The Institute for Labor Studies and the University of the Philippines School of Labor and Industrial Relations (UP-SOLAIR) have teamed up for its first academe-government forum collaboration on labor code reforms.

On 11 September 2013 the ILS and UP-SOLAIR will be holding the “Roundtable Discussion on Key Insights for Responsive Regulations: A Review of Labor Code Book V - Labor Relations” to be held at the Isabelo De Los Reyes Auditorium, Bonifacio Hall of the UP School of Labor and Industrial Relations.

The forum is part of the two-part Roundtable discussion on Reinforcing Relations through Responsive Regulations. The Department of Labor and Employment is one of the government agencies whose mandate include the issuance and implementation of sound regulations.

“Regulations are instituted primarily for the protection and benefit of the public at large. For more than 30 years, the Labor Code has been the bible on regulations on labor and employment. It is about time for us to engage in this discussion with the academe and our stakeholders on their views on the direction of labor relations,” said Executive Director Cynthia Cruz of the Institute for Labor Studies.

In the recent Global Competitiveness Report 2013-2014, the Philippines improved in its global ranking from 65 of last year to 59 this year because of gains in cooperation in labor-employer relations. In spite of this progress, restrictive labor regulations are still noted as major constraints to doing business.

“We want to know from our stakeholders their perspectives on the current state of labor relations today, what are the regulatory challenges they have encountered, what are the regulatory reforms that we need to adopt, and how can these reforms improve the current conditions,” said Cruz.

The forum will be concentrating on three components – cooperation in labor-employer relations, restrictiveness in regulations and efficiency of legal framework in settling disputes.

Invited to speak at the forum are labor relations experts led by former DOLE Secretary Ruben D. Torres, UP SOLAIR Dean Jonathan P. Sale, Executive Director Peter Perfecto of the Makati Business Club and UP SOLAIR Lecturer Benedicto Bitonio Jr. The forum will be moderated by UP SOLAIR Center for Labor Justice head Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo.

Results of this paper will form part of the ILS policy recommendations on Book V-Labor Relations for the draft of the proposed New Labor Code.

The ILS is the policy research and advocacy arm of the Department of Labor and Employment. Its research on regulations is downloadable at their website at www.ils.dole.gov.ph.

(For more information on this press release please contact Ms. Linartes M. Viloria, Chief Labor & Employment Officer, Advocacy & Publications Division, Institute for Labor Studies, Telephone Nos.: 5273490 / 5273447)