Employment Litigation in the Philippines: The Significance of the Single-Entry Approach in Conciliation-Mediation
In this episode, SyCipLaw’s employment law specialists and partners Dante T Pamintuan and Emmar Benjoe B Panahon tell us more about employment litigation in the Philippines and the significance of conciliation-mediation proceedings in settling disputes in the workplace.
Dante T Pamintuan
Emmar Benjoe B Panahon
The Philippines’ labour laws are pro-employment. The country’s Labour Code states that all doubts in the implementation and interpretation of labour laws and regulations should be resolved in favour of the employee, recognising that the law in protecting the rights of the labourer should also respect employers’ rights.
In the Philippines, the government has simplified the conciliation-mediation process through the “Single Entry Approach” (SENA), which aims to:
- provide a speedy, impartial, inexpensive and accessible settlement of labour issues arising from employer-employee relations;
- promote the use of conciliation-mediation in the settlement of labour cases; and
- strengthen co-operation and co-ordination between and among Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) agencies involved in dispute settlement.
SENA has been an effective and convenient way for employers and employees to settle disputes, especially when dealing with simple issues like money claims and non-payment of benefits. The SENA process also helps parties avoid costly litigation and legal fees and frees up management time for those involved.
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan
