DOLE, UP team up for paralegal training

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma. Photo from DoLE

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has partnered with the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law and the UP Law Center in launching a paralegal training program for trade unionists and workers.

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said the program aims to reinforce and enhance the workers and trade unionists’ knowledge about labor rights and remedies.

The program was rooted in the memorandum of agreement signed by DOLE and UP last year.

“The program was designed to empower trade unionists and their members with the knowledge and tools necessary to better protect themselves while navigating the complexities of labor laws and workers’ rights, verify facts, prepare statements, look for leads, and respond effectively to reported violations,” Laguesma said.

The training syllabus covers the spectrum of labor laws from foundational principles and workers’ rights and obligations to advanced legal topics.

It also includes Republic Act (RA) 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, and addresses contemporary issues like gender fairness in the workplace.

It offers practical training in case documentation, report writing, and affidavit making.

In 2020, the constitutionality of RA 11479 was questioned by at least 37 petitioners that include organized labor.

The law was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on July 3, 2020, and took effect 16 days later.

The training is also an opportunity to safeguard the rights to self-organize, ensure prompt legal actions, and enhance the operational effectiveness of monitoring bodies. According to Laguesma said the partnership between DOLE and UP was in response to the challenges highlighted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and marks a milestone in the Philippines’ commitment and adherence to conventions related to exercising workers’ freedom and rights to self-organize.