COUNCILOR Pamela Librado on Tuesday urged the creation of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the City Workers Protection Ordinance.
In her privileged speech, Librado, committee chair of the labor and employment opportunities, said the ordinance has been approved for four years, yet the absence of the IRR practically shelved it.
Ordinance No. 0585 Series of 2021, or An Ordinance creating the City Workers Protection and Development Office of Davao City, was approved by the 19th City Council on May 11, 2021.
Meanwhile, then-mayor Sara Z. Duterte signed the ordinance on Aug. 9, 2021.
“The absence of comprehensive implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for City Ordinance 0585-21 has created ambiguities in the effective and proper implementation of the approved provisions,” Librado said.
She added that the approved ordinance outlined the coverage, budget, and funding/allocation, creation, and functions of the Barangay Employment Desk Offices, including the creation of the Workers Protection and Development Office (WPDO).
“There is a felt and urgent need to address these concerns to ensure the full function of the WPDO and to properly implement the ordinance, with uniform mechanisms for its sustainability and effective enactment,” she added, noting that the guidelines of the partner implementing offices, agencies, and local unions and labor associations.
She called the Department of Labor & Employment, Technical Education Skills and Development Authority, City Mayor’s Office, Public Employment Service Office, Department of Education (DepEd), representatives from NGOs, and labor unions to formulate the rules and regulations to finally enforce the ordinance.
“Hopefully, upon approval of the IRR of this ordinance, we can assure the rights of workers to self-organization, collective bargaining, security of tenure, and just and humane conditions of work,” she added.
Photo from Councilor Pamela Librado’s Facebook page
