MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Department of Labor and Employment has strengthened the implementation of wage policy reform, which advocates for a “tighter” link between pay and productivity of the Filipino workers.
Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz in her keynote address at the awarding ceremonies of the 2013 Productivity Olympics at the Century Park Hotel in Manila said, “DOLE, through the National Wages and Productivity Commission, has effectively expanded its package of productivity programs consistent with the strategy to further strengthen DOLE capacity to assist firms towards the road to productivity.”
“What makes this strategy more unique from the rest is that all our productivity advocacy and capacity building interventions are offered free to the MSMEs,” Baldoz added.
Furthermore, Baldoz said that in 2010, the DOLE had first consolidated all training programs, and developed and deployed improved modules on quality and productivity technologies to strengthen productivity advocacy.
“We have also expanded coverage of the value-driven ISTIV Productivity Awareness Program to include constructive and cooperative worker and employer relations modules from ILO’s Succeeding in Business Program. The module is now called ISTIV Plus,” she said. I-S-T-I-V stands for Industrious, Systematic, Time-conscious, Innovative, and Strong Value for work.
Baldoz also said the Service Quality for Hotels and Restaurants Industry Program towards zero-error in attending to customers’ needs now also covers the tourism value chain, which includes airports/ports; gift shops; transport service; tourist guides; and local police. Preliminary demonstration of this enhanced module was done in Dapitan and Dipolog Cities, and Boracay Island.
“We are currently expanding our partnership agreement on Service Quality with the Department of Tourism to cover the value chain of the tourism industry. In recognition of providing quality service as a strategy to attract more tourists, the DOT has adopted a modified accreditation system, which requires tourist service providers, such as hotels, restaurants, and resorts to demonstrate quality service in order to secure DOT accreditation. The DOT has institutionalized this arrangement,” Baldoz explained.
Finally, she said the RTWPBs have been tasked to monitor post-implementation of productivity improvement programs as part of their strategy to tap potential Productivity Olympics nominees.
“With our expanded menu of productivity improvement programs, I hope many more MSMEs will embark on their own productivity journey for the country to attain competitiveness, progress, and inclusive growth,” she ended.
