Department of Labor and Employment (Philippines)

"DOLE" redirects here. For the food company, see Dole plc.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE; Filipino: Kagawaran ng Paggawa at Empleo)^[3] is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for formulating policies, implementing programs and services, and serving as the policy-coordinating arm of the executive branch in the field of labor and employment. It is tasked with the enforcement of the provisions of the Labor Code.^[4]

Department of Labor and Employment

Kagawaran ng Paggawa at Empleo
Logo of the department
Flag of the department
DOLE building, Intramuros, Manila
Department overview
Formed	December 8, 1933; 91 years ago (1933-12-08)
Headquarters	DOLE Building, Muralla corner General Luna St., Intramuros, Manila
Employees	2,109 (2024)[1]
Annual budget	₱41.4 billion (2023) [2]
Minister responsible	Bienvenido Laguesma, Secretary
Department executive	Hero S. Hernandez, Head Executive Assistant, Office of the Secretary
Website	www.dole.gov.ph

History

American colonial period

Beginning as a bureau in 1908, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) was founded on December 8, 1933, by virtue of Act No. 4121 of the Philippine Legislature.^[5] During the Great Depression, the labor department experienced challenges, particularly peasant violence throughout Central Luzon. The first labor secretary, Ramon Torres, proved to be unpopular among sugar workers due to him being a sugar hacendero himself. President Manuel L. Quezon then replaced Torres with Jose Avelino, who was a staunch anti-communist. Ineffective to handle the continued violence, Avelino was replaced with Leon Guinto as its third labor secretary. Unlike Avelino, Guinto suggested social reforms to the president, albeit, creating a program dubbed "Quezonian communism". He thought that this would counter communism in the Philippines.^[6]: 232

Republic of the Philippines

It was renamed as the Ministry of Labor and Employment in 1978. The agency was reverted to its original name after the People Power Revolution in 1986.^[7]

List of secretaries of labor and employment

Main article: Secretary of Labor and Employment (Philippines)

Organizational structure

The department is headed by a Secretary with the following Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries:

• Undersecretary for Employment and Human Resource Development Cluster
• Undersecretary for Workers’ Welfare and Protection Cluster
• Undersecretary for Labor Relations, Policy and International Affairs Cluster
• Undersecretary for Legislative Liaison and Legal Affairs, General Administration Cluster
• Assistant Secretary for Employment and Human Resource Development Cluster
• Assistant Secretary for Labor Relations, Policy and International Affairs and Regional Operations Cluster
• Assistant Secretary for Legislative Liaison and Legal Affairs, General Administration Cluster
• Assistant Secretary for Workers’ Welfare and Protection Cluster

Bureaus

• Bureau of Local Employment (BLE)
• Bureau of Labor Relations (BLR)
• Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC)
• Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC)
• International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB)

Attached agencies

• Employees' Compensation Commission (ECC)
• Institute for Labor Studies (ILS)
• National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB)
• National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC)
• National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC)
• Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC)
• Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)
• Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)

Seals

• 
  Bureau of Local Employment (BLE)
• 
  Employees' Compensation Commission (ECC)
• 
  National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB)
• 
  National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC)
• 
  Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC)