and resolved labor disputes to maintain, sustain, and improve sound and stable labor-management relations. We settled 94,802 out of 108,438 cases and awarded P6.54 billion worth of damages benefitting 120,514 workers,” President Marcos Jr. said in his President’s Report to the People 2022-2024. He referred to the accomplishment data up to April 2024.
The NCMB champions programs aimed at achieving, sustaining, and enhancing industrial harmony, ensuring that workplace concerns and labor disputes are promptly and effectively resolved.
Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma has underscored the need to enhance industrial peace as a vital component of the national economic development agenda of the administration of President Marcos Jr.
2024 Accomplishments
Further substantiating the accomplishment of the Marcos Jr. administration, the NCMB reported the following for the whole of 2024:
NCMB exceeded its targets in three key program areas: Labor-Management Cooperation (LMC), Grievance Machinery (GM), and Voluntary Arbitration and Conciliation-Mediation (VA/CM).
The LMC and GM-VA programs of the Board share a common goal: improving labor-management relations. In 2024, only 148 out of 5,293 companies with Labor-Management Committees (LMCs) had cases, reflecting a low 2.8% case incidence rate. Similarly, among the 5,404 companies with functioning Grievance Mechanisms (GMs), only 157 disputes were filed with the Board, resulting in a 2.91% incidence rate.
In the same year, 77 LMCs were established in 75 organized companies and 388 were facilitated in unorganized companies. Additionally, 81 GMs were operationalized in 67 organized companies, while 395 were institutionalized in unorganized companies.
To strengthen the effectiveness of these bipartite mechanisms, enhancement activities were conducted. In 2024. A total of 2,394 LMCs and 2,490 GMs underwent capacity-building initiatives.
As the conciliation arm of DOLE, the NCMB has maintained minimal strike incidences. The percentage of Notices of Strikes escalating to actual strikes remained below 6% in 2024.
In 2024, out of 163 Notices of Strikes handled, only four progressed to actual strikes, resulting in a low strike incidence rate of 2.45%. All four strikes were successfully resolved, achieving a 100% disposition rate. On the other hand, the settlement rate for Notices of Strike has been recorded at 80%, with 115 settled Notices.
Meanwhile, for the preventive mediation cases, out of the 383 handled, 339 were settled, with a settlement rate of 89%.
The board’s efficiency in resolving disputes at the early stages was further demonstrated by its success in addressing Requests for Assistance. Of the 4,913 Requests for Assistance processed in 2024, 3,491 were amicably settled, reflecting a settlement rate of 71%.
Trailblazing efforts in conciliation-mediation
The Single-Entry Approach (SEnA) program contributes to the Marcos Jr. administration’s achievements in managing and resolving labor-management disputes, according to the NCMB. The (SEnA) program refers to the administrative approach to provide an accessible, speedy, impartial, and inexpensive settlement procedure of all labor and employment issues through a 30-day mandatory conciliation-mediation.
It enhances the efficiency of the Request for Assistance Management System and contributes to the Department’s Integrated Case Management System (ICMS). Two policies on the SEnA program were issued in 2024.
On January 21, 2025, the NCMB reported that the DOLE regional offices (ROs) and the board facilitated ₱2.9 billion in benefits as of December 2024. This helped 58,212 workers across the country. The financial benefits did not only resolve labor disputes but also provided critical support to thousands of families.
During the period, the DOLE ROs and NCMB processed 53,519 Requests for Assistance (RFAs) through the SEnA program. Notably, they achieved a combined disposition and settlement rates of 99.63 percent and 90.35 percent, respectively.
Among the 64,376 companies with validated employment size data, 23,741 RFAs came from small enterprises, while 16,892 RFAs were from micro enterprises. Additionally, 8,291 RFAs were attributed to medium enterprises, while 15,452 RFAs were from large enterprises.
Meanwhile, the DOLE ROs and NCMB chalked up a resolution time of five to nine days, with DOLE RO III leading the way by settling cases in one day.
By the end of December 2024, the DOLE ROs and NCMB had handled 83,836 RFAs.
As guided by the leadership of President Marcos Jr., the NCMB’s accomplishments in 2024 reflect lives uplifted, workplaces revitalized, and industries fortified.
NCMB cements collaboration
In Region III, Universal Robina Corp. and Cebu Industrial Management Corp. Employee Union resolved their deadlocked items and ended their five-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) on 21 February 2024, through the facilitation by NCMB. The estimated economic package for the CBA amounted to P125 million, benefiting 219 employees.
In Legazpi City, Albay, a local vaccine distributor and a former employee resolved their dispute on September 20, 2024. The former employee claimed she had not received her final pay after her resignation. The company’s human resources manager acknowledged the delay. After several meetings, both parties agreed to an amicable settlement which includes a payment of P30,582.83 that represents the employee’s full monetary claims and final pay.
In Calamba, Laguna, P200,000 in monetary benefits was provided to a 60-year-old construction worker on November 28, 2024 following the resolution of a dispute involving a Laguna-based construction firm. The worker, who dedicated 19 years of service to the company, claimed that he was dismissed following a misunderstanding with the company owner. Through the facilitation of NCMB, the worker received a settlement from the management amounting to P200,000.
These are just some of the thousands of labor-management disputes managed and resolved by the NCMB.
Grateful words
The work of the NCMB has earned appreciation on all fronts.
The Security Bank Employees Union (SBEU), in its social media post on December 6, 2024, said, “We were able to secure favorable benefits. Thank you DOLE-NCMB for mediating. Thank you SBC. Signing of CBA and Ratification will follow.”
The officers and staff of Hofileña Hospital in Pagadian City also posted on social media on January 12, 2024, “Thank you DOLE NCMB for the Plant-level Orientation Seminar with topics on Labor-Management Cooperation (LMC) and Grievance Machinery.”
- Baluyot of Pasig City said on December 12, 2024 on social media, “Thank you DOLE NCMB for sharing your advocacy on Labor and Management Cooperation.”
Industrial peace under Bagong Pilipinas
Aligned with President Marcos Jr.’s commitment in promoting industrial peace ro boost national development, the DOLE said the NCMB is poised to advance its mission with greater effectiveness. It aims to drive innovation and create a lasting impact.
As the Labor secretary pointed out, “Through collaborations… we do not only achieve industrial peace, but also create a working environment where management and its employees, and the union in particular, can co-exist and thrive together.”
He aired an appeal to parties in labor-management disputes, “Maaaring may mga pagkakataong mayroon kayong mga hindi pagkakaunawaan, subalit napakahalaga na patuloy na mag-usap.”
The Labor chief assured that the DOLE “will remain committed to supporting initiatives intended to enhance tripartism and social dialogue that will uphold the dignity and respect the rights of Filipino workers.”
Secretary Laguesma added, “Sa ilalim ng patnubay ng administrasyon ng ating Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., higit na pag-iibayuhin ng kagawaran ang pagpapaabot ng mga kailangan at angkop na programa para sa ikabubuti at ikakaangat ng buhay ng manggagawang Pilipino.”
With these as lodestars, the Filipino workers can be assured of continuous support from the administration of President Marcos Jr.
