By Jelly Musico – PNA
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday commended the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for uplifting the lives of the Filipinos by providing them with decent and productive job opportunities.
“So, over the years, the department and the various agencies under its supervision have continued to champion the interest of the Filipino people here and abroad,” Duterte said in his speech as he graced the 85th DOLE anniversary celebration at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.
Duterte said DOLE’s many accomplishments throughout the decades are truly worthy of praise and recognition.
“Indeed, DOLE has greatly contributed in our efforts to uplift the lives of our countrymen by providing them with decent and productive job opportunities,” he said.
For the past decades, Duterte said the DOLE has secured the welfare and rights of employees in their respective workplaces throughout the country.
“The department’s effective facilitation of employment and development of manpower, as well as its strict implementation of labor standards and social protection, have proven to be good and to show committed to advance the betterment of our working population,” he said.
He challenged the more than 8,000-strong DOLE officials and personnel to continue upholding excellence in the performance of their duties to build an efficient and honest and dependable government.
“Now, more than ever, we need more dedicated civil servants like you as we improve not only our bureaucracy, but the plight of our kababayans who aspire for dignified, comfortable and prosperous lives,” Duterte said.
Duterte said his administration will remain supportive of the DOLE’s reform programs and initiatives “that seek to harness the potential of its own employees”.
“As you embark on a new chapter in the DOLE’s history, may you continue to implement policies that will protect our workers — particularly the vulnerable ones — and strengthen the [partnerships with] other stakeholders towards the realization of our sustainable development goals,” he said.
Before addressing the crowd, Duterte gamely sang the OPM classic “Ikaw” with “Tinig at Himig” OFW Singing Idol champion Shanika dela Cruz.
DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III, who introduced the President, called on the DOLE workforce to continue to uphold their call for values of integrity, loyalty and excellence in service.
