Manila: The National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), announced Wednesday that it has distributed approximately PHP3.07 billion in monetary benefits to 15,716 workers across the country.
According to Philippines News Agency, this significant disbursement is part of the Board's ongoing efforts to implement effective labor dispute resolution mechanisms. These initiatives include preventive mediation, handling notices of strike and lockout, voluntary arbitration, the Single-Entry Approach (SEnA), and various other dispute prevention and resolution strategies.
Voluntary Arbitration contributed PHP2.43 billion of the total amount, benefiting 1,153 workers, while Preventive Mediation facilitated PHP101 million for 7,059 workers. The Single-Entry Approach generated PHP199.57 million, assisting 2,714 workers, while Notices of Strike/Lockout facilitated PHP304.47 million, benefiting 4,593 workers. Actual Strikes/Lockouts resulted in PHP29.59 million, aiding 198 workers.
Among the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) programs, NCMB managed 3,146 Requests for Assistance (RFAs) through its Single-Entry Approach (SEnA), achieving a 99 percent disposition rate and a 77 percent settlement rate with an average settlement period of just eight days.
The Preventive Mediation (PM) program recorded 190 new cases involving 36,587 workers, culminating in a total of 221 cases handled. This program achieved an 87 percent disposition rate and an 83 percent settlement rate, resulting in 166 settled cases.
Additionally, the Notices of Strike/Lockout (NS/L) program managed 68 cases, including 57 newly filed notices, reaching an 84 percent disposition rate and a 74 percent settlement rate. A total of 43 notices were successfully resolved, preventing potential work stoppages through timely conciliation and mediation. For Actual Strikes/Lockouts (AS/L), the Board oversaw four work stoppages nationwide, all resolved within the prescribed process cycle time.
The DOLE emphasized its commitment to strengthening alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and fostering industrial peace through effective conciliation, mediation, arbitration, and labor-management partnership programs.
